Joint Astronomy Centre
Show document only
JAC Home
JCMT
UKIRT
Contact info
JAC Divisions
OMP
Outreach
Seminars
Staff-only Wiki
Weather
Web Cameras
____________________

JCMT home
Observing at JCMT
OMP Observation Manager
Telescope
Instrumentation
Schedule
Data Archive
Future Developments
Legacy Surveys
Newsletter & Publications
How Low Can You Go? How High Can You Reach?
User's Manual for B3

Tuning range of B3



The extreme tuning range of the receiver is about 315-373 GHz (in sky frequency). Both mixers are tunerless and quite similar in their characteristics. For frequencies within a few GHz of the tuning limits the multiplier output power is marginal, and the automated tuning procedures usually fail. In such cases, manual tuning is required (I recommending adjusting the multiplier bias voltage for maximum mixer current).

Performance is spotty near the limits of the tuning range and cannot be guaranteed. Also, true heterodyne performance (i.e. you should see spectral lines) is not proven near the band edges even though the receiver may tune without trouble.

When tuning near the limits you should place the line frequency in the sideband that minimizes the "stretch" of the LO - i.e. tune LSB at low frequencies and USB at the high end of the range. Remember that the IF (intermediate frequency) is currently 4 GHz and that Sky_freq = LO+IF for the USB and Sky_freq = LO-IF for LSB tunings.

Contact: Ming Zhu. Updated: Mon Aug 16 16:19:28 HST 2004

Return to top ^