2.5m Preflight Check
D. Long
Preparations for Science:
-
Close building four hours before sunset.
-
Start exhaust fan ( weather permitting
) at least two hours before sunset. Crack east door, be sure hatches are
closed.
Telescope Aliveness test:
-
Start TPM logging for the night.
-
Verify MCP is talking and Menu will
run.
-
If not already done, set Az and Alt
brakes.
-
Check that nothing is around/on the
telescope which would interfere with altitude or rotator motion.
-
Make sure nothing is in the path of
the rotating racks, or on/around Az drive disk.
-
Check air pressure gauges for the
main compressed air supply and primary support system.
-
Be sure a stop button is in, preferably
at the telescope.
-
*Check telescope balance ( top/bot
is all you can currently do inside the building ) by releasing Alt brake
and moving Alt by hand within windscreen at some moderately low elevation
( ~15 deg ) to see if it will drift up or down on its own. Re-apply Alt
brake when done.
-
Start the interlocks display and check
that all looks normal.
-
Check the interlocks bypass panel
to be sure you know state of any bypassed interlocks.
-
Turn on Glenteks. Check that they
come up ok and are in remote mode.
-
Check that servo connections for windscreen
are in place.
-
Turn on windscreen with knife-switch
( breaker 33 also needs to be on).
-
Check altitude motion via MCP: Release
all stop buttons. Reset amplifier for Alt. ( Menu l * ) Release Alt
brake ( Menu l h c ). Make an Alt move. Combine motion test
with drive surface checking/cleaning to allow access to entire surface.**
-
Set the Alt fiducial ( start at 14.5
and move up at 5000 cts/sec until crossed, put alt in hold then set fiducial
) Return Alt to ~18.5 deg when done. Set Alt brake.
-
Check Rotator motion via MCP: Release
all stop buttons. Reset amplifier for Rot. ( Menu r * ). Make
a Rot move. Combine motion test with drive surface checking/cleaning to
allow access to entire surface.**
-
Set the rot fiducial ( start at ~0
and move positive at 5000 cts/sec until crossed, put rot in hold and set
fiducial ).
-
*Check azimuth motion via MCP: Reset
amplifier for Az . ( Menu z * ) Release Az brake ( Menu z h
c ). Make an Az move. Combine motion test with drive surface checking/cleaning
to allow access to entire surface
-
*Set the Az fiducial ( start at 120
and move up at 5000 cts/sec until crossed, put alt in hold then set fiducial
) Return Az to ~121 deg when done. Set Az brake.
-
*If first instrument of the night
is not already on, mount it ( see appropriate inst change proc. ).
-
Make sure TELRUN is running.
-
Make sure the proper instrument is
set in TELRUN.
-
*Make a test slew using the TCC. Return
to stow when finished.
-
Hit the north windscreen stop button.
-
Verify primary controller talks to
the TCC.
-
Verify primary is in proper position
( galils, and migs ).
-
Verify secondary controller talks
to the TCC.
-
Verify secondary is in proper position
( galils, and migs ).
* These items will change or be possible
inside when building modifications are complete.
** A stop button is to be in whenever
you are actually at the drive surface.
Generic Instrument checkout:
-
Check that you can talk to and control
the mechanicals of the instruments to be used that night.?
-
Take a frame with each instrument
to be used that night.?
-
Check chiller configuration.
-
Fill spectrograph dewars if operational.
-
Check/Replace imager 180 L dewar if
operational.
-
If the imager is operational, check
nitrogen gas bottle pressure, as well as bellows gauges.
?See the IOP Cheat Sheet for details
of imager and DA setup/checkout.
Person performing checkout: ___________________
Date: _______________________