GBT Operations & Commissioning Meeting
AGENDA
Activities List
We finished applying the waterproofing to the track this week, and the painters have finished for the season.
Routine preventive maintenance on the GBT this week.
Mechanics were going to get back on the 20m for a little bit today, and service the remaining tachometer and change oil in remaining azimuth drive. Bob will clean the azimuth motors up Monday and we'll tip to inspect the Sterling mount after he's finished.
We supported 5 projects in 20 observing sessions. In addition to observing, the telescope schedule included: PTCS tests (48 hrs), Maintenance (16 hrs), Balancing and PF1 tests (5 hrs), and SCAL measurements (2.5 hrs). Lost time was moderate:
- Network switch : 3.4 hrs
- Winds : 0.3 hrs
- Astrid : 0.1 hrs
Should we start using new wind limits for the telescope, now that the track is is good shape?
I recently found a good source of 7-day vertical weather forecasts and have developed some beta software to generate an alternative set of forecast web pages. In comparison to the 2.5 day ETA data I have been using, the new forecasts use a somewhat less appropriate model (GFS) for our terrain and have a courser time resolution (3 hrs vs 1 hr for ETA). Thus, they should be thought of as an extension, not a replacement, to the more accurate 2.5 day forecasts. The new forecasts are available off of the same web page as the 2.5-day forecasts.
Last Week
=========
Observations for proposals
GBT07C-067, GBT07B-014, GBT07B-006,
GBT07B-007, GBT07A-060
Next Week
=========
Observations scheduled for **
GBT07A-089 [ B] Fernando Camilo
PSR J1833-1034, the Very Young Pulsar in the SNR
G21.5-0.9
GBT07C-067 [F B] Helene Courtois
Bulk Motions of Filaments in the Local Universe
GBT07B-014 [F ] Marta Burgay
A deep pulsar search in the candidate Pulsar Wind
Nebula in DA 530
GBT07B-005 [F B] Sharon Montgomery
Location and Kinematics of Two Diffuse Clouds at
High Galactic Latitude
GBT07B-006 [ B] Fernando Camilo
Studying the magnetar XTE J1810-197
GBT07B-007 [ B] Nissim Kanekar
A search for 21cm absorption in strong MgII
absorbers in the redshift desert
GBT07A-060 [ B] Julia Deneva
S-band Drift Search for Transients and Pulsars in
the Inner Galaxy
GBT07A-072 [ B] Lisa Wei
Gas Reservoirs in Blue-Sequence Early-Type
Galaxies
** Scheduled as F-ixed, P-rimary, B-ackup
Contact Information for 10/04/2007 - 10/18/2007
=======================================
Proposal PI Bands Email [NRAO contact]
---------- ------------------ ----- --------------------
GBT07A-063 Amanda Kepley X kepley@astro.wisc.edu [Toney Minter]
BB240 Geoff Bower X gbower@astro.berkeley.edu []
GBT07C-084 Laura Kasian LS kasian@physics.ubc.ca [Scott Ransom]
GBT07C-051 Dana Balser Q dbalser@nrao.edu [Dana Balser]
GBT07C-062 Scott Ransom S sransom@nrao.edu [Scott Ransom]
GBT07C-020 Fernando Camilo S fernando@astro.columbia.edu [Scott Ransom]
GBT06C-020 Rachel Friesen K rfriesen@uvastro.phys.uvic.ca [Toney Minter]
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-067 Helene Courtois L courtois@ifa.hawaii.edu [Rick Fisher]
GBT07C-045 Shea Brown L brown@physics.umn.edu [Toney Minter]
GBT07B-036 Jeff Mangum OKXBQ jmangum@nrao.edu [D.J. Pisano]
GBT07B-025 Scott Ransom S sransom@nrao.edu [Scott Ransom]
GBT06C-045 David Champion S champion@physics.mcgill.ca [Scott Ransom]
GBT07C-036 Yancy Shirley K yshirley@as.arizona.edu [Paul Ruffle]
GBT06A-049 Tony Readhead B acr@astro.caltech.edu [Brian Mason]
GBT05C-003 Paul VandenBout B pvandenb@nrao.edu [Ron Maddalena]
GBT07A-029 Dick Crutcher L crutcher@uiuc.edu [Toney Minter]
GBT05C-026 Tom Devlin Q devlin@physics.rutgers.edu [Brian Mason]
GBT05A-029 Paul VandenBout B pvandenb@nrao.edu []
GBT07C-029 Amanda Kepley X kepley@astro.wisc.edu [Toney Minter]
GBT07A-050 Claudia Cyganowski K ccyganow@astro.wisc.edu [Toney Minter]
GBT07A-094 Scott Ransom S sransom@nrao.edu [Scott Ransom]
GBT07A-051 Mike Hollis 8LSCX jan.m.hollis@nasa.gov [Larry Morgan]
GBT07C-060 Fernando Camilo 8S fernando@astro.columbia.edu [Scott Ransom]
Scheduled hours [backup]
========================
Category/Month-> September October November December
Astronomy ~ 227 [163] 617 [470] 588 [387] 558 [470]
Maintenance ~ 43 [017] 17 [085] 29 [068] 22 [068]
Test & Comm ~ 450 [030] 99 [020] 57 [032] 99 [001]
