GBT Operations & Commissioning Meeting
AGENDA
Activities List
Last Week
=========
Observations for proposals
BB240 , GBT05A-040, GBT07C-062,
GBT07C-074, GBT07C-020, GBT07B-034,
GBT07C-044, GBT07C-089, GBT07C-057,
GBT06A-015, GBT05C-035,
GBT07C-005, GBT07A-029, GBT07C-029,
GP044 , GB062 , GBT07C-090,
GBT05C-028, GBT07C-060, GBT07C-082
Completed proposals
GBT07C-074, GBT07C-089, GBT04B-014,
GB062, GBT07C-090, GBT05C-003
Next Week
=========
Observations scheduled for **
GBT07C-084 [F ] Laura Kasian
GBT Timing of a Young Highly Relativistic Binary
Pulsar
GBT07C-062 [F ] Scott Ransom
Terrestrial-mass planets around pulsar NGC6440C?
GBT07B-020 [ B] Ingrid Stairs
The Pulsar Triple System in M4
GBT07C-020 [F ] Fernando Camilo
Studying the magnetar XTE J1810-197
GBT07B-034 [F ] Robert Ferdman
Timing Binary and Millisecond Pulsars from the
Parkes Multibeam Survey
GBT07C-067 [F B] Helene Courtois
Bulk Motions of Filaments in the Local Universe
GBT07A-102 [F ] Lincoln Greenhill
Searching For A Predicted Very High Velocity
Outflow From A Massive YSO
GBT07C-057 [F B] Jeremy Darling
A Critical Density for OH Megamasers?
Formaldehyde Holds the Key
GBT06A-015 [ P ] Sandrine Bottinelli
The hot corinos of solar-type protostars
GBT06A-049 [FP ] Tony Readhead
Definitive Detection of Excess Arcminute Scale
CMB Anisotropies
GBT05C-035 [ P ] Andrew Baker
Very Good CO Detections of Submillimeter Galaxies
With Pretty Good Redshifts
GBT07C-005 [F B] Jeff Mangum
Formaldehyde Densitometry of IR-Bright Galaxies
GBT07A-029 [ B] Dick Crutcher
A Definitive Test of Star Formation Theory
GBT07C-029 [ P ] Amanda Kepley
Magnetic Fields in Irregular Galaxies
GBT07C-080 [ B] Vlad Kondratiev
A Pulsar Census of the Local Group
BB242 [F ] Jim Braatz
The Megamaser Cosmology Project
GBT07C-060 [F B] Fernando Camilo
GLAST timing at GBT: six key radio-faint pulsars
GBT07A-040 [ P ] Larry Weintraub
Detecting the Origin of Arcminute Scale CMB
Anisotropy
GBT07A-051 [F ] Mike Hollis
A GBT Legacy Survey of Prebiotic Molecules Toward
SgrB2(N-LMH) and TMC-1
** Scheduled as F-ixed, P-rimary, B-ackup
Contact Information for 11/22/2007 - 12/06/2007
=======================================
Proposal PI Bands Email [NRAO contact]
---------- ------------------ ----- --------------------
GBT07C-072 Marcel Agueros 8 agueros@astro.washington.edu [Scott Ransom]
BB240 Geoff Bower X gbower@astro.berkeley.edu []
GBT07C-073 Joeri van Leeuwen 3 joeri@astro.berkeley.edu [Scott Ransom]
GBT05A-040 Andrew Baker B ajbaker@physics.rutgers.edu [Dana Balser]
GBT07A-087 Paul Demorest 8L pdemores@nrao.edu [Scott Ransom]
GBT05B-030 Fabian Walter B walter@mpia.de [Dana Balser]
GBT07A-066 Jim Braatz K jbraatz@nrao.edu [Jim Braatz]
GBT07C-020 Fernando Camilo S fernando@astro.columbia.edu [Scott Ransom]
GBT07A-034 Jim Braatz K jbraatz@nrao.edu [Jim Braatz]
BG168 Elena Gallo X elena@physics.ucsb.edu []
GBT07A-089 Fernando Camilo 8 fernando@astro.columbia.edu [Scott Ransom]
GBT07B-034 Robert Ferdman L ferdman@phas.ubc.ca [Scott Ransom]
