GBT Operations & Commissioning Meeting
AGENDA
Activities List
Last Week
=========
Observations for proposals
BB240 , GBT07C-084, GBT07C-062,
GBT07B-020, GBT07C-020, GBT07A-066,
GBT07B-034, GBT07C-067, GBT05B-011,
GBT07A-102, GBT07C-057, GBT06A-015,
GBT06A-049, GBT05C-035, GBT07A-029,
GBT07C-005, GBT07C-029, GBT07C-080,
BB242 , GBT07C-060, GBT07A-051
Completed proposals
GBT07C-062, GBT07A-102
Next Week
=========
Observations scheduled for **
BB240 [ P ] Geoff Bower
RIPL: Radio Interferometric PLanet Search
GBT05A-040 [ P ] Andrew Baker
CO(1-0) Observations of Four Submillimeter
Galaxies
GBT07C-020 [F ] Fernando Camilo
Studying the magnetar XTE J1810-197
GBT07A-024 [F B] Jinlin Han
Probing the magnetic fields in and beside the
Sagittarius arm
GBT06C-033 [ P ] Andy Harris
A CO(1-0) Survey of Dusty Galaxies with Elusive
Redshifts
GBT07C-067 [F B] Helene Courtois
Bulk Motions of Filaments in the Local Universe
GBT06C-045 [F ] David Champion
A Search for Radio Emission from Magnetars after
Outburst
GBT07C-057 [F ] Jeremy Darling
A Critical Density for OH Megamasers?
Formaldehyde Holds the Key
GBT06A-015 [FP ] Sandrine Bottinelli
The hot corinos of solar-type protostars
GBT05C-035 [ P ] Andrew Baker
Very Good CO Detections of Submillimeter Galaxies
With Pretty Good Redshifts
GBT07B-029 [F B] Michael Kramer
Timing and General Relativity in the Double
Pulsar System
GBT07C-080 [ B] Vlad Kondratiev
A Pulsar Census of the Local Group
GBT07C-060 [ B] Fernando Camilo
GLAST timing at GBT: six key radio-faint pulsars
** Scheduled as F-ixed, P-rimary, B-ackup
Contact Information for 11/29/2007 - 12/13/2007
=======================================
Proposal PI Bands Email [NRAO contact]
---------- ------------------ ----- --------------------
BB240 Geoff Bower X gbower@astro.berkeley.edu []
GBT07C-072 Marcel Agueros 8 agueros@astro.washington.edu [Scott Ransom]
GBT07C-084 Laura Kasian LS kasian@physics.ubc.ca [Scott Ransom]
GBT07C-073 Joeri van Leeuwen 3 joeri@astro.berkeley.edu [Scott Ransom]
GBT05A-040 Andrew Baker B ajbaker@physics.rutgers.edu [Dana Balser]
GBT04A-040 Steve Myers XUB smyers@nrao.edu []
GBT07C-020 Fernando Camilo S fernando@astro.columbia.edu [Scott Ransom]
GBT05B-030 Fabian Walter B walter@mpia.de [Dana Balser]
GBT07A-066 Jim Braatz K jbraatz@nrao.edu [Jim Braatz]
GBT07A-034 Jim Braatz K jbraatz@nrao.edu [Jim Braatz]
BG168 Elena Gallo X elena@physics.ucsb.edu []
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]
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]
GBT07C-068 Amy Lovell L alovell@agnesscott.edu [Toney Minter]
GBT07B-003 Neeraj Gupta 3 Neeraj.Gupta@atnf.csiro.au [D.J. Pisano]
GBT07C-057 Jeremy Darling C jdarling@origins.colorado.edu [Frank Ghigo]
GBT05C-035 Andrew Baker B ajbaker@physics.rutgers.edu [Dana Balser]
GBT07A-029 Dick Crutcher L crutcher@uiuc.edu [Toney Minter]
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]
GBT07C-082 James Aguirre 3 jaguirre@nrao.edu [Brian Mason]
GBT07C-060 Fernando Camilo S fernando@astro.columbia.edu [Scott Ransom]
GBT07A-040 Larry Weintraub B lcw@astro.caltech.edu [Brian Mason]
GBT07A-051 Mike Hollis LSCXU jan.m.hollis@nasa.gov [Larry Morgan]
Scheduled hours [backup]
========================
Category/Month-> November December January
Astronomy ~ 583 [197] 552 [501] 623 [420]
Maintenance ~ 54 [034] 37 [068] 8 [119]
Test & Comm ~ 46 [008] 93 [001] 107 [016]
Shutdown ~ 36 36 0
Un-assigned ~ 2 26 6
Proposal Checkouts #[hrs]*
=========================
Awaiting checkout - 0[0]
Active checkout - 0[0]
On Hold - 0[0]
Schedule - 115[3589]
Completed - 491[6281]
* All but completed queue applies to GBT only proposals
Current backlog of Reg & RRS proposals [hours prior to 07C*] = 1229
[2005:266(11), 2006:323(15), 2007:640(24)]
Backlog includes 155 hrs of monitoring projects
189 hrs of vlbi projects
Total time to discharge [hours] = 5342
Includes 224 hours++ of monitoring (not Large or Spec) after trimester 07C
1920 hours of Regular & RRS proposals
3112 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
We supported 20 projects in 36 observing sessions, including a VLB run. The telescope was scheduled for 16 hrs of software tests for the latest M&C release, 8.5 hrs of maintenance, 4 hrs of PTCS tests, and 1 hr for a project checkout.
