First successful VLBI observations in the EVN with VIRAC radio telescope RT-32

The Irbene radio telescope RT-32 is a fully steerable 32-m parabolic antenna belonging to Ventspils International Radioastronomy Centre (VIRAC). In the past years, the vertex cabin at the secondary focus of the telescope was reconstructed and several receivers were installed. At present, RT-32 allows observations in four different bands: 327 MHz, 1.6 GHz, 5 GHz and 12 GHz. Two independent VLBI data acquisition systems were installed and tested. The first terminal, TN-16, developed at Niznij Novgorod Radiophysical Research Institute, is dedicated to space debris VLBI radar and ionosphere sounding observations. The second terminal, based on DBBC and Mark5B technology, is a multipurpose data acquisition system compatible with European VLBI network (EVN) requirements. On April 12, 2012, an EVN fringe test experiment was carried out to test the 5 GHz receiver and data acquisition units. Three observatories participated: Onsala, Torun and Irbene. Observations were similar to those in EVN Network Monitoring Experiments with several short 2–4-second scans transmitted to the JIVE correlator during the experiment. Correlation clearly revealed fringes on the two baselines Irbene–Torun and Irbene–Onsala. This paper reviews the current status of the Irbene RT-32 radio telescope, including receivers and data acquisition units available for VLBI observations, and provides details of the fringe test experiment conducted on April 12, 2012.