VLBI Software Documentation

Field System

Control Files and

Field System Initialization

W. E. Himwich and N. R. Vandenberg

NVI, Inc./GSFC

Operations Manual

NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Version 9.3

Space Geodesy Program September 1, 1997

List of Tables iii

1.0 Field System Initialization 1

1.1 Control File Locations 1

1.2 Default Control Files 2

1.3 fs Initialization 3

1.4 incom Initialization 3

1.5 boss Initialization 3

2.0 antenna.ctl - antenna information 5

3.0 dev.ctl - device names 6

4.0 equip.ctl - station equipment 8

5.0 fscmd.ctl and stcmd.ctl - command lists 13

6.0 fserr.ctl and sterr.ctl - error message files 18

7.0 fspgm.ctl and stpgm.ctl - Field System Programs 19

8.0 head.ctl - head stack information 21

9.0 ibad.ctl - HPIB (IE³) interface devices 29

10.0 location.ctl - station configuration 31

11.0 matad.ctl - MAT addresses 33

12.0 mcbad.ctl - MCB device addresses 35

13.0 rclad.ctl - RCL addresses 37

14.0 rxdef.ctl - receiver channel definitions 38

15.0 rxdiode.ctl - receiver diode interpolation factors 40

16.0 sw.ctl - Software control switches 42

17.0 time.ctl - computer time model 43

Table 1. Sample antenna.ctl 5

Table 2. Standard dev.ctl 6

Table 3. Sample equip.ctl 8

Table 4. Standard fscmd.ctl 14

Table 5. Sample stcmd.ctl 17

Table 6. Standard fspgm.ctl 19

Table 7. Sample stpgm.ctl 20

Table 8. Sample head.ctl for a Mark IIIA recorder 22

Table 9. Sample head.ctl for VLBA or Mark IIIB recorder 23

Table 10. Sample head.ctl for VLBA2 recorder 24

Table 11. Sample head.ctl for wide track Mark III recorder 25

Table 12. Sample ibad.ctl 29

Table 13. Sample location.ctl 31

Table 14. Standard matad.ctl File 34

Table 15. Standard mcbad.ctl 35

Table 16. Default rclad.ctl 37

Table 17. Standard rxdef.ctl 39

Table 18. Standard rxdiode.ctl 40

Table 19. Default sw.ctl 42

Table 20. Default time.ctl 43

This manual describes how the Field System initializes itself. The main part of the initialization is reading control files. Each control file is described, in alphabetical order, in a separate section of this manual. All of the many control files which are read to initialize the Field System must be present and correct for proper Field System operation.

In all of the control files, a line beginning with * in the first column is treated as a comment, i.e. it is ignored.

To start the Field System running, please follow the directions found in the Setup manual or the Operators' Reference manual.

The entries in any of the control files may be any combination of upper or lower case. The Field System is not case-sensitive, but always remember that UNIX is.

1.1 Control File Locations

The table below lists all of the control files, their location on disk, and a brief description of their contents. The files are listed in the order in which they are read during initialization.

File Location Contents

Read by fs:

fspgm.ctl /usr2/fs/control Field System programs to bring up and run

stpgm.ctl /usr2/control Station programs to bring up and run

Read by incom:

location.ctl /usr2/control Station configuration information

equip.ctl /usr2/control Equipment configuration information

dev.ctl /usr2/control Device names and baud rates

head.ctl /usr2/control High density head read and write positioning information

antenna.ctl /usr2/control Station antenna information

rxdef.ctl /usr2/control Receiver channel names and conversion factors

rxdiode.ctl /usr2/control Receiver diode voltage interpolation curve

sw.ctl /usr2/control Miscellaneous software controls

time.ctl /usr2/control Computer time model

Read by boss:

fscmd.ctl /usr2/fs/control Field System valid command names and control information

stcmd.ctl /usr2/control Station valid command names and control information

matad.ctl /usr2/control MAT device addresses

ibad.ctl /usr2/control HPIB (IE³) device addresses

Read by fserr:

fserr.ctl /usr2/fs/control Field System extended error messages

sterr.ctl /usr2/control Station extended error messages

Read by mcbcn:

mcbad.ctl /usr2/control MCB device addresses

Read by rclcn:

rclad.ctl /usr2/control RCL device addresses

1.2 Default Control Files

Default copies of all control files are in /usr2/fs/st.default/control. When the Field System is installed, the standard versions of all control files are copied into /usr2/st/control. The files may then be edited to customize them for your station's use. Refer to the Computer Reference manual for instructions on which files must be edited.

For the standard CDP receiver, there are different versions of control files depending on characteristics of the receiver. All of the versions are in the default directory, and you should copy the appropriate version into a file with the standard name as listed in the tables above. Refer to the sections in this manual on the receiver channel definitions and the receiver diode curve.

