Long-range CODAR Site Installation at Nantucket, MA

On March 31, 2003, Drs. Josh Kohut and Hugh Roarty, along with Dr. Mike Muglia from the University of North Carolina, went up to Nantucket, Massachusetts to install a new CODAR long-range system. This will be a new field site for Rutgers' CODAR group to collect data.

The day started with setting up the equipment box, which would hold all the electronic equipment for the CODAR system, as well as any cables running to the systems. As can be seen in the photograph, the equipment box houses the computer monitor, keyboard, transmitter, receiver, and the computer in a shelved/racked format. The box opens from the front and back for easy access to the devices and to the cables.

After setting up the equipment box, the guys went out to the appropriate distances to set up the antennas. They first assembled and anchored the transmit antenna. From the photograph, you can see the relative distance of the transmit antenna to the building which houses the equipment box.

Successfully, the transmit antenna was installed. Now, the other portion of the system needed assembly. This other portion was the receive antenna.

Curiously to see the relative distance between both antennas, refer to the next photograph. As can be seen, there is approximately 50 meters of distance in between the antennas.

There is also a Loran-C antenna at the site, but this antenna already existed It was not part of the long-range CODAR installation. While driving from the installation site, you are able to see the antennas and equipment building from the main road.

After the site was fully installed, the scientists returned to the site and checked to make sure that the system was collecting data properly. The two images following are samples of what was collected. There is also a animated file, which shows the data collected throughout April 1, 2003.

Data Animated Files:

For more information regarding HF Radar system, please click here (will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to open PDF file).