Harry and John have completed the survey of the anchor bolts, and they, I, and Jeff are reducing the data.

Some work was done this week on the structural repair under the actuator room, and will continue next week.

Upgraded spigot2 to the latest stable RHEL kernel as per Chris and Wolfgang's request. Also updated the EDT driver to the latest version during the process.

Ryan Lynch and I managed to "fix" the SEGFAULT in the 2048-lag 8-bit modes so that we could take data with it. Unfortunately, there still appear to be memory access issues as the output lags do not look right (and there are some strange offsets present). It was encouraging to see data that almost looked right. Unfortunately, testing is an issue as we need the system to correctly check all the shared memory calls etc.

• • LO1 Test Tone Control via RPC for Zpectrometer (ModificationRequest3C506)

• • LO1 Test Tone Control via RPC for Zpectrometer (ModificationRequest3C506)
    • Scheduled for sponsor testing today.

We supported 20 projects in 25 observing sessions, including two radar and one VLB run. The average setup time was 15min. The telescope was also scheduled for 17 hrs of maintenance, 4 hours of software tests, and 2.5 hrs of receiver checkouts. The Penn Array had its first commissioning run (8 hrs) last night.

Lost time was again rather low -- 2.5 hrs, about 1.7% of the time devoted to checkouts, commissioning, and astronomy. We had only 5 operator shifts with any lost-time problems. The causes of the lost time were:

• Astrid lockups (4 instances) : 0.7 hrs
• Arecibo Site Power (Radar run) : 0.5 hrs
• Cabling File (Human) : 0.4 hrs
• Spectrometer reboot : 0.5 hrs
• Winds : 0.2 hrs
• Penn Array cabling : 0.1 hrs
• No Lost Time : Converter Module 9, RFI

For the next 12 weeks, Kristen Thomas, a student from earlier this summer, has joined the support group and will be working on GBTIDL documentation.

The Penn Array had its first test run last night. There were no changes to the scheduling of any commissiong tasks.

• Every month : Pointing -- 1 night/month except in November, A/B weather, dynamically scheduled.
• Week of Sep 4 : C-Band off telescope
• Week of Sep 11: Penn Array on telescope in C-Band slot
• Sept 11 - Oct 27 : Penn Array commissioning -- 1 night/week, A-weather, dynamically scheduled. 8 nights max.
• Sept : Ka, Q-band, Zpectrometer lab tests
• Week of Oct 2 - week of Oct 12 : Penn Array backup daytime engineering time : 4 day-times max.
• Week of Oct. 9 : Ka-band placed on telescope
• Oct 16 - Nov 13: Ka-band spectral-line commissioning -- 1 night/week, A-weather, dynamically scheduled. 3 nights max.
• Oct 16 - Nov 13: CCB quick checkout (2-3 hours), time permitting.
• Week of Oct. 23 (earlier if it's practical and if the astronomy schedule has no conflicts): Ku-band down, X-band moved to where Ku was, Zpectrometer on telescope where X was
• Week of Oct. 30 : Q-band on telescope
• Oct 31 : Fixed maintenance day for Zpectrometer checkout
• Week of Nov. 6 : Penn Array down, C-band up in its place.
• Nov 6 - Dec 14 : Q-band commissioning -- 1 night/week, A-weather, dynamically scheduled. 3 nights max.
• Nov 13 - Dec 1 : Ka-band CCB continuum commissioning and Ka-band Zpectrometer testing -- Sharing four dynamically scheduled, daytime/evening sessions (~noon to ~midnight) for A/B weather. Zpectrometer will have up to ~ 25 hrs, CCB the remaining ~ 15 hrs.
• After Dec. 1 : Ka-band observations can commence, preference given to low-risk continuum projects.
• Week of Dec. 4 : Zpectrometer down, Ku-band up where Zpec was.
• Dec. 11 - Dec. 21 : PTCS OOF Tests -- A-weather, dynamically scheduled, 2 nights max.
• After Dec. 15 : Q-band observations can commence.

