• See http://wiki.gb.nrao.edu/bin/view/Mechanical/WebHome for shop work schedule - updated 2/28/08

• GUPPI
  • Set date of next Wednesday to take first observations with guppi system and 43m telescope.
  • Good progress on software and firmware. 10 Gb Ethernet block remains to be integrated.
• No other CICADA work this week

• Cycle 3 Plan of Record being written

• PlanOfRecordC32008

• Accomplishments
  • The statistical tests are now complete
  • Crud 2.0, the clean up of the interface (amoungst other things) is almost complete - all that is left is unit tests and sponsor testing;
  • The backlog projects are now all uploaded
  • Larry is almost done with version 0 of the user's manual (will be done today)
  • All material for VC meeting was submitted
• Upcoming
  • Dana is coming next week to begin workign with them and looking at the effects of e.g.
  • Eric will be here next week; His primary task is to complete the lookahead calendar
  • Next week we will also work on completing the database so that all backlog projects can be fully uploaded
  • Once Crud 2.0 and backlog ar complete, astronomers will begin going through old projects (2nd week in April)
• Concerns
  • We are about 1 week behind schedule. The result is we will have less time for testing (3 weeks) before release
  • We are still short staffed for the summer, but are holding out hope we will get a good applicant for our open position

We were unable to change the elevator cable this week because of the rain. We will do this first thing on the first maintenance day with good weather next week.

PTCS program -- John, Marty

PTCS program -- Marty

This report covers the last two weeks of observing, which were very good weeks for us. We supported 25 projects in 68 observing sessions, including 4 VLB sessions. The telescope was scheduled for 25.5 hrs of maintenance, 4 hrs of PTCS tests (OOF with Mustang), and 2 hrs of receiver checkouts.

Of the 28 operator shifts in the last two weeks, 17 had no problems, including two unprecedented continuous and problem-free observing blocks of 72 and 60 hrs!! Lost time amounted to 6.6 hrs, about 2.1% (close but no doughnuts, maybe Lost time was due to:

• VNC connection problems (2 instances): 1.7 hrs
• Spectral Processor (4 instances): 1.3 hrs
• Staff No-show: 1.2 hrs
• Winds (3 instances): 0.9 hrs
• Spectrometer Setup: 0.7 hrs
• Astrid/GFM (3 instances): 0.6 hrs
• Others (Zpec software, low temperatures): 0.2 hrs

We are already trying to reduce the lost time from VNC connections by reminding observers they need to provide contact information for all observing sessions. There might be a mistake in the time reported for one of the Spectral Processor problems. We were at half speed due to low temperatures for 2.8 hrs. Toney's emails yesterday reported how we were able to scheme ourselves around a problem with CM15.

No news this week.

No significant events to report this week.

• Operational Support:
  • Online sdfits filler support
  • BOS Account Reconciler support
  • Fixed bug in PointingFocusCorrections (gfm)
  • Helped with RXLab issue
• PlanOfRecordC22008
  • End of Cycle 2 today
• Cycle 3 Plan of Record being written

• Successful MUSTANG observation tests with YGOR
• MUSTANG removal from telescope next week
• Preliminary schedule for activities surrounding removal and departure of MUSTANG for UPenn

PTCS program -- John

PTCS program -- John, Marty

• Servo Replacement
  • Multiple team review/drafting sessions on specification

Activities List

Activities List

Last 3 Weeks =========

Observations for proposals BB240 , GBT08A-076, GBT07C-084, GBT07C-030, GBT08A-066, GBT08A-077, GBT07A-087, GBT07B-020, GBT08A-056, GBT07A-066, GBT08A-057, GBT07A-101, GBT08A-014, GBT07B-034, GBT08A-058, GBT06C-033, GBT08A-006, GBT08A-018, GBT07C-049, GBT07A-029, GBT05A-029, GBT08A-082, GBT08A-083, BM270 , GBT08A-073, GBT07A-051, GBT07C-060

Completed proposals GBT08A-066, GBT08A-058, GBT08A-018

Next Week ===== Observations scheduled for ** BB251 [F ] Edo Berger An Astrometric Search for Close Companions to Radio Active M and L Dwarfs. A Possible Magnetic Dynamo Mechanism? GBT07C-072 [F ] Marcel Agueros Detecting Pulsar Companions to Very Low-Mass White Dwarfs GBT07A-086 [ P ] Joel Bregman The Detection of the Missing Baryons with the NVII Line GBT08A-011 [ B] Maura McLaughlin? Continued Radio Timing Observations of RRAT Sources GBT07C-030 [ P ] Joel Bregman The Detection of Redshifted Hot Baryons with the NVII Line GBT08A-077 [F B] Fernando Camilo Studying the magnetar XTE J1810-197 GBT07A-087 [F ] Paul Demorest Detecting nHz Gravitational Radiation using a Pulsar Timing Array GBT07C-086 [ P ] Pat Thaddeus A Survey of C6H- and C6H in Carbon Chain Sources in the Galaxy GBT07A-066 [ P ] Jim Braatz The Megamaser Cosmology Project GBT08A-056 [ P ] Simon Dicker Observations with MUSTANG on the GBT at 3.3mm GBT07B-034 [ B] Robert Ferdman Timing Binary and Millisecond Pulsars from the Parkes Multibeam Survey GBT08A-047 [ B] Chris Carilli First limits to the IGM during cosmic reionization using the H 2p-2s transition GBT08A-014 [ B] Jay Lockman On the Trail of Smith's Cloud GBT06C-033 [FP ] Andy Harris A CO(1-0) Survey of Dusty Galaxies with Elusive Redshifts GBT08A-090 [F ] Maura McLaughlin? Contemporaneous Radio and X-ray Observations of RRAT J1819-1458 GBT07A-029 [ B] Dick Crutcher A Definitive Test of Star Formation Theory GBT07C-049 [ P ] Jaime Pineda The COMPLETE GBT Ammonia Mapping of Perseus GBT08A-082 [ B] Min Yun Probing Distribution and Physical Characteristics of HI Clouds in Galaxy Halos GBT08A-083 [F B] Daniela Goncalves The North Celestial Pole Loop GBT07A-094 [ B] Scott Ransom Continued Timing of the 33 Millisecond and Binary Pulsars in Terzan 5 GBT07A-051 [ P ] Mike Hollis A GBT Legacy Survey of Prebiotic Molecules Toward SgrB2?(N-LMH) and TMC-1 GBT07C-060 [F ] Fernando Camilo GLAST timing at GBT: six key radio-faint pulsars ** Scheduled as F-ixed, P-rimary, B-ackup

Contact Information for 04/10/2008 - 04/24/2008 =================================== Proposal PI Bands Email [NRAO contact]

Scheduled hours [backup] ==================== Category/Month-> March April May Astronomy ~ 656 [062] 603 [473] 599 [361] Maintenance ~ 53 17 [085] 42 [051] Test & Comm ~ 35 56 [040] 43 [032] Un-assigned ~ 0 44 60

Proposal Checkouts #[hrs]* ===================== Awaiting checkout - 0[0] Active checkout - 0[0] On Hold - 0[0] Schedule - 114[2583] Completed - 537[6539] * All but completed queue applies to GBT only proposals

Current backlog of Reg & RRS proposals [hours prior to 08A*] = 1263 [2005:63(5), 2006:207(10), 2007:993(44)] Backlog includes 67 hrs of monitoring projects 290 hrs of vlbi projects Total time to discharge [hours] = 4343 Includes 114 hours++ of monitoring (not Large or Spec) after trimester 08A

1. 1. 1. 1. hours of Regular & RRS proposals
         2. hours of Large proposals
         3. hours of VLBI proposals

• During routine maintenance a faulty PIN switch in CM 15 was found. There is not a spare CM, but a spare switch has been located.
• C band is ready to be installed.
• Mustang will be removed next maintenance and hauled back to UPenn.

• The final CDR report was received, commented upon, and sent to the committee.

• Normal Spacecraft tracking
• On Monday Bob and Kenny looked at the Feed box. Looks like adding a refrigerator door is possible.
• We'll need some shop help on Tuesday/Wednesday April 15,16 with adding the door.
• We've refined the trajectory interface and are switching from Hour-Angle dec coords to RA,Dec J2000.
• Tim W. is performing 43m Servo tests on Monday March 31. Rich Bradley is examining MIT/LL feed box in the afternoon.

• OOF Holography
  • A final set of Mustang holography (for the current season) was obtained on Monday night, both with and without the new active surface actuator offset file. The new file is now active for observations.

• Accomplishments since last report
  • Observing and Tone Cals

• Upcoming activities
  • Next Week: Removal of Zpectrometer from GBT

%META:TOPICINFO{author="RonMaddalena" date="1206552831" format="1.0" version="1.1"}% %META:TOPICPARENT{name="CommissioningMeetings"}%

GBT Operations & Commissioning Meeting

28 Mar 2008

GB137 and by video-con from CV-Conf

AGENDA

• Upcoming Activities -- Carl
• Operations
  • Scheduling Status -- Carl
  • Observing News -- Ron
  • Commissioning Plans -- Ron
  • GBT Telescope Operations -- Bob
  • Mechanical Division Operations -- Dennis
  • Microwave Electronics Operations -- Steve
  • Digital Electronics Operations -- Randy
  • RFI Group Operations -- Carla
  • Software Operations -- Amy
  • Computing and Network Operations -- Chris
  • Business Services -- Mike
  • 43m Operations -- Glen
• Project and Development Work
  • Dynamic Scheduling -- Karen
  • MUSTANG -- Brian
  • PTCS program -- John
  • CICADA program -- John
  • Ka-band Rx / Zpectrometer -- Galen
  • K-band Focal Plane Array -- Steve
  • Other Project Notes
• Upcoming Meetings
• Any other Business

Upcoming Activities -- Carl

Operations

Scheduling Status -- Carl

Observing News -- Ron

Commissioning Plans -- Ron

GBT Telescope Operations -- Bob

Mechanical Division Operations -- Dennis

Microwave Electronics Operations -- Steve

Digital Electronics Operations -- Randy

RFI Group Operations -- Carla

Software Operations -- Amy

Computing and Network Operations -- Chris

Business Services -- Mike

43m Operations -- Glen

Project and Development Work

Dynamic Scheduling -- Karen

MUSTANG -- Brian

PTCS program -- John

CICADA program -- John

Ka-band Rx / Zpectrometer -- Galen

K-band Focal Plane Array -- Steve

Other Project Notes

Upcoming Meetings

Any other Business

-- RonMaddalena - 26 Mar 2008