schematics, block diagram, BOM for MIT IAP '11 radar course, cantenna radar kit

Per your request and as the documents have been approved i have uploaded the schematics, block diagram, and bill of material for the MIT IAP '11 cantenna radar kit, which is capable of SAR imaging, ranging, and doppler sensing.

I've also uploaded more photos of student radar kits and other info here.

The opencourseware site is in the works, we expect this to be completed in late spring, so stay tuned! With the OCW site you will have access to all of the associated lectures so that you can both learn and make a radar system.

Completed: restoration of the Elgin 12s pocket watch

Completed restoration. This watch is running strong and keeping great time. Its slim design allows it to fit in your pocket without noticing its presence. And i do like to hear it ticking all day.

The back case has a broken hinge but snaps on anyway. Not much i can do about repairing the case hinge.

For more details of the tear down and restoration i have photographed each step of the way here, hopefully this will help other watch repair enthusiasts who are trying to re-assemble an elgin:

http://www.mit.edu/~gr20603/Dr.%20Gregory%20L.%20Charvat%20Projects/Elgin%201922.html

Radar imaging a cylinder through a 4" solid concrete wall

Posted some more results from the near real-time phased array array built in my garage a few years back, shown here:

http://www.mit.edu/~gr20603/Dr.%20Gregory%20L.%20Charvat%20Projects/S-Band%20MIMO%20Phased%20Array%20Radar.html

This video is a cylinder through a concrete wall as seen on the radar screen.

pocket watch restoration: Elgin 12s, open-face

This is my second pocket watch restoration, an Elgin size 12, open-faced grade 303. This watch is very slim and would be great for work because I can leave it out on the podium while I make presentations to keep track of time.

Shown here is the front and back of the movement prior to cleaning and oiling. Also shown are all of the parts after cleaning.

When a pocket watch is disassembled it looks extremely complicated but if you take numerous photographs as you take it apart then re-assembly is possible.

Results are in for the ARRL Sweeps 2010

6 months of work resulted in developing my first homebrew SSB transceiver. Immediately after completion i entered the ARRL 2010 sweeps to thoroughly test this radio on the air.

The results are in, my station is listed in the results for Eastern Massachusetts! (EMA)

N8ZRY 2,940 49 30 A

http://www.arrl.org/files/file/ContestResults/2010/2010-SS-PH-Results-V4.pdf

I'm 8th from the bottom of 25 stations participating from EMA, but i'm not at the bottom :) Also important to note that i could only work 20M and had a TX power of about 40 watts.

Hoping to have a couple more bands of homebrew radio to use in the ARRL sweeps this fall.

Article and step-by-step how-to instructions on the MIT IAP radar course

The IAP radar course has made the MIT Lincoln Laboratory News Feed.

"During MIT's Independent Activity Period (IAP) between the fall 2010 and spring 2011 semesters, twenty-six students worked in teams to design, fabricate, and test a laptop-based radar sensor that was capable of measuring Doppler and range, and of forming synthetic aperture radar images. In a course designed and taught by MIT Lincoln Laboratory technical staff members, the teams received class instruction on the fundamentals of radar and SAR imaging, and kits from which to develop their systems. To their surprise, the kits contained coffee cans to be used as transmit and receive antennas."

This article and a slide deck with step-by-step instructions, schematics, and radar block diagram are located here.

Lectures on Adaptive Antennas and Phased Arrays, view online

For those who are interested in adaptive antennas and phased arrays:

The entire MIT Lincoln Laboratory workshop on Adaptive Antennas and Phased Arrays instructed by Dr. Alan Fenn is available online here.

This is a very interesting course and we are fortunate that Lincoln has decided to share these lectures with the general public.

Completed: New York Standard pocket watch restoration

Completed restoration of the NY Standard pocket watch.

This watch runs strong and keeps accurate time, no adjusting necessary. The inside really cleaned up well as shown above. This was a successful first pocket watch restoration.

For more info about each step of the tear-down and cleaning:

http://www.mit.edu/~gr20603/Dr.%20Gregory%20L.%20Charvat%20Projects/NY%20Standard%20PW.html

Restoration of a New York Standard pocket watch

This is my first pocket watch restoration. It's a New York Standard pocket watch, size 16 with a hunter's case, built in around 1914. This is a mid-grade watch, not as high end as a Waltham, but it's a really nice watch and inexpensive start to the hobby of repairing pocket watches.

Similar to the clocks, this watch must be completely taken apart, cleaned in an ultrasonic cleaner, reassembled, and lubricated.

Shown here is the watch before, and during disassembly, and then after it has been cleaned in many pieces.