  The African Very Long Baseline Interferometry Network (AVN) is a pan-African
project that will develop Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) observing
capability in several countries across the African continent, either by
conversion of existing telecommunications antennas into radio telescopes, or by
building new ones. This paper focuses on the conversion of the Nkutunse
satellite communication station (near Accra, Ghana), specifically the early
mechanical and infrastructure upgrades, together with the development of a
custom ambient receiver and digital backend. The paper concludes with what
remains to be done, before the station can be commissioned as an operational
VLBI station.
