CHILL image collection: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 17:29, 3 February 2021

Fall 1989: The CHILL's home base site was located a short distance northeast of the parking ramp for the University of Illinois pilot training program at Willard Airport (KCMI).

Spring 1989: View from the top of the radome looking in the opposite direction from the preceding picture (towards the southwest). The top of the dome was reached by climbing the rope ladder seen in the bottom of the picture.

~1986 - 1987: Gene Mueller and Dave Brunkow, primary electrical engineering staff for the CHILL radar. This picture was taken in the technical operating area that was added to the rear of the FPS-18 van during the NSF-funded radar upgrade in the mid-1980's. (Photo credit: ISWS archives via Nancy Westcott and Steve Hilberg).

3 June 1987: Lifting the S-band reflector onto the pedestal at the Dickinson, North Dakota Municipal Airport (KDIK). The remote deployment project at Dickinson was the first utilization of the CHILL radar after its promotion to a base-funded NSF Facility.

11 December 1990: To remove the feed horn support struts from the H and V polarization planes, the antenna was rotated 45 degrees when the CHILL was transferred to CSU. Pattern measurements were undertaken to evaluate the effects of the antenna rotation. For the initial pattern measurements, Gene Mueller operated a signal generator connected to a standard gain horn in a rented lift.

29 May 1991: The lift did not raise the signal source to a sufficient height with respect to the CHILL antenna. Subsequent pattern measurement experiments involved moving the signal generator and horn to the roof of a silo that was part of a sugar processing plant located ~3 km southwest of CHILL. In this picture CHILL technician Ken Pattison (left) is seen with Western Sugar employee Robert Schaeffer.

4 June 1991: Some of the pattern experiments involved applying microwave absorbing material to the feed struts. Antenna pattern sidelobe levels were not appreciably improved through the use of the absorber material.

21 May 1991: In addition to pattern measurements, sphere calibrations of the radar were also done when CHILL operations began at CSU. The initial calibrations were done with the metal sphere target suspended from a tethered balloon. The sphere is being connected to the tether line in this picture. Seen from left to right are: Ken Pattison (yellow hat), Tom Mckee (mostly hidden and holding the sphere), Jon Kleist (white shirt) and Gene Mueller (red hat).

21 May 1991

26 June 2003

11 January 1996

8 August 1991

8 December 1993

8 September 1994

7 June 1995

August 1988

21 May 1998

August 2006

28 May 2013

28 May 2013

June 1993

5 June 1996

24 June 1995

29 June 1995

29 June 1995

10 August 1995

23 June 1999

1 June 1993

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 [[Image:CMI ramp 750w.png|750px|center]]
-Fall 1989
+Fall 1989:
+The CHILL's home base site was located a short distance northeast of the parking ramp for the University of Illinois pilot training program at Willard Airport (KCMI).
 [[Image:CMI dome top 750w.png|750px|center]]
-Spring 1989
+Spring 1989:
+View from the top of the radome looking in the opposite direction from the preceding picture (towards the southwest).  The top of the dome was reached by climbing the rope ladder seen in the bottom of the picture.
 [[Image:ISWS EAM DAB precep 750w.png|750px|center]]
-~1986 - 1987
+~1986 - 1987:
+Gene Mueller and Dave Brunkow, primary electrical engineering staff for the CHILL radar.  This picture was taken in the technical operating area that was added to the rear of the FPS-18 van during the NSF-funded radar upgrade in the mid-1980's.  (Photo credit: ISWS archives via Nancy Westcott and Steve Hilberg).
 [[Image:DIK reflector lift 750w.png|750px|center]]
-June 1987
+June 1987:
+Lifting the S-band reflector onto the pedestal at the Dickinson, North Dakota Municipal Airport (KDIK).  The remote deployment project at Dickinson was the first utilization of the CHILL radar after its promotion to a base-funded NSF Facility.
 [[Image:EAM lift 750w.png|750px|center]]
-December 1990
+December 1990:
+To remove the feed horn support struts from the H and V polarization planes, the antenna was rotated 45 degrees when the CHILL was transferred to CSU.  Pattern measurements were undertaken to evaluate the effects of the antenna rotation.  For the initial pattern measurements, Gene Mueller operated a signal generator connected to a standard gain horn in a rented lift.
 [[Image:KP W sugar 750w.png|750px|center]]
-May 1991
+May 1991:
+The lift did not raise the signal source to a sufficient height with respect to the CHILL antenna.  Subsequent pattern measurement experiments involved moving the signal generator and horn to the roof of a silo that was part of a sugar processing plant located ~3 km southwest of CHILL.  In this picture CHILL technician Ken Pattison (left) is seen with Western Sugar employee Robert Schaeffer.
 [[Image:Absorber 708w.png|708px|center]]
-June 1991
+June 1991: Some of the pattern experiments involved applying microwave absorbing material to the feed struts.  Antenna pattern sidelobe levels were not appreciably improved through the use of the absorber material.
 [[Image:May 1991 sphere cal 750w.png|750px|center]]
-May 1991
+May 1991: In addition to pattern measurements, sphere calibrations of the radar were also done when CHILL operations began at CSU.  The initial calibrations were done with the metal sphere target suspended from a tethered balloon.  The sphere is being connected to the tether line in this picture.  Seen from left to right are: Ken Pattison (yellow hat), Tom Mckee (mostly hidden and holding the sphere), Jon Kleist (white shirt) and Gene Mueller (red hat).