Receiver Installation Schedules

• C band, Remove: week of Sep 4 , Install: week of November 7
• Penn Array, Install: week of Sep 11 , Remove: week of Oct 31
• Ka Install : week of Oct 9
• Zpectrometer Install: week of Oct 23; Remove: Week of Dec 4
• Ku Remove: week of Oct 23; Install: week of Dec 4
• X band moved to Ku slot: week of Oct 23
• Qband, Install: week of Oct 30

This ends the 5th full week of 6 in the sixth development cycle of 2006 which can be viewed at PlanOfRecordC62006. We are scheduled to release on September 27. We conducted the first of our integration tests this past Tuesday; the report is available at IntegrationTest?_6_6_First. We are scheduled for our second round of integration tests tonight; the report will be available at IntegrationTest?_6_6_Second.

This ends the 5th full week of 6 in the sixth development cycle of 2006 which can be viewed at PlanOfRecordC62006. We are scheduled to release on September 27. We conducted the first of our integration tests this past Tuesday; the report is available here. We are scheduled for our second round of integration tests tonight; the report will be available here.

• • • We are still awaiting a CCC signature.

• • • Scheduled for sponsor testing today.

This ends the 5th full week of 6 in the sixth development cycle of 2006 which can be viewed at PlanOfRecordC62006. We are scheduled to release on September 27. We conducted the first of our integration tests this past Tuesday; the report is available at IntegrationTest?_6_6_First. We are scheduled for our second round of integration tests tonight; the report will be available at IntegrationTest?_6_6_Second.

Operational support was relatively light this week.

We spend quite a bit of time working with the UMd Zpectrometer people this week. Much progress was made.

Modification Requests:

• MRs ready for integration/regression testing:
  • Allow Saving of Invalid Scheduling Blocks (ModificationRequest4C805)
  • Implement Spectrometer Bad Lags Fix (ModificationRequest15C306)
• MRs ready for sponsor testing:
  • Implement Linux Quadrant Detector Manager (ModificationRequest9C306)
    • JasonRay is expected to complete sponsor testing today.
  • Modifications to Ka Manager (ModificationRequest1C506)
    • Installed and running in the electronics lab. Galen reports manager is working.
  • LO1 Test Tone Control via RPC for Zpectrometer (ModificationRequest3C506)
    • Scheduled for sponsor testing today.
  • Incorporate OOF Holography Zernike models into Active Surface (ModificationRequest1C406)
    • We are still awaiting a CCC signature.
  • Ka config tool changes (ModificationRequest4C606)
    • Scheduled for sponsor testing today.
• MRs under development & CCC review:
  • Integration of the Zpectrometer into SDFITS (ModificationRequest4C406)
  • Integration of the Zpectrometer into GBTIDL (ModificationRequest5C606)
• MRs being written:
  • GBTIDL Autoflagger (ModificationRequest2C506)
    • On hold indefinitely.
  • Zpectrometer config tool changes (ModificationRequest1C606)
    • This MR will be put on hold for the next few cycles until we can generate requirements.
  • Modify SDFITS to correctly show Spectrometer cross-polarization data (ModificationRequest2C606?)
    • This MR will not be completed this cycle. I have put in a request for BobGarwood's time for C7.

Some cryogenics issues related to the Penn Array were encountered. These were worked around, but longer-term, more robust solutions need to be determined.

Q-band Receiver: Testing started last Friday. All four channels are operational but one has lower gain that is not yet understood. Data over 40-49 GHz looks encouraging at this stage. Trx measurements with the Lab Spectrometer do not look to be correct, and that is not yet understood, but with standard methods the Trx is in the 35-45K range. Receiver testing continues.

Ka Receiver/Zpectrometer: Monday and Tuesday were spent testing with the Zpectrometer. Generally that went well, but there are some questions to resolve. The Zpectrometer sees a large (~20K) broadband noise offset between the beams; that has not been seen with the CCB. The zpectrometer rack passed RFI testing with flying colors. Receiver testing continues.