The subreflector Y2 problem dominated the lost time (23.9 hrs or 16.7%).
- Subreflector Y2 : 18.4 hrs (6 instances)
- Pulsar/Spigot : 1.5 hrs
- Winds : 1.3 hrs (2 instances)
- Grounding Block : 1 hrs
- Human (wrong receiver selected) : 0.6 hrs
- Astrid : 0.4 hrs (2 instances)
- Other (schedule, turret lock, weather station) : 0.8 hrs
The hours of lost time and the number of instances for the Y2 problem reflects the time needed to repair Y2 as well as lost time to observing or to M&C or PTCS tests that could not be run without Y2 working. Bill Radcliff has created a description of what was done during the repair of the subreflector. In my opinion, I think the response of the repair crew is to be praised. From various descriptions, the work environment was far from pleasant. Bob A may want to elaborate on whether we should change the design of how the Y2 cables are supported.
The spigot/Pulsar problem may have been signal-to-noise related and not a system problem. A grounding block was making a noise that the operators wanted to investigate.
No news this week.
-
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
- We have not had a repeat of subreflector problems since last weekend. Randy and Bill had a real baptism by fire, and came through admirably. There is no indication of a mechanical problem at this time. I made some recommendations to prevent recurrence after talking with Bill and Nathan.
- The track grounding brushes have been making a lot of noise that frightened some folks, but there is nothing wrong. We are making some modifications to reduce the noise and reduce wear.
- Only one GBT maintenance day next week. Telescopes will be in holiday shutdown from Wednesday evening until Friday morning.
RFI Group Operations -- Carla
- Operational Support:
- BOS User Support.
- Dish support.
- Gbtidl gaussian fitting bug fix.
- Work Station host reboot support.
- Sdfits bug support.
- C8 Plan of Record - PlanOfRecordC82007
- Software Version 7.7 Released 14 Nov 2007, 10:45-14:45. See the Release Notes
- Tests of Real Time trajectories are going well.
- MIT/LL engineers will arrive today and depart on Monday Nov 19
- Tracking on Tuesday and Friday next week.
- Accomplishments:
- Completed initial system which displays a web page for both manual and automatic scheduling of "open" sessions using simulated data as generated from DanaBalser? test program. The system implements half of the possible scoring factors, but all of the weather scoring based on historical data from 2006.
- GB status update to be held Dec 13 in the morning
- CV status update to be held Dec 18 at noon (lunch talk)
- New (public) front page for DSS released (http://www.gb.nrao.edu/DSS
- Upcoming events (next 2 weeks)
- Begin testing new interface
- Software group to continue to add functionality (first to be installed is fixed/windowed sessions)
- Working on brochure for handout at AAS
- Working on newsletter article
- Working on agenda for GB and CV talks
MUSTANG -- Brian
PTCS program -- John
- Servo
- Instrumentation
- Weather has delayed the installation of accelerometer set 4 at the optical camera plate (to help inform the holography project).
- Pointing
- Received and tested more Matlab code from Kim this week, including the track map generator and the preprocessor of astronomy data.
- The variable part of the tracking error has been quantified based on 17 half-power tracks, mostly taken in Sept 2007 on the new azimuth track. The result is: 1.5" + 0.15*(wind speed in m/s)^2, which confirms prior work where the quadratic coefficient was estimated to be 0.16. The additional contribution due to offset pointing error (important for single beam receivers) remains to be quantified.
- Holography
- Simon and Todd have begun to discussing specific software changes that will be needed in order to attempt OOF analysis of Mustang focus scans
- Fred's fits to lunar scan data using a more realistic lunar brightness distribution so far confirm that the larger contributor to small scale surface error is actuator error rather than panel corner offsets.
CICADA program -- John
16 Nov 2007
- Accomplishments since last report:
- Zpectrometer Tone Calibration performed on Tuesday, Nov. 13th with Stephanie Zonak in College Park, MD. Results show approx. 3 dB lower power level and some (as yet unquantified) phase shifts. Andy Harris suspects first conversion mixer LO levels low.
- Upcoming activities:
- Testing of Ka LO1 levels versus power out (today).
- Zpectrometer Tone Cals on upcoming maintenance days.
- Risks
- Comments:
- Feed design finished with drawings are submitted to the shop.
- OMT drawings and 45 degree mandrel drawings submitted.
- Modeling complete for two thermal transistions and feed.
-- RichardPrestage - 15 Nov 2007
Revision r1.12 - 29 Nov 2007 - 17:04 GMT - AmyShelton
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