On the antenna calibration of space radio instruments using the galactic background: General formulas and application to STEREO/WAVES

We present general formulas to calibrate the antennas of a space-based radio instrument using as a reference source the galactic background radiation (or any isotropic source). We apply these formulas to determine the effective length of the STEREO/WAVES antennas. The results for the monopoles are in agreement with the measurements performed on ground, and we provide new results for the XY and YZ dipoles used by the instrument. Our method also allows us to accurately determine the internal noise background of the radio receiver.