Shutdown ~ 0 0 36 36
Un-assigned ~ 1 12 11 36
Proposal Checkouts #[hrs]*
=========================
Awaiting checkout - 0[0]
Active checkout - 0[0]
On Hold - 0[0]
Schedule - 115[4265]
Completed - 491[6289]
* All but completed queue applies to GBT only proposals
Current backlog of Reg & RRS proposals [hours prior to 07B*] = 1161
[2005:369(14), 2006:349(16), 2007:444(21)]
Backlog includes 59 hrs of monitoring projects
182 hrs of vlbi projects
Total time to discharge [hours] = 6413
Includes 299 hours++ of monitoring (not Large or Spec) after trimester 07B
2729 hours of Regular & RRS proposals
3317 hours of Large proposals
4 hours of Track Refurbishment proposals
364 hours of VLBI proposals
* Includes projects that are on hold for trimester 07B
++ Time is counted in other break down as well. 07B
- Installed Ka and Q band receivers this week.
- Ku band receiver is in the lab being tested for instabilities.
- C-band upgrade is progressing and near completion sometime next week.
Digital Group Status 15-SEP-07 THRU 21-SEP-07
***Operations, Problem Summary***
No significant events to report this week.
***Maintenance***
Active Surface...
No work was done on the Active Surface this week.
CCB...
CCB #2 was reinstalled on the GBT along with the Ka Band RX and was checked out using Martin Shepherd's Demo Client. It should be ready for use anytime it's needed.
***Development***
CICADA (Advanced Digital Backends Program)...
- Work is still progressing slowly on building a working version of the Pocket Spectrometer. The CASPER group is now deeply involved in this process; so, hopefully, we'll have a resolution by sometime next week.
- Nicole Radziwell has graciously agreed to allocate up to 25% of Ron DuPlain?'s time to our CICADA efforts for the time being. This will, of course, be a big help!
- New orders for one BEE2, two iBOBs, two iADCs, and the requisite Xilinx chips have now been placed.
Spectrometer LTA Re-design...
We now have a background project running to upgrade the two LTAs in our Lab Spectrometer. Expected completion date is 12-OCT-07.
PTCS...
Design for required accelerometer set mount is now complete, approved, and should be delivered to the machine shop by no later than today (21-SEP-07).
ALMA...
On-going efforts are continuing fairly smoothly on the ALMA front.
***Plans For Next Week***
- Continue work on GUPPi project, Phase 1...
- Continue to monitor GBT Spectrometer LTA upgrade program performance...
- Continue background project to upgrade Lab Spectrometer's LTAs
- Continue ALMA efforts as required...
Randy
- GBT Az Tach #1 reading is wrong. The associated currents appear normal. The Operators have been asked to monitor the situation closely. We need time (1-2 hrs) to investigate next week. I have put it on the schedule.
- See PTCS section
- Worked on Servo Interlock Upgrade documentation.
We are in the sixth development cycle of 2007. Please see the PlanOfRecordC62007 for all of the division's assigned activities. Our next release is scheduled for Wednesday, October 3. Integration testing begins the week of September 24th.
Operational and user support over the last week was light.
Implement PFM5 revised pointing/focus model (ModificationRequest1C407) - Sponsor signed and officially released!
- MRs ready for integration testing:
- MRs ready for sponsor testing:
- MRs under development:
- Modify Peak Finding Algorithm for Pointing/Focus Code (ModificationRequest4C207)
- FrankGhigo and ToddHunter have settled on GaussianFilter as preferred method. However, since this approach changes the resultant pointing offset values, deployment of the selected approach will be postponed until after the new pointing model is implemented this summer.
- SCCU Servo Changes (ModificationRequest1C806)
- Although the code is working, we have found that commanded velocity spikes occur during normal observing. To date this has not been a problem since the hardware filters out the spikes. However with the hardware modifications coupled with this MR, the spikes will corrupt the intended operation of the friction compensation. John is working on modeling a different methods of deriving the velocity commands.
- Correct Labeling of Ka-band Hybrid-Switched Signals (ModificationRequest3C407)
- May not be ready for upcoming release.
