"Broadcast for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence

from Evpatoria Deep Space Center"

 Report on Cosmic Call 1999

 

Prof. Alexander L. Zaitsev

Institute of Radio Engineering and Electronics Russian Academy of Science

 Dr. Sergey P. Ignatov

Institute of Space Device Engineering Russian Space Agency

 

CONTENTS

1. Introduction

2. Background

3. Methodology

4. Hardware Upgrade

5. Software Upgrade

6. Cosmic Call Sessions

7. Future Prospects

8. Supplement: Cosmic Call Logbook

 

Introduction

 

This Report outlines methodology, hard- and software, which were developed to transmit first public Interstellar messages from Evpatoria Deep Space Center (EDSC), and describes four Cosmic Call Sessions, which were fulfilled in EDSC on May 24 and June 30 - July 1, 1999.

 

Background

 

The Encounter 2001 Mission (www.teamencounter.com) consists of two elements: The Cosmic Call and The Millennial Voyage. The first one represents the series of interstellar transmissions to the stars, which have the similar spectral type as Sun and probably, the own planetary system. The selection of this stars is mainly base on the SETI Institute target list (Yvan Dutil, e-mail communication on 5 Jun 99):

TABLE 1. Target Stars

Target Number	1	2	3	4	5
Star Name	HD178428	HD186408	HD190067	HD190360	HD190406
Visual Magnitude	6.08	5.99	7.15	5.73	5.08
Spectral Type	G5V	G2V	G8V	G6IV+	G1V
Light Years	68.3	70.5	63.0	51.8	57.6
RA, J2000	19h07m57.32s	19h41m48.95s	20h02m34.15s	20h03m37.41s	20h04m06.23s
PMRA, arcsec/yr	0.06561	- 0.14775	- 0.18607	0.68332	- 0.39407
LY * PMRA	4.48s	- 10.42s	- 11.72s	35.40s	- 22.70s
RA + LY * PMRA	19h08m01.80s	19h41m38.53s	20h02m22.43s	20h04m12.81s	20h03m43.53s
Dec, J2000	+16d51m12.24s	+50d31m30.21s	+15d35m35.51s	+29d53m48.51s	+17d04m12.64s
PMDec, arcsec/yr	- 0.30446	- 0.15885	- 0.58207	- 0.52406	- 0.40642
LY * PMDec	- 20.79	- 11.20s	- 36.67	- 27.15s	- 23.41
Dec + LY * PMDec	+16d50m51.44s	+50d31m19.01s	+15d34m58.84s	+29d53m21.36s	+17d03m49.23s

 

The lines [RA + LY * PMRA] and [Dec + LY * PMDec] denote the actual values of Right Ascension (RA) and Declination (Dec), which are accounting the distance LY and proper motion PM, and which were used for computations of elevation and zenith angle of given star during its tracking by Evpatoria antenna.

 

According with Specification, for Cosmic Call we have used the 70-m fully steerable parabolic antenna and power transmitter, which are usually using for planetary and asteroid radar researches, with the following parameters:

 

Central Frequency - 5010.024 MHz Antenna's Diameter - 70 m Effective Aperture - 2500 m2 Continuous Power - 150 kW Left Circular Polarization.

 

Methodology

 

Each Cosmic Call consists of two parts. Part I is the selected Earth's knowledge for Extraterrestrial, and Part II contains the names and personal messages of Encounter 2001 participants. Regarding Part I, we have a total of 4 messages, to include in it:

 

1. Dutil Message,

2. Braastad Message,

3. Arecibo Message, and

4. Encounter 2001 Staff Message.

 

For explanation of message's content please visit www.teamencounter.com. Each above messages are the binary ["0" & "1"] streams of information, separated to each other by 5 second pauses. As a result, we have the ternary situation: ["0", "1", and "pause"], so need to use the ternary modulation to transmit the Cosmic Call. We have used the frequency modulation for this purpose, as more suitable for reliability of power klystron transmitter and for more antijamming, than amplitude one.

 

Hardware Upgrade

 

The EDSC hardware was upgraded to introduce the frequency modulation mode. The coherent frequency synthesizer Ch 6-36, controlled by personal computer via custom-built interface, was used. Also, the special device to exercise of power klystrons, was developed.

 

Software Upgrade

 

The software for gathering all messages and creating the Cosmic Call stream, was written on C language. Here is the screen's view of control personal computer monitor during "on-line" generation of Cosmic Call stream:

 

 

The Part I was transmitted three times at a rate 100 bits per second, and the Part II - only once at a rate 2000 bits per second.

 

Cosmic Call Sessions

 

The first Cosmic Call was transmitted on May 24, 1999, to the target number 2 - star HD 186408. Three other transmissions were made during the night June 30 - July 1. Table 2 contains an information about all four Cosmic Call Sessions.

 

TABLE 2. Cosmic Call Sessions

Session	1	2	3	4
Target Star	HD 186408	HD 178428	HD 190406	HD 190360
Date	24 May 1999	30 June 1999	30 June - 1 July	1 July 1999
UT of Start	16:20:00	16:45:00	21:10:00	01:22:00
Transmitted Power, kW	148	152	152	152
UT of Finish	20:15:03	20:40:15	01:05:02	05:17:01

 

Transmission Rates: 100 Hz for Part I and 2000 Hz for Part II. Frequency Deviation: +/- 24 kHz ("pause" = 5010024 kHz, "0"= 5010000 kHz, "1" = 5010048 kHz), both for Part I and II.

 

Future Prospects

 

The most difficult problem, which occurs during long (few hours) transmission is a short life of power klystrons. At present we have only one reserve klystron, unfortunately, so plan to develop special device to regenerate the cathodes of defect klystrons. Also, hard- and software are needed in some modifications in order to increase theirs flexibility and reliability before next Cosmic Calls.