Other: Time was spent this week locating and correcting resonances in coaxial cables at the 43m, and helium leaks (a broken flex line at one of the bearings). Installation of the cryogenic receiver has been delayed until mid-November by MIT.

Normal spacecraft tracking this week, each day from 9:00 PM to 9:00 AM.

Bob and Kenny found and fixed an RF cable problem at the 43m, which took considerable trouble. Pete and GB Ops helped with 43m and man-lift.

Commissioning Plans -- Ron

Last Week
=========

Observations for proposals
   GBT06A-040, GBT06A-030, GBT06B-030, 
   GBT06C-053, GBT06B-044, GBT06A-068, 
   BU031     , GBT06A-046, GBT06B-024, 
   GBT05C-001, GBT06B-015, GBT05C-057, 
   GBT04C-031, GBT06B-027, GBT05C-037, 
   GBT06C-049, GBT06C-016, GBT06B-018, 
   GBT05B-018, GBT06B-019

Completed proposals
   GBT06A-040, GBT06B-030, GBT06A-068, 
   GBT06A-046, GBT05C-001, GBT06B-027,
   GBT05B-018

Next Week
=========
Observations scheduled for **
  GBT06C-053 [F B] Martin Zwaan
       A search for molecules in CaII absorbers          
  GBT06B-044 [F  ] Robert Ferdman
       Timing Binary and Millisecond Pulsars from the    
       Parkes Multibeam Survey                           
  GBT04C-031 [ P ] Paul Kondratko
       Monitoring of Five NGC4258-like Water Megamasers  
       Discovered with the GBT and the DSN               
  GBT06B-024 [ P ] Jeff Mangum
       CCS Chronometry of Dense Cores                    
  GBT06A-004 [ P ] Bill Reach
       Water Masers from Protostars in IC 1396A          
  GBT06B-047 [  B] David Schiminovich
       HI Observations of Local analogs of Lyman Break   
       Galaxies                                          
  GBT06B-015 [ P ] Larry Morgan
       NH3 and CCS Mapping of Triggered Star Formation   
       Regions                                           
  GBT04B-014 [ P ] Paul Kondratko
       Anchoring the Extragalactic Distance Scale        
  GBT06C-049 [  B] Karen Masters
       Mapping Matter in the Nearby Universe with 2MASS  
  GBT05C-037 [F B] Nissim Kanekar
       Measuring changes in fundamental constants with   
       redshifted OH  lines                              
  GBT06A-071 [F  ] Fernando Camilo
       Constraining the distance to the magnetar XTE     
       J1810-197 via HI absorption                       
** Scheduled as F-ixed, P-rimary, B-ackup

Contact Information for 10/05/2006 - 10/19/2006
=======================================
Proposal   PI                 Bands Email [NRAO contact]    
---------- ------------------ ----- --------------------
GBT06C-051 Lincoln Greenhill  K     greenhill@cfa.harvard.edu [Jim Braatz]
GBT06A-053 Scott Ransom       S     sransom@nrao.edu [Scott Ransom]
GBT06B-042 Nissim Kanekar     4     nkanekar@nrao.edu [Larry Morgan]
GBT06A-065 Rachel Friesen     K     rfriesen@uvastro.phys.uvic.ca [Toney Minter]
GBT06A-054 Paul Demorest      8     demorest@astron.berkeley.edu [Scott Ransom]
GBT06B-032 Steve Begin        S     sbegin@physics.ubc.ca [Scott Ransom]
GBT06C-053 Martin Zwaan       8     mzwaan@eso.org [Toney Minter]
GBT06B-033 Jason Hessels      8     hessels@physics.mcgill.ca [Scott Ransom]
GBT06B-044 Robert Ferdman     L     ferdman@phas.ubc.ca [Scott Ransom]
GBT06C-032 Peter Martin       L     pgmartin@cita.utoronto.ca [Jay Lockman]
GBT06C-021 Erik Rosolowsky    K     erosolow@cfa.harvard.edu [Ron Maddalena]
GBT04C-031 Paul Kondratko     K     pkondrat@cfa.harvard.edu [Jim Braatz]
GBT06C-023 Bruce Campbell     S     campbellb@si.edu [Frank Ghigo]
GBT06C-012 Steve Curran       8     sjc@phys.unsw.edu.au [Carl Bignell]
GBT06A-014 Andrea Tarchi      K     atarchi@ira.cnr.it [Jim Braatz]
GBT05C-023 Fernando Camilo    8     fernando@astro.columbia.edu [Scott Ransom]
GBT06C-035 Jim Braatz         K     jbraatz@nrao.edu [Jim Braatz]
GBT06A-004 Bill Reach         K     reach@ipac.caltech.edu [Toney Minter]
GBT06B-037 Joel Weisberg      L     jweisber@carleton.edu [Toney Minter]
GBT06C-036 Claudia Cyganowski K     ccyganow@astro.wisc.edu [Toney Minter]
GBT06C-037 Charlie Lada       K     clada@cfa.harvard.edu [Frank Ghigo]
GBT06C-048 Nissim Kanekar     8     nkanekar@nrao.edu [Toney Minter]
GBT06B-028 Ingrid Stairs      L     istairs@astro.ubc.ca [Scott Ransom]
GBT06C-049 Karen Masters      L     kmasters@cfa.harvard.edu [Larry Morgan]
GBT06C-028 Brenda Matthews    K     brenda.matthews@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca [Ron Maddalena]
GBT06C-006 Wouter Vlemmings   K     wouter@jb.man.ac.uk [Frank Ghigo]
GBT06C-039 Jim Braatz         K     jbraatz@nrao.edu [Jim Braatz]
GBT06C-018 Ingrid Stairs      L     istairs@astro.ubc.ca [Scott Ransom]
GBT06C-008 Raghunathan Sriana 4     anand@iucaa.ernet.in [Toney Minter]

Scheduled hours [backup]
========================
Category/Month-> September October   November  December  
    Astronomy ~  530 [107] 500 [552] 450 [373] 517 [270] 
  Maintenance ~   79 [017]  79 [034]  45 [051]  52 [034] 
  Test & Comm ~  112 [007] 129       172 [007]  82       
     Shutdown ~    0         0        36        36       
  Un-assigned ~    0        44        19        78       

Proposal Checkouts
==================
Awaiting checkout - 0
  Active checkout - 0
          On Hold - 16
         Schedule - 84
        Completed - 550


Current backlog [hours prior to 06B*] = 924
   [2001:2(1), 2003:19(1), 2004:107(7), 2005:507(21), 2006:289(14)]
   Backlog excluding 139 hrs of monitoring projects after 06B = 785
Total time to discharge [hours] = 3306
   Includes 424 hours of monitoring after trimester 06B
* Includes projects that are on hold for trimester 06B

%META:TOPICINFO{author="RichardPrestage" date="1155762534" format="1.0" version="1.1"}% %META:TOPICPARENT{name="CommissioningMeetings"}%

GBT Operations & Commissioning Meeting

22nd September 2006

AGENDA

• Az Track, Antennae Report -- Bob
• Observing News -- Ron
• Scheduling Status -- Carl
• Microwave Electronics Status -- Roger
  • Operations
  • Development
• Digital Electronics Status -- Randy
  • Operations, Problem Summary
  • Development
  • Plans
• Software Status -- Amy
• Pulsar Related -- Scott
• MIT/LL 43m Project -- Glen
• Any other Business

Az Track, Antennae Report -- Bob

Observing News -- Ron

Scheduling Status -- Carl

Microwave Electronics Status -- Roger

Operations

Development

Digital Electronics Status -- Randy

Operations, Problem Summary

Development

Plans

Software Status -- Amy

Pulsar Related -- Scott

MIT/LL 43m Project -- Glen

Any other Business

-- RichardPrestage - 16 Aug 2006