VLBI Wiki | Main / ActionsLBA-Ops-2014

VLBI/eVLBI operations and technical meeting, Perth, 11-12 Feb 2014'

ACTIONS list

The ordering of this action list roughly follows the agenda of the meeting. Some actions were carried forward and modified from the previous meeting(s). A consolidated and integrated list is given here.

ACTION: Proposals and scheduling
- Monitor available LBA time and over-subscription (Phil) - CONTinuing
- Increase LBA time? (Phil) - CONT
- Encourage more ToOs qnd NAPAs(ATNF) - CONT
  - Insert sentence re ToO and NAPA in call for proposals (Phil)
- More sessions of fewer days (e.g methanol cadence)? Produce early schedules and information. (Phil) - CONT
- Sessions spread out in time. Eases observing and correlation (ATNF)
- Offer Mk5 subnet recording alternative with higher-BW in call for proposals (ATNF) - CONT
- Offer GRB transient monitoring on LBA subnet i.e. Ho, Ww, Ak, Mp ? (LBA)
- Arrange EVN + LBA sessions.
ACTION: SCHED issues
- Keep PIs informed on SCHED developments (Cormac,Phil) - CONT
- Cal flags in SCHED? Update sources.dat file with calibrator flags (Cormac,Chris) - CONT
  - fringe-finders; phase reference sources; calibrators on long baselines; new calibrators via eVLBI
  - ATCA developments for flag support (Jamie, Chris)
  - VEX2 implementation for flags (Cormac, Chris)
  - Flags in pipeline processing (Chris, Cormac)
- Support in SCHED for new DAS - CONT
  - Xcube in SCHED (Chris)
  - Ensure consistent IF wiring for LBA obs by UTas and WW (UTas and AUT)
  - Check catalogues in SCHED and let Cormac know of issues (All)
  - Check on Mk5B format for LBA (Cormac)
  - VDIF code in SCHED (Chris, Cormac)
  - JPL format support (Cormac)
  - SCHED support after Craif Walker's retirement? (LBA, JIVE, KVN, CVN)
ACTION: Wiki/Web
- Continuing Wiki reorganisation/maintenance for accessibility (Chris,Cormac) - CONT
- Automate creation of Tsys and flagging files on Wiki (Cormac,Chris)
- Link Ho, Cd and Ww cal files to wiki (Cormac)
- Development of Ww noise cal systems and logs (NZ, LBA)
- Calibration data instructions on Wiki (Hayley) - CONT
- Wiki "web-service"?
  - LBA monitor interface (Chris, Jamie, Cormac)
  - "chat" channel for important messages during observing?
  - "Google calendar" alarms?
ACTION: Observing and monitoring
- Ww Tsys monitoring (NZ)
- Better LBA monitoring
  - Monica alarm functionality coordination at observatories (LBA)
  - Firewall issues with NZ (AUT, Chris)
- Utilise all available time at Tid (Shinji, ATNF) - CONT
- Get Parkes calibration data (Tasso, JER, Ettore) - CONT
- Get Tsys data on ATCA (Chris, Tasso) - CONT
  - Tsys from ATCA data via Miriad? (ATNF)
- Mopra Tsys processing (Tasso, Jamie)
- ATCA Array phasing issues (Chris, Jamie, Tasso) -CONT
  - Ensure ABphase set when autophase on (Chris)
  - Show ABphase on Wiki (Chris)
- Update notes on CABB gain equalisation via sampler stats (Jamie S)
- Monitor H-maser rate at ASKAP (ATNF) - CONT
- Move Cd to dBBC and Mk5c (UTas)
- Determine Frequency to Channel mapping at Tid (Shinji)
- Xcube in real-time fringe checker (Chris)
ACTION: Continue wiki contest for best logs (LBA)
- Winners for 2013: 1st - Tid; 2nd - UTas; 3rd - ATNF
ACTION: eVLBI pointing for Ww (Chris, Cormac, Jamie M, NZ) - CONT
ACTION: Data storage and transfers
- Review data transfer options - CONT
- Spare Mk5 to Geraldton for Ye data transfers? (AuScope, ATNF)
- rsync to PBStore and check transfers.
- Investigate 10 Gbps links at UTas. (UTas)
- Investigate feasibility of centralised data transfer (LBA)
- Setup Radioastron data transfers via PBStore (Chris)
- Thank J. Quick for excellent Hart data transfers. 9LBA)
ACTION: Correlators
- Advance warning (in proposal) to correlator of technical requirements of observations (PIs) - CONT
- Feedback from PIs. Add to PI letter from correlator(Correlator, PIs)
- Pipeline imaging (Cormac, Chris)
  - Reduction pipeline on Cave for e-VLBI (Chris, Cormac) - CONT
  - make pipeline available to PIs? Inform in correlator letter. - CONT
  - Pipeline reduction for cals only - CONT
    - Cal flux-vs-time and compare with ATCA.
    - 1921-293 flux vs ATCA.
    - 1934-638 cal data from ATCA.
  - Telescopes check back in pipeline archive for issues (All telescopes)
- Document Tsys labelling after correlation for "mixed-mode" observations.
- Copy LBA data archive to ATNF (Curtin, ATNF) - CONT
  - Integrate with S2 archive (ATNF)
  - Write software to read RPFITS.
  - Get enough disk storage at ATNF (ATNF)
- LBA archive online via ATOA? (Tasso) - CONT
  - Investigate RPFITS and IDIFITS issues in ATOA (ATNF)
  - IDIFITS reader (Jamie)
  - Metadata transfer and storage? (ATNF)
- CAL notes on Wiki and inform PIs (LBA) - CONT
- Aim for ANTAB data at correlator (Curtin, ATNF)
  - Issues of Tsys quality from stations.
- DiFX on Pawsey computers (Cormac)
  - explore other supercomputer options
  - Investigate eVLBI modes.
- Linear to circular conversion in DiFX after FFT. Check on ATCA. (Chris)
ACTION: Networks and e-VLBI Demos - CONT
- Invite IVEC to networking meetings (ATNF)
- UTas firewall issues (UTas)
- Overseas telescopes in eVLBI? (Tasso)
  - Indian connectivity? Letter to GMRT re VLBI timing issues (Tasso)
  - Regular Asia eVLBI tests?
  - Malaysia connectivity? (ATNF)
- Demos
  - ASKAP-KAT7 in eVLBI? -
  - 10 GBps correlation (Chris, Cormac) - CONT
    - Investigate Pawsey and other SPCs in Oz.
    - Telecon within ~6 weeks (Ben, Cormac, Chris)
  - Brazil eVLBI demo? (Tasso)
    - Brazil-SouthAfrica-Oz-Ww-Argentina?
ACTION: e-VLBI developments - CONT
- Promote eVLBI better (All)
- eVLBI scheduling (cf EVN of ~10sessions/year) (ATNF)
- Utilise more e-VLBI test-time (ATNF)
- Investigate Tid e-VLBI connectivity (Tasso)
ACTION: VLBI/eVLBI technical developments
- Monitor developments of DBBCs, DBEs etc (All)
  - new DAS?
  - Xcube commissioning
  - Progress in CABB wide-band system (ATNF)
- Monitor recorder/Disk developments (all)
  - Replacement of LBA recorders/Disks?
- Cal scheme for linear-circular polarisation conversion (Chris, Cormac)
ACTION: VLBI Science meeting in Darwin/Katherine. Mid-2014? (Tasso, Jim)
ACTION: Next Ops meeting venue at Tidbinbilla (Shinji))
ACTION: Update news page on CSIRO website.