1.3 fs Initialization

Program fs starts all of the Field System programs. It acts like a "shell", i.e. it takes on the characteristics of an operating system while the Field System is running. All of the commands that the operator types and all of the activities of the Field System are performed under the umbrella of the fs shell. Control files fspgm.ctl and stpgm.ctl are read by fs and the programs listed in these files are started. If any errors occur during reading of subsequent control files, an error message is displayed and then fs automatically shuts down the Field System.

1.4 incom Initialization

Program incom reads the station and equipment configuration files and initializes the Field System internally. Control files location.ctl, equip.ctl, dev.ctl, head.ctl, antenna.ctl, rxdef.ctl, tedef.ctl, rxdiode.ctl, time.ctl, and sw.ctl are read. The message station config init indicates success.

1.5 boss Initialization

boss initializes the Field System commands and control programs. fscmd.ctl and stcmd.ctl are read. The message command list init indicates success.

If there is Mark III equipment at the station, matad.ctl is read and then program matcn is started up. The message matcn init indicates success.

ibad.ctl is read and then program ibcon is started up. The message ibcon init indicates success.

Program mcbcn is started up and it reads mcbad.ctl. The message mcbcn init indicates success.

Program rclcn is started up and it reads rclad.ctl. The message rclcn init indicates success.

Program antcn is started up. If the antenna device name in the dev.ctl file was /dev/null then the message antenna not initialized is displayed. Otherwise, the messages initializing antenna interface and antenna initialized are displayed.

Log file station.log is opened or created in directory /log.

Configuration information from location.ctl, head.ctl, sw.ctl, and antenna.ctl is written to the log. This is done at Field System startup and each time the log is changed with the log=... command.

The command stream is checked. The initialization program left a message to be logged if boss got to this point successfully. The message is boss initialization complete.

Finally, boss sleeps.

Programs ddout and chekr are started.

The command to invoke procedure initi is sent, and boss is started again. After processing this procedure boss sleeps.

2.0 antenna.ctl - antenna information

The control file antenna.ctl contains information on the station antenna. All lines of the file are read in "free-field" format, with the first field interpreted as data and the remainder of the line as a descriptive comment. The lines must appear in the order shown in the sample file below. Table 1 is a sample file.

******* Antenna Control File ********

* /usr2/control/antenna.ctl

* Last modified: 911212

*

12. Antenna Diameter (meters)

60. HA/AZ/X Slew Speed (deg/min.)

60. DEC/EL/Y Slew Speed (deg/min)

-80. HA/AZ/X Lower Limit (deg)

80. HA/AZ/X Upper Limit (deg)

-80. DEC/EL/Y Lower Limit (deg)

80. DEC/EL/Y Upper Limit (deg)

XYNS Antenna axis type (AZEL, HADC, XYNS, or XYEW)

The information contained in this file is self explanatory. The information is used by the antenna calibration programs.

3.0 dev.ctl - device names

This file lists the device names (and baud rates if applicable) for the equipment connected to the serial ports. This file also lists the name of the driver's board device name for for the IE³ GPIB board.

For devices connected to COM2: use device name /dev/ttyS1. For DigiBoard PC/8i multiplexer ports 1-8, use /dev/ttyd1-/dev/ttyd8. For Boca BB2016 ports 1-16 use /dev/cua16-/dev/cua31.

All lines of this file are assumed to have only one data field, which may be preceeded by spaces and has no embedded blanks. The first field in each line is interpreted as the data field, the remainder as a descriptive comment. All lines must be present and in the order shown in the example. If the device is not active at your station, use a device name of /dev/null in the first field. For devices not present, the baud rate line is read but its value is ignored.

* /usr2/control/dev.ctl

********** Field System LU control file

/dev/null GPIB board device name

/dev/null Mark III MAT device name

9600 Mark III MAT baud rate

/dev/null Mark III Data Buffer device name

9600 Mark III Data Buffer baud rate

/dev/null Antenna device name

/dev/null Barcode reader device name

/dev/null VLBA MCB device name

57600 VLBA MCB baud rate

The information contained in this file is:

GPIB board device name

For the GPIB use board as the device name. There is no actual device board, however the driver is configured to recongize this name as the name of the GPIB board.

Mark III MAT device name

The device name for the MAT daisy chain.

Mark III MAT baud rate

The initial baud rate for the MATs. The baud rate can be changed during Field System operations using the reset command.

Data Buffer device name

The device name for the data buffer.

Data Buffer baud rate

The baud rate of the data buffer.

Antenna device name

The device name for the antenna interface.

