Interferometer phase calibration sources -- II. The region 0 <= B1950 <= +20

Abstract

We present a catalogue of 781 compact radio sources in the declination range 0° ≤ δB1950 ≤ +20° whose positions have been measured to an rms accuracy of about 14 mas with the Very Large Array (VLA). These sources are primarily intended for use as phase calibration sources for the Jodrell Bank MERLIN. However, they will also be suitable as phase calibrators for the VLA and can be considered as candidate phase calibrators for very long-baseline interferometry (VLBI) networks.