GBT07C-044 Maura McLaughlin 8 maura.mclaughlin@mail.wvu.edu [Scott Ransom]
GBT07C-033 Jason Hessels 8 jhessels@science.uva.nl [Scott Ransom]
GBT07A-024 Jinlin Han 8 hjl@bao.ac.cn [Scott Ransom]
GBT07C-045 Shea Brown L brown@physics.umn.edu [Toney Minter]
GBT06C-033 Andy Harris B harris@astro.umd.edu [Karen O'Neil]
GBT07C-067 Helene Courtois L h.courtois@ipnl.in2p3.fr [Rick Fisher]
GBT07B-003 Neeraj Gupta 3 Neeraj.Gupta@atnf.csiro.au [D.J. Pisano]
GBT07C-057 Jeremy Darling L jdarling@origins.colorado.edu [Frank Ghigo]
GBT06A-015 Sandrine Bottinell B sandrine@ifa.hawaii.edu [Dana Balser]
GBT05C-035 Andrew Baker B ajbaker@physics.rutgers.edu [Dana Balser]
GBT07C-005 Jeff Mangum C jmangum@nrao.edu [Ron Maddalena]
GBT07B-029 Michael Kramer 8 mkramer@jb.man.ac.uk [Scott Ransom]
GBT05A-029 Paul VandenBout B pvandenb@nrao.edu []
BG170 Gabriele Giovannin CK ggiovann@ira.inaf.it []
GBT05C-028 Mike Hollis B jan.m.hollis@nasa.gov [Phil Jewell]
BB242 Jim Braatz K jbraatz@nrao.edu []
GBT03C-028 Fabian Walter B walter@mpia.de [Dana Balser]
GBT07A-094 Scott Ransom S sransom@nrao.edu [Scott Ransom]
GBT07A-040 Larry Weintraub B lcw@astro.caltech.edu [Brian Mason]
GBT07C-060 Fernando Camilo S fernando@astro.columbia.edu [Scott Ransom]
GBT07A-051 Mike Hollis 8LSCX jan.m.hollis@nasa.gov [Larry Morgan]
Scheduled hours [backup]
========================
Category/Month-> November December January
Astronomy ~ 559 [282] 566 [520] 623 [420]
Maintenance ~ 54 [034] 22 [068] 8 [119]
Test & Comm ~ 67 [011] 100 [001] 107 [016]
Shutdown ~ 36 36 0
Un-assigned ~ 9 20 6
Proposal Checkouts #[hrs]*
=========================
Awaiting checkout - 0[0]
Active checkout - 0[0]
On Hold - 0[0]
Schedule - 115[3670]
Completed - 491[6281]
* All but completed queue applies to GBT only proposals
Current backlog of Reg & RRS proposals [hours prior to 07C*] = 1257
[2005:272(11), 2006:337(16), 2007:648(26)]
Backlog includes 155 hrs of monitoring projects
189 hrs of vlbi projects
Total time to discharge [hours] = 5442
Includes 224 hours++ of monitoring (not Large or Spec) after trimester 07C
1993 hours of Regular & RRS proposals
3140 hours of Large proposals
310 hours of VLBI proposals
* Includes projects that are on hold for trimester 07C
++ Time is counted in other break down as well. 07C
This week we supported 21 projects in 30 observing sessions including 3 VLBI runs. The telescope was aso scheduled for 17 hrs maintenance, 3 hrs of PTCS tests and 4 hjrs o C-band baseline tests.
Lost time was the highest it has been for some months -- 10.1 hrs, about 6.7%. More than half of this was due to a single servo failure.
- Elev Servo - 5.9 hrs (2 instances)
- VLB Computer - 0.9 hrs (2 instances)
- Astrid/GFM - 0.9 hrs (5 instances)
- Spectral Processor - 0.7 hrs (6 instances)
- Zpec/LO1B - 0.6 hrs
- K-band instability - 0.4 hrs
- Subreflector servo - 0.3 hrs
- Spectrometer - 0.3 hrs
- Others (SDFITS, OCU/SCU) - 0.3 hrs
C-band commissioning has ended and Roger and Dana are proceeding with baseline tests for C- and X-band.
