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Arthur Niell - 2016 Jan 27

Kokee

       The observations for the commissioning phase of the 12m has been completed, ending with three 24 hour observing sessions between K2, Wf, and Gs.  The data are being correlated and analyzed.  We are working toward the VLBI Operation Readiness Review (ORR) now scheduled for August, which means release of final documentation, software and procedures.

Chet Ruszczyk - 25 May 2016

       Verification and checkout of 12m is under way.

...


Yoshihiro Fukizaki - 28 Jan 2016

Onsala

– the first two containers from MTM with electronic equipment etc. are expected to arrive tomorrow, May 27
– six containers with reflector panels of the first telescope, etc. are expected to arrive around June 1st
– the az- and el-cabin of the first telescope are expected to arrive around June 8
– the assembling work will start immediately after that
– the containers for the second telescope are expected to arrive 1-2 weeks later
– the receiver design and development work for both telescopes is ongoing
– the 11-feed for system-1 is on site
– we are waiting on the CalTech QRFH for system-2
– the DBBC3s for both systems are ordered and expected to be delivered in October

Rüdiger Haas - 26 May 2016

Construction sites webcams.

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AuScope (Hobart, Katherine and Yarragadee)

Initial testing of Stirling Cycle broadband system has been completed at Hobart. Upgrade of all three sites to broadband planned to be completed by mid 2017 (was hoped to be by the end of 2016).

The prototype is now back in Hobart and will be installed on the 12m in about a week.

Tests of Dynamic Scheduling with the three AuScope antennas and others (most recently Hart 26m) are continuing with the next observations planned for June.

Jim Lovell - 26 May 2016

Kashima 34m

Focul Focal position adjustment of  2.4m dish and pointing observation was repeated. A experiment with GALA-V system (Kas34-Mbl1-Mbl2) was made on 26-27 May. 

Mamoru Sekido - 26 May 2016

Yebes

Broadband system temperatures are ~ 50 K - 70 K. The warm amplifiers after the cryogenic ones and before the optical fiber converters had to be removed to avoid saturating the amplifiers used to modulate the optical laser. This increased the Tsys by a factor 2. Furthermore one of the optical channels uses an 18 dB amplifier and the other one 9 dB. This is an issue to be solved in the future.

The antenna phase cal unit has a temperature control system which has been switched off to avoid subbands in the phase cal tones.

UDCs are installed and working.UDCs 2 and 3 connected to one DBBC2

One Mark6 was installed and configured. 4 packs 32 TB each are inserted and work as a single group. There are two optical connections between the DBBC2 and the Mark6. 

One RDBE-G installed and configured. The RDBE-G is also connected to the Mark6.

The second DBBC2 is used for observations with the 40m RT. usage for VGOS requires that no VLBI osbervations happen simultaneously between the 13.2m and the 40m. A DBBC3 will be ordered very soon and 3 or 4 RDBE-Gs may also be ordered soon.

Pablo de Vicente - 25 May 2016

The 13.2m antenna stopped operations (VS observations with the S/X/Ka receiver) on January 8th and is under upgrade works: the backstructure is being covered with cladding and fans are being installed in between the backstructure and the cladding. The three band receiver cryostat is going to be updated with a new head, and a new compressor compatible with the broad boand receiver is beeing installed. All these works are expected to complete in February 18th.

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GGAO, Westford, Wetzell, Yebes Broadband Fringe Testing


The preliminary VGOS observing sessions between GGAO (Gs) , Westford (Wf) , Wetzell South (Ws) and Yebes (Yj) has resulted in fringes between all sites for three sessions.  Schedules were generated for theses sessions.  The configuration of the systems for the tests have been as follows:
  1. FT6119 
    1. Gs and Wf have been recording all four bands using UDCs, RDBE-Gs and Mark6.
    2. Ws and Yj recorded band B (sky frequency of 4712.4 GHz) with the DBBC2 and Mark6.
      1. The PCFS (version 9.12.13 ) was used to control the systems.
    3. Fringes were detected for both polarization for Ws but only 1 for Yj (configuration error was the cause for not both polarization's).

  2. FT6128 was a retest of FT6119 with the goal of correcting configuration issues and other anomalies observed.
    1. Fringes were detected for both polarization for Ws and Yj.  
    2. Anomalies still existed.

  3. FT6140 incorporated BandC ( 5832.4 GHz)into the observation for Ws and Yj (2 Band Test)FT6XXX Next steps under discussion.
    1. Fringes were detected for both bands / pols.
    2. Improved performance to earlier tests
    3. Investigations continues.
    4. Yj, RDBE-G was tagged along on Band B.  No fringes detected, problem determined.
    FT6XXX Next steps under discussion
    1. .

Chet Ruszczyk, for folks at Gs, Wf, Ws, Yj, Haystack and Ed (PCFS) - 25 May 2016


Technology Updates

DBBC3

The development activity is mainly concentrated on the realization of the unified control software which connects all the functionalities realised by the different parts of the system.

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G. Tuccari - 27 April 2016

      DBBC3 Report

The DBBC3 unified control software DUCS is under test and additional functionalities have benn added for
the VGOS 8 IFs version.
In particular the infrastructure for managing the different bandwidth has been improved.
A picture of the DBBC3-VGOS system is attached; its data rate for VGOS 2 bit modes is 128 Gbps, while
the maximum data rate with the same hardware is 512 Gbps.

Additionally it started the realization of the firmware and software to accomplish the standard
DBBC2 functionalities in DDC and PFB mode. This is in particular accomplished by the possibility to
have GCoMo and CoMo modules in a same system.

Image Modified   DBBC3 - VGOS (full)                                                                                      

 G. Tuccari - 26 May 2016

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