Barcode reader device name

The device name of the bar code reader. The baud rate of the barcode reader is 1200.

VLBA MCB device name

The device name for the port used for the MCB.

VLBA MCB baud rate

The baud rate of the port used for the MCB, 57600 is the only currently acceptable choice.

4.0 equip.ctl - station equipment

The equip.ctl control file contains information pertinent to the equipment configuration at your station. Note that some of this information formerly appeared in the location.ctl file.

********* Equipment Control File *********

* Please refer to the Control Files Manual in Volume 1 of the

* Field System Documentation

*

100 Tape Startup Parameter (TACC)

330 Max tape speed, ips

270 Schedule tape speed, ips

8450. RF Frequency

60 Receiver 70K Stage Check Temperature

20 Receiver 20K Stage Check Temperature

* VLBI equipment

mk3 type of rack (mk3, vlba, vlbag, mk4, or none)

mk3 type of recorder (mk3, mk3b, vlba, vlba2, mk4, s2, or none)

101 Hardware ID for VLBA rack (assigned by GSFC)

*

10.0 vacuum level (inches) (if vacuum switching this is for thin tape ~5.0)

0 vacuum current offset (counts)

0 vacuum current scale (counts/in)

0 vacuum sensor offset (in)

0 vacuum sensor scale (in/count)

268 tape thickness (kA) (if vacuum switching this is for thin tape ~152)

14.0 head write voltage (V)

54625 capstan size constant

*

500.10 IF3 LO Frequency

3 hex mask indicating which IF3 switches are installed, sw N ~ 2^(N-1)

*

a/d VLBA formatter cross-point switch (a/d or dsm)

* additional values for vacuum switching

15.0 thick tape vacuum level (inches)

268 thick tape thickness (kA)

Tape Startup Parameter (tacc)

The sum of the delay required for the tape drive to start moving after it receives a start command and the net processing delay in the Field System for the command. Units are 1/100ths of a second. Nominal value is 100, see tapepos for information on how to measure the correct value. This is used only for Mark III recorders.

Maximum tape speed

The maximum speed for your recorder, in ips. Some recorders are set to run at 330 ips maximum, some are set for 360 ips. The value of this parameter determines the speed which is commanded for the sff and srw commands. Set this value to one of 270, 330, or 360, whichever is nearest to the actual top speed of your recorder.

Schedule tape speed

The speed used in the SNAP schedule to position the tape using the fastr and fastf procedures, i.e. the ff and rw commands. Normally this is 270 ips.

RF Frequency

The approximate RF frequency of the experiment, in MHz. In a dual frequency system, this should be the higher frequency since it is used for computing the antenna's beam width.

Receiver 70K Stage Check Temperature

The temperature of the receiver's 70K receiver temperature monitor above which chekr will generate error messages.

Receiver 20K Stage Check Temperature

The temperature of the receiver's 20K receiver temperature monitor above which chekr will generate error messages.

Type of rack

The type of electronics rack at the station: mk3 for a Mark III rack, vlba for a VLBA acquisition rack, vlbag for a VLBA acquisition rack with the samplers wired for geodesy (14 convertes and 1 bit sampling), mk4 for Mark IV, or none for no rack.

Type of recorder

The type of recorder at the station: mk3 for a Mark III recorder, vlba for a VLBA recorder, vlba2 for a Penny & Giles VLBA recorder, mk4 for Mark IV, s2 for S2 recorder, mk3b for a Mark III drive with VLBA read/write and head positioning electronics and a Mark IIIA style MAT interface (Urumqi), or none for no recorder.

The next set of parameters in this file are applicable only to VLBA recorders. They must be present for any type of recorder, but should be set to 0 for Mark III recorders. The values of the vacuum level, tape thickness, write voltage, and capstan size are downloaded by the Field System to the recorder whenever the rec=load command is issued to load the tape into the vacuum columns.

Hardware ID

Identification number for the VLBA rack. Must be between 101 and 254 inclusive. For a new system, please obtain a number from N. Vandenberg at GSFC. For Mark III, the ID is hard-wired into the rack and this parameter is ignored.

Vacuum level

Vacuum level, in inches of water. Nominal value is 10.0. For vacuum switching on VLBA systems, this value should be the level for thin tape, nominally 5.0. Once the conversion factors are determined for your recorder (see below) you can change the operating vacuum level by changing the value of only this parameter. Some ad hoc adjustment of this value may be necessary to get the correct level. Not used for VLBA2.

The following four scale and offset values can be determined for your recorder using the procedure described at the end of this section. The conversions are used to set the correct vacuum when loading the tape with rec=load and to report the vacuum sensor reading in inches for the tape command.