Today is the deadline for all groups to add their requests for telescope time for the 8A trimester (Feb - May) to http://wiki.gb.nrao.edu/bin/view/Observing/Planning08A.
-
Week of Sept 24, Oct 1, and Oct 8: Ka-band/Spectrometer recommissioning. Contingent on Aug 10 decision. One 8 hr sessions per week of A-class weather (nighttime, dynamically scheduled).
- Oct 1 - Oct 13 : Zpec commissioning, A and B weather, dynamically scheduled. Contingent on Aug 10 decision.
- Oct 7 - 15 : CCB/Ka testing, A-class weather (nighttime, dynamically scheduled).
- No later than week of Oct 15 : Install C-band .
- Oct 18 : Decision as to whether to continue using the Ka-band single-pol configuration. Whether to schedule 100 hrs of Zpec observing. Whether to remove Ka and convert back to old configuration. Whether to proceed with Ka/Spec/CCB observing.
- Oct 21-Nov 2 : C-band astronomical commissioning, C-class weather
- Nov 2 : C-Band observing can start
- Nov 2 : Decision on how to proceed with traditional holography. Which receiver will we remove? When will tests start? Do we need to cut a mounting plate?
- Nov 2-15 : C-band baseline tests, C weather, and X-band baseline tests, B weather, dynamically scheduled.
- Week of Dec 3 : C-band removed, Mustang installed
- Dec 7 : Telescope at access for Mustang
- Dec 8 - week of Jan 15 : Mustang tests -- dynamically scheduled, A weather, nighttime.
- Week of Jan 21 : Mustang removed, C-band installed
- Feb 3-13: SDD software tests for Feb 13 release
GBT Telescope Operations -- Bob
3 problems surfaced with the servo system this week.
- an azimuth motor tachometer failed. The tachometer was replaced.
- an elevation motor controller Tuesday failed. A possible cause for this may be the lightning in the area Monday night. The controller had not been called upon for a normal rate slew until servo system tests Tuesday.
- a second elevation motor controller was set differently during tests on Tuesday, causing an error. This was corrected Wednesday.
We are installing an ignition proof space heater in the polar drive room of the 140 ft. telescope this week.
- Preparations are being made to install the new wind direction sensor at Weather 2. Installation should be complete by 30-NOV-07.
- Preparations are also being made to install the new accelerometer set. Installation should be complete by 16-NOV-07.
RFI Group Operations -- Carla
Software Operations -- Amy
- Operational Support:
- BOS User Support.
- Fixed bug in IFManager which prevented it from restarting.
- Diagnosed loose MCB cable on 'wind'.
- Power failure recovery.
- Antenna/Active surface - Debugging and analysis of new weird 'air-brakes' sound on the GBT.
- Servo monitor failure.
- PrePoint retrieving incorrect TCals for some scans.
- Zpectrometer support.
- C7 Plan of Record - PlanOfRecordC72007
- Integration and Regression Testing Schedule:
- 09 Nov 2007 - Integration Testing, 10:00-12:00
- 09 Nov 2007 - Integration Testing, 20:00-24:00
- 11 Nov 2007 - Regression Testing, 00:00-06:45
- Software Release
The planned network shuffle in the servo was cancelled due to scheduling conflicts. It is a very low priority thing and will be rescheduled once Joe Brandt returns.
I have a plan for removing the allied switch from the servo room and will look into pricing it up. This will take care of the need to go and reboot it.
- Normal Spacecraft tracking
- MIT/LL folks are planning on visiting Nov 16-19 for special tracking tests
- MIT/LL folks would like to change Feed week of Nov 26 or Dec 3. They want to make beam pattern measurements on Kildal feed.
- Informal review of lost time for Declination limit switch completed.