- Merge Zpectrometer code branch into main trunk (ModificationRequest15C507)
- Code merge (GBTIDL and sparrow) finished, working on new organization of /home/sdfits.
- Mustang Manager Meta-MR (MasterMustangManagerMr)
- Links all of the sub-MRs together.
- MRs under CCC review:
- MRs ready for sponsor signature:
- MRs being written:
- Tabled MRs:
- Other Activities:
- Complete Pointing Processing Description Memo - Work being performed as part of implement model 5 task above. Needs some cleanup to include focus tracking.
PTCS -- PTCS Team
- Servo Improvements
- Tested the friction compensation in azimuth with the new track. A new optimum value was determined and tested. This is ready for release when the new M&C code is released next week, or anytime, really.
- Held meeting with servo improvement subgroup on status of projects, and plans for all servo improvement projects.
- Plans are to finish off short-term improvements and release of the PLC interlock system before starting on the new servo system upgrade. We lack the acceleration feedforward and the trajectory improvements.
- Pointing/Track
- Validated and implemented the new pointing model PFM-5b. Had to account for a bug in the Antenna manager which caused the OBSC_EL column in the Antenna FITS file to be listed in unrefracted coordinates instead of refracted coordinates in all datafiles from Sep 3 to Sep 20. The initial observations obtained on Thursday night look promising. Here is a plot of the LPCs vs Az and El. Also of interest to some will be this plot of the dynamic corrections vs. time.
- Surface Improvements
- Holography system tested under Linux. Phase 2 to install parallel interface can now proceed.
- Accelerometer set for the holography horn mount studies is being built.
- Instrumentation
- No progress. Requested time for Steve White and John Shelton to continue work on LRF development
- Kenny and Bob found and fixed a helium line leak at the tail bearing
- Mostly normal space object tracking.
- LL folks will be here this weekend for some computer hardware work.
- GPS/pointing tests again next monday.
- Funding for FY 08 is OK, we need to allocate the remainder from FY 07.
Q-Band and Ka-band were installed this week. Paul R. and I did SCAL tests for K- and S-band. Zpec will go up next week. We'll also schedule functional tests of Q- and Ka-band and astronomical SCAL measurements if the weather allows.
-
July 17 through Aug 1 : L-Band refrigerator work. Must be completed for Governor's school
- Aug 1 through Aug 31 (originally Aug 17, the end of track shutdown) : Reinstall Q-band; pump and cool.
- Aug 6 : Install Mustang
- Aug 6 through no later than Sept 7 : Mustang tests
- By Aug 13 (Originally Aug 10) : Decision as to whether we will use this fall the one polarization configuration of Ka-band.
- By Aug 10 (1 week before end of track shutdown) : Install S-band and X-band. The receivers will already be cold when they are installed. Due date is set by the end of the track repairs and so may slip forward or backward. Installing by Aug 10 is preferable since that will give us time for receiver checkouts during the track shutdown.
- By Aug 31 (originally Aug 17, the end of track shutdown) : receiver checkouts for S-, X-, and Q-band. Includes pulsar checks of new S-band filters. Two nighttime 4 hr sessions per week, the LST is to be determined.
- (New Item) Aug 27 Remove Q-band from telescope to investigate high Tsys in one channel.
- Aug 31 - Sept 15 (originally Aug 17 - Aug 30, the end of shutdown to 2 weeks later) : Contingency test time for any remaining S-, X-, and Q-band receiver checkouts. (K-band was added after these plans were formed.) One nighttime 4 hr sessions per week. Dynamically scheduled.
- Aug 31 (originally Aug 17, the end of track shutdown) : start of PTCS recommissioning of the track
- No later than Sept. 3 : K-band pumped and cooled
- No later than Sept. 10 but no sooner than 1 week after K-band is cold: K-band receiver checkout. Dynamically scheduled.
- No later than Sept 7 : Mustang removed
- Sept 28 (originally Sept 14, four weeks after the end of track shutdown) : End of PTCS recommissioning of track
- Week of Sept 17 or Sept 24 : Install Ka-band. Contingent on Aug 10 decision.
- Before Sept 24 : Ku-band removed to make room for Zpec. No need to cool Ku until it is reinstalled (Nov?). Contingent on Aug 10 decision.
- Week of Sept 24 or Oct 1: Install Zpec. Contingent on Aug 13 decision.
- No later than the week of Sept 24 : Q-band reinstalled () and receiver checkout (8 hrs)
- Sept 23 - Sept 30 : SDD software tests for Oct 3 release
- 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
-- RichardPrestage - 20 Sep 2007
Revision r1.15 - 21 Sep 2007 - 20:27 GMT - ToddHunter
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