  A 12-metre Preloaded Parabolic Dish antenna, in which the backup structure is
formed by preloading its radial and circumferential members, has been designed,
built and commissioned by the Raman Research Institute, Bangalore. This paper
reports the first-ever photogrammetric measurements of gravity-induced
deformation in the primary reflector of an antenna built using this novel
concept of preloading the backup structure. Our experience will be of relevance
to radio astronomy and deep space network applications that require building
lightweight and economical steerable parabolic antennas.