- 43m Sterling mount upgrade: Step 1 submitted -- Glen
- Accomplishments:
- Software:
- Completed packing (scheduling) algorithm; worked on ranking criteria (almost complete)
- Eric Sessoms here this week
- Science:
- Formal response to users committee and external review committee sent
- Larry working on astronomer's weather memo, understanding Ron's weather work
- Project management
- Biweekly status meeting held
- CV TUNA meeting to give overview probably Dec 18
- GB status update sometime Dec 12-14
- Larry will be at AAS meeting, will schedule 1 or 2 "ask questions about DSS" meetings over coffee
- Working on new (public) front page for DSS
- Decided no commissioning time is needed during 08A trimester
- Upcoming events
- Software:
- Should have preliminary tools with limited functionaility ready for release on schedule next week;
- Working on porting dana's weather database into system for testing
- Science: Larry should be completing both memos
- Project Management:
- Will formally schedule both meetings;
- Working on newsletter article about summer tests, as well as completing new front page and handout for AAS meeting
MUSTANG -- Brian
PTCS program -- John
- Servo
- Enabled friction compensation in azimuth and elevation on Tuesday night. Further tests of tanh() function were limited due to time spent diagnosing motor problems, so it is not enabled at present.
- Identified a very low-frequency (~30sec) oscillation in outputs from motor controller in both axes, which was not present last Spring and requires further investigation when relevant parties return from vacation
- Instrumentation
- Replacement wind direction sensor for Wind2 is in the shop for mounting. Hope to mount it along with the new accelerometer4 set next week.
- Pointing/Tracking
- Status of knowledge transfer of pointing model from Kim: Todd has executed Kim's pointing model fit scripts in Matlab, and is checking consistency. Frank is working on producing the CSV file that it expects as input. Kim expects to send the track map component next week.
- Analysis of September X-band half-power tracks vs wind speed/direction is underway. Expect to acquire some complementary Ka scans this weekend.
- Frank has posted a writeup on a pseudo gain curve from Ka data obtained last month
- Holography
- Fred continues work on implementing a more advanced lunar brightness model to see if this affects the conclusions of the actuator error vs. panel error analysis
- No progress this week on examining traditional holography data from 2004.
- No progress this week on OOF holography
CICADA program -- John
9 Nov 2007
- Accomplishments since last report:
- Zpectrometer Tone Cal RF Level amp problem investigated, problem remains and is suspected to be a ground loop. The amp card may need to be replaced with a ground compensating design, testing continues.
- CCB Hot/cold load tests were performed on Friday, Nov. 2nd with Brian Mason in CV.
- Zpectrometer Tone Calibration performed on Friday, Nov. 2nd with Stephanie Zonak in College Park, MD and again on Nov. 6th with Stephanie in GB to test a suspected drift in Tone Cal Level.
- The MySQL Receivers Database was found to not contain the latest Ka Calibration numbers due to some minor omissions on the wiki instructions page. In Ron M's words: "There were only a few projects that might have been affected: 7B36 and 5C32 (Jeff Mangum's projects for which DJ and I are 'contacts'); 7C71 and 6A49 (CCB projects for which Brian is the 'contact'); Andrew Baker's Zpec observations; and 5C3 and 5A29 (my projects with Paul Vanden Bout). I know that 5C3 and 5A29 ignored the old Tcal values, I believe Zpec and CCB experiments will do the same. That leaves Jeff's experiments as the most likely ones to have been affected. I know that Jeff usually observes a calibrator so his projects may also be in the clear." The cal data omissions and instruction omissions have been rectified.
- Upcoming activities:
- Continuing work on LO Detector amps.
- Zpectrometer Tone Cals on upcoming maintenance days.
- Risks
- Zpectrometer Tone Cal runs from a script that sets both frequency and power level, the balky CLEO sampler is only a sanity check and shows the relative level difference correctly.
- Drift in the Tone Cal Level can affect Zpectrometer Calibrations.
- Comments:
The team members meet this week to start planning out the work break-down structure. Four paths of development were identified that can be worked on in parallel. Only one of these paths, for the calibration database, is critical in its need of software resources. We concentrated on the WBS for this path.
Revision r1.13 - 09 Nov 2007 - 20:52 GMT - RandyMcCullough
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