Vacuum motor current offset

VLBA recorder vacuum motor current offset, counts. Not used for VLBA2.

Vacuum motor current scale

VLBA recorder vacuum motor current scale, counts/inch of water. Not used for VLBA2.

Vacuum pressure sensor offset

VLBA recorder vacuum sensor offset, inches of water. Not used for VLBA2.

Vacuum pressure sensor scale

VLBA recorder vacuum sensor scale, inches of water/count. Not used for VLBA2.

Tape thickness

VLBA recorder tape thickness in k. Set to the thickness of the tape used at your station. Normal "thick" tape is 268 k, the newer "thin" tapes are 152 k. For vacuum switching on VLBA systems, this value should be the thickness for thin tape. Set to 0 for Mark III. Not used for VLBA2.

Head write voltage

VLBA head write voltage in volts, for VLBA2 milliamps of current. Set to 0 for Mark III. Nominal value is 14.0. Obtain this value from the calibration parameters provided with the recorder.

Capstan size constant

Recorder's capstan size constant. Typical value is 54625. Obtain this value from the recorder calibration parameters. Not used for VLBA2.

Use the following procedure to determine the conversions between counts and inches for the vacuum motor current and the vacuum sensor. You will command two different motor settings and then read back the vacuum sensor for each setting. The actual vacuum level in inches of water is determined by reading the vacuum pressure gauge on the recorder. You must have the Field System running to make these measurements. If you are using tape switching, it is recommended that you use two vacuum levels that are close to two levels that are needed for the different tape thicknesses.

1. Read the gauge on the back of the drive to obtain the number of inches of vacuum. This should read about 10 for normal operations. If the gauge does not read about 10 inches, adjust the vacuum level using the directions in steps 2 and 4 below. This value is G1.

2. Use the SNAP command mcb=rc,d0 to read the vacuum motor current in counts. The response is in hex and should be something like eb7. This value is C1.

3. Use the SNAP command mcb=rc,57 to read the vacuum column pressure sensor. The hex response should be something like 417. This value is P1.

4. Now use the SNAP command mcb=rc,d0,counts to increase or decrease the vacuum motor current. The new counts should be larger or smaller than the C1 setting, so as to change the pressure by about 2 inches. A difference of about 70 (hex) is reasonable. This value is C2.

5. Repeat step 3 to get the new pressure reading for the new motor current. This value is P2.

6. Read the external pressure gauge on the recorder to get G2.

7. Calculate the numbers for the control file entries using the equations below. The hex readings from the recorder will have to be converted to decimal first.

Vacuum motor current scale C_scale = (C1-C2)/(G1-G2) counts/inch

Vacuum motor current offset C_off = C1 - C_scale * G1 counts

Vacuum pressure sensor scale P_scale = (G1-G2)/(P1-P2) inches/count

Vacuum pressure sensor offset P_off = G1 - P_scale * P1 inches

8. Enter these numbers in equip.ctl and re-start the Field System.

IF3 LO frequency

LO frequency of IF3, MHz.

Switch

Hex mask indicating which switches are installed in IF3. The Nth switch is indicated by the bit corresponding to 2^N-1.

VLBA Formatter Cross-point switch

This field indicates which type of cross-point switch the VLBA formatter has, either a/d for an analog switch or dsm for a Digital Switch Module.

Thick tape vacuum level for vacuum switching

Vacuum level to use for thick tape in vacuum switching in inches of water. The nominal value is 15.0. Some ad hoc adjustment of this value may be necessary to get the correct level. Not used for VLBA2.

Thick tape thickness for vacuum switching

VLBA recorder tape thickness for thick tape for vacuum switching. The nominal value is 268 k. Set to 0 for Mark III. Not used for VLBA2.

5.0 fscmd.ctl and stcmd.ctl - command lists

These two control files contain lists of valid command names and control information. fscmd.ctl contains all standard Field System commands. stcmd.ctl contains commands specific to your station. You should never change the Field System commands as this could affect operation of the software. You should not change the station commands during an experiment. Each line of the files has the following format. These files are not free field but are column sensitive.

command seg sbpa bo eq

command Columns 1-12. The command name (up to 12 characters).

seg Columns 14-16.

qkr if this command is executed by quikr

stq if this command is executed by stqkr

xxx if this command is executed by boss

If the first character of xxx is *, then this command is one of the so-called "immediate execution" commands which the user can invoke (see the SNAP Language manual for details).

spba Columns 18-21. The index number used by quikr or stqkr.

bo Columns 23-24. The type of command for processing by boss.

eq Columns 26-27. The equipment for which this command is valid. This field is used by boss to determine immediately the validity of the command. The first digit refers to the electronics rack, the second to the recorder, as specified in the equip.