Instituto Geográfico Nacional (IGN), Spain
Observatorio Astronómico Nacional (OAN)
Centro Astronómico de YEBES
http://www.oan.es/
vlbitech@oan.es

Report to the EVN Board of Directors
MPIfR Bonn, Nov 29th 2005



New 40-m radiotelescope

Construction of the 40-m radiotelescope is almost finished. Commissioning
will be done in the next months. First-light is expected by mid 2006, and 
VLBI observations at 22 GHz should start soon later. The VLBI equipment 
is ready at the 14-m telescope, and in complete working order: VLBA4 DAR 
(14 BBCs), MK5A recorder, 11 Tb on disks at the station, etc, and ready 
to be moved to the 40-m premises early in 2006 in order to start VLBI 
observations with the first-light receiver as soon as possible.

A study has been conducted to adapt AIPS routines to handle the Nasmyth 
optics configuration (such as the new 40-m Yebes telescope, or the 30-m 
IRAM telescope on Pico Veleta) so that full polarization observations can 
be processed transparently by the EVN users. 



RADIONET

The observatory engineers are involved in the AMSTAR joint research
activity, constructing wide bandwidth amplifiers for radioastronomy. 
Works are very advanced. The 4-8 GHz amplifier prototypes are finished,
and now are working on the 4-12 GHz ones, which are scheduled to be 
finished by mid 2006.



SKA

IGN participates in the SKA Design Study project (SKADS), in
particular the DS4 package to study and design possible passive
radiator elements for the SKA stations, together with the integration
of low-noise uncooled amplifiers.

IGN is member of the European SKA Consortium, ESKAC.



EXPReS

We expect the Yebes antennas to be connected to GEANT within the
frame of the e-VLBI EXPReS project, which has recently been signed
by CNIG-IGN.