The efficiency calibration of the DSS-24 34-meter beam-waveguide antenna

Microwave performance testing of the new Deep Space Station (DSS)-24 34-m-diameter antenna was carried out during the summer of 1994. Efficiency measurements were made at the 8.45 GHz (X-band) and 32-GHz (ka-band) frequencies both at the antenna Cassegrian (f1) and beam-waveguide (f3) focal points. In addition, the antenna f3 efficiencies were measured on the DSS-24 operational 2.295-GHz (S-band) and 8.45-Ghz feeds. This article presents the efficiency determinations as a function of elevation angle along with a corresponding error analysis of the measurements. Peak measured gains and efficiencies are tabulated for all frequencies.