--- title: "Pilgrimage #3 - SRT, a treasure in the heart of Sardinia" description: Blog post about visiting the Sardinia Radio Telescope (SRT) where SKARAB FPGA supercomputing for radio astronomy signal processing is a key part of the back-end of the facility. image: https://www.cyntony.com/hubfs/Sardinia%20Radio%20Telescope.png --- [ ALL PRODUCTS ](https://www.cyntony.com/cyntony-products) PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT ![XTND-C010](https://www.cyntony.com/hs-fs/hubfs/XTND-C010.png?width=1242&height=960&name=XTND-C010.png) ##### XTND™-DIRECT Long-range MANET Basestation  2x2 MIMO Private Networking Doodle Labs Mesh Rider® Radio ISM or Helix frequency bands Easy-to-integrate Data and PoE [ READ MORE ](https://www.cyntony.com/product-detail/xtnd-c010-direct-base-station-with-doodle-labs-mesh-rider-radio) #### BY APPLICATION [![Mesh](https://www.cyntony.com/hubfs/Cyntony_Theme_2021/Images/Nut.svg) MANET COMMUNICATION ](https://www.cyntony.com/cyntony-products?type=mesh-manet-comms) [![DF](https://www.cyntony.com/hubfs/Cyntony_Theme_2021/Images/Vector%20(3).svg) DIRECTION FINDING ](https://www.cyntony.com/cyntony-products?application=direction-finding) [![Recording](https://www.cyntony.com/hubfs/Cyntony_Theme_2021/Images/Voicemail.svg) MONITORING ](https://www.cyntony.com/cyntony-products?application=monitoring) [![Rx/Tx](https://www.cyntony.com/hubfs/Cyntony_Theme_2021/Images/ArrowsInSimple.svg) TACTICAL COMMUNICATION ](https://www.cyntony.com/cyntony-products?application=tactical-communication) [![LinkBreak](https://www.cyntony.com/hubfs/Cyntony_Theme_2021/Images/LinkBreak.svg) JAMMING ](https://www.cyntony.com/cyntony-products?application=jamming) [![Knockout](https://www.cyntony.com/hubfs/Cyntony_Theme_2021/Images/XCircle.svg) COUNTER-RCIED ](https://www.cyntony.com/cyntony-products?application=counter-rcied) [![MapPin](https://www.cyntony.com/hubfs/Cyntony_Theme_2021/Images/MapPin.svg) GNSS PROTECTION ](https://www.cyntony.com/cyntony-products?application=gnss-protection) [![Zap](https://www.cyntony.com/hubfs/Cyntony_Theme_2021/Images/Lightning.svg) COUNTER-UAS ](https://www.cyntony.com/cyntony-products?application=counter-uas) [![DownloadSimple](https://www.cyntony.com/hubfs/Cyntony_Theme_2021/Images/DownloadSimple.svg) HIGH PERFORMANCE COMPUTING ](https://www.cyntony.com/cyntony-products?application=high-performance-computing) [![Link](https://www.cyntony.com/hubfs/Cyntony_Theme_2021/Images/Link.svg) SOFTWARE DEFINED RADIO ](https://www.cyntony.com/product-detail/nrg9009-sdr-multi-channel-software-defined-radio) [![Global comm](https://www.cyntony.com/hubfs/Cyntony_Theme_2021/Images/Globe.svg) SECURE COMMUNICATION ](https://www.cyntony.com/cyntony-products?application=secure-communication) [![Headphones](https://www.cyntony.com/hubfs/Cyntony_Theme_2021/Images/Headphones.svg) INTERCEPT ](https://www.cyntony.com/si-registration) [![Link](https://www.cyntony.com/hubfs/Cyntony_Theme_2021/Images/Link.svg) DATA LINKS ](https://www.cyntony.com/cyntony-products?application=data-links) [![gears](https://www.cyntony.com/hs-fs/hubfs/gears.png?width=64&height=64&name=gears.png) POSITIONING ](https://www.cyntony.com/cyntony-products?type=positioner) #### BY PLATFORM [![Truck](https://www.cyntony.com/hubfs/Cyntony_Theme_2021/Images/Truck.svg) GROUND VEHICLE ](https://www.cyntony.com/cyntony-products?platform=ground-vehicle) [![Signpost](https://www.cyntony.com/hubfs/Cyntony_Theme_2021/Images/Signpost.svg) FIXED SITE ](https://www.cyntony.com/cyntony-products?platform=fixed-site) [![Scissors](https://www.cyntony.com/hubfs/Cyntony_Theme_2021/Images/Scissors.svg) TACTICAL ](https://www.cyntony.com/cyntony-products?platform=tactical) [![SuitcaseSimple](https://www.cyntony.com/hubfs/Cyntony_Theme_2021/Images/SuitcaseSimple.svg) MANPACK ](https://www.cyntony.com/cyntony-products?platform=manpack) [![Flashlight](https://www.cyntony.com/hubfs/Cyntony_Theme_2021/Images/Flashlight.svg) HANDHELD ](https://www.cyntony.com/cyntony-products?platform=handheld) [![GlobeHemisphereEast](https://www.cyntony.com/hubfs/Cyntony_Theme_2021/Images/GlobeHemisphereEast.svg) MARITIME ](https://www.cyntony.com/cyntony-products?platform=maritime) [![HardDrives](https://www.cyntony.com/hubfs/Cyntony_Theme_2021/Images/HardDrives.svg) DATACENTER ](https://www.cyntony.com/cyntony-products?platform=datacenter) [![Airplane](https://www.cyntony.com/hubfs/Cyntony_Theme_2021/Images/Airplane.svg) AIRBORNE ](https://www.cyntony.com/cyntony-products?platform=airborne) ### Download our Antenna Buyer’s Guide Today Download our Antenna Buyer's Guide to discover the essential specs and features to look out for while finding the perfect antenna for your project. Search with confidence and efficiency. [ DOWNLOAD ](https://www.cyntony.com/hubfs/CYNTCORP-AntennaBuyerGuide-(2021-03-09)-FNL-50PCT.pdf) ![tab-img](https://www.cyntony.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Cyntony_Theme_2021/Images/tab-img.png?width=160&height=241&name=tab-img.png) # Pilgrimage #3 - SRT, a treasure in the heart of Sardinia by ** [David A Moschella](https://www.cyntony.com/blog/author/david-a-moschella)** on June 26, 2018 Find me on: [**](https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidamoschella) [**](https://www.twitter.com/cyntony) --- I'm beginning to think my childhood interest in astrophysics was an itch that should have been scratched harder. Case in point is my recent visit to Sardinia to promote SKARAB at the Sardinia Radio Telescope station. What an amazing state-of-the-art facility in such a beautiful location! One can easily imagine living *la dolce vita* here.    Completed in 2011, the [Sardinia Radio Telescope](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sardinia_Radio_Telescope) is a fully-steerable 64 meter dish with an active surface for its primary mirror that has over a thousand panels to control its shape to 150 micrometer RMS accuracy. SRT can point with 2 to 5 arcsec accuracy. Truly impressive.  ![Sardinia Radio Telescope where ROACH and SKARAB serve as back-ends](https://www.cyntony.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Sardinia%20Radio%20Telescope.png?width=665&name=Sardinia%20Radio%20Telescope.png)The antenna can be used alone or as an element in very long baseline interferometry.  Its RF signal processing capabilities housed in the nearby control building are top-notch and include pulsar science capabilities. ROACH-2 FPGA computing resources are abundant as described in this [paper](https://www.worldscientific.com/doi/full/10.1142/S2251171718500046).  Soon [SKARAB](https://www.cyntony.com/skarab-overview) FPGA/ADC platforms are planned to be added to further cement SRT's advanced signal processing capabilities.   So if you find yourself in Italy, do what I did...hop on a plane and make the trip to Sardinia... your soul and your intellect will thank you!   Post Topics: [Community](https://www.cyntony.com/blog/topic/community) [Opinion](https://www.cyntony.com/blog/topic/opinion) ### Read On #### [Pilgrimage of another sort - NRAO, a place for RF mosts and firsts](https://www.cyntony.com/blog/pilgrimage-of-another-sort-nrao-a-place-for-rf-firsts) #### [Pilgrimage #2 - DRAO, Canada's spot for radio astronomy](https://www.cyntony.com/blog/pilgrimage-2-drao-radio-astronomy-in-the-woods) ##### WHY CYNTONY? Cyntony brings insight, experience and curation to providing key components and subsystems that aid system integrators solving problems of their customers and end-users. ##### SHARE THIS - [** ](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://www.cyntony.com/blog/pilgrimage-3-sardinia-radio-telescope&title=Pilgrimage+%233+-+SRT%2C+a+treasure+in+the+heart+of+Sardinia&picture=https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/533635/Sardinia%20Radio%20Telescope.png&description=Blog+post+about+visiting+the+Sardinia+Radio+Telescope+%28SRT%29+where+SKARAB+FPGA+supercomputing+for+radio+astronomy+signal+processing+is+a+key+part+of+the+back-end+of+the+facility.) - [** ](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?source=https://www.cyntony.com/blog/pilgrimage-3-sardinia-radio-telescope&text=Pilgrimage+%233+-+SRT%2C+a+treasure+in+the+heart+of+Sardinia%20-%20https://www.cyntony.com/blog/pilgrimage-3-sardinia-radio-telescope) - [** ](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://www.cyntony.com/blog/pilgrimage-3-sardinia-radio-telescope&title=Pilgrimage+%233+-+SRT%2C+a+treasure+in+the+heart+of+Sardinia&summary=Blog+post+about+visiting+the+Sardinia+Radio+Telescope+%28SRT%29+where+SKARAB+FPGA+supercomputing+for+radio+astronomy+signal+processing+is+a+key+part+of+the+back-end+of+the+facility.) - [**](mailto:?subjetc=&body=Pilgrimage+%233+-+SRT%2C+a+treasure+in+the+heart+of+Sardinia%20-%20https://www.cyntony.com/blog/pilgrimage-3-sardinia-radio-telescope) ##### RECENT POSTS [ What's the Beam for that Gain? ](https://www.cyntony.com/blog/whats-the-beam-for-that-gain) [ Tariffic News for Customers who Export -- Duty Drawback ](https://www.cyntony.com/blog/tariffic-news-for-customers-who-export-duty-drawback) [ 'Buy Now, Pay Later' for Tariffs ](https://www.cyntony.com/blog/bonded-warehouse-explained) [ Trival Antene USA Distributor ](https://www.cyntony.com/blog/trival-antene-usa-distributor) [ XTND-DIRECT Range Test at TSR25 ](https://www.cyntony.com/blog/tough-stump-2025-xtnd-ground-range-test) ##### TOPIC CLOUD - [learning](https://www.cyntony.com/blog/topic/learning) - [measurement](https://www.cyntony.com/blog/topic/measurement) - [announcement](https://www.cyntony.com/blog/topic/announcement) - [community](https://www.cyntony.com/blog/topic/community) - [direction-finding](https://www.cyntony.com/blog/topic/direction-finding) - [team](https://www.cyntony.com/blog/topic/team) - [directional](https://www.cyntony.com/blog/topic/directional) - [opinion](https://www.cyntony.com/blog/topic/opinion) - [war-story](https://www.cyntony.com/blog/topic/war-story) - [df-sensitivity](https://www.cyntony.com/blog/topic/df-sensitivity) - [demonstration](https://www.cyntony.com/blog/topic/demonstration) - [how-to](https://www.cyntony.com/blog/topic/how-to) - [switched-beam](https://www.cyntony.com/blog/topic/switched-beam) - [conjecture](https://www.cyntony.com/blog/topic/conjecture) - [df-antenna](https://www.cyntony.com/blog/topic/df-antenna) - [drone-detection](https://www.cyntony.com/blog/topic/drone-detection) - [entrepreneurship](https://www.cyntony.com/blog/topic/entrepreneurship) - [ground-vehicle](https://www.cyntony.com/blog/topic/ground-vehicle) - [mesh-rider-radio](https://www.cyntony.com/blog/topic/mesh-rider-radio) - [physics](https://www.cyntony.com/blog/topic/physics) - [return-loss](https://www.cyntony.com/blog/topic/return-loss) - [satcom](https://www.cyntony.com/blog/topic/satcom) - [vswr](https://www.cyntony.com/blog/topic/vswr) - [cyntony](https://www.cyntony.com/blog/topic/cyntony) - [syntony](https://www.cyntony.com/blog/topic/syntony) ##### POPULAR POSTS [ How much J/S do you REALLY need? ](https://www.cyntony.com/blog/how-much-j-to-s-do-you-really-need-for-jamming-communications) [ Busting Watson Watt DF ambiguity - maths edition ](https://www.cyntony.com/blog/watson-watt-df-processing-method) [ What are Switched Beam Antennas? ](https://www.cyntony.com/blog/what-are-switched-beam-antennas) [ So how do you measure J/S anyway? ](https://www.cyntony.com/blog/how-do-you-measure-j-to-s-for-jamming-communications) [ Converting AOAs to LOBs — a DF & Compass Game ](https://www.cyntony.com/blog/converting-aoa-into-lob-df-processor-compass-to-map-angle) [ When is an antenna a wideband antenna? ](https://www.cyntony.com/blog/when-is-an-antenna-a-wideband-antenna) [ Trival Antene USA Distributor ](https://www.cyntony.com/blog/trival-antene-usa-distributor) [ How to Select the Best Settings for Mesh Rider Radios ](https://www.cyntony.com/blog/how-to-select-the-best-settings-for-mesh-rider-radios) [ How much DF accuracy do you REALLY need? ](https://www.cyntony.com/blog/how-much-df-accuracy-do-you-really-need) [ Mashup of classic DF antennas - 1000X better!? ](https://www.cyntony.com/blog/classic-df-antenna-mashup)