Low-cost millimeter-wave beacon receiver including total-power radiometer: design, implementation and measurement calibration

An experimental Earth station has been installed in Madrid, with the aim of studying the propagation characteristics in the Earth-space link at 50 GHz. The station, which consists of a beacon receiver and a radiometer, was constructed in the University at a very reduced cost, compared to commercially available equipment of similar characteristics. The receiver measures the co-polar and cross-polar signal amplitudes and phases for two linear polarizations, with a 30 dB fade margin for the co-polar signals. General descriptions of the various parts of the equipment, as well as some examples of measurements, are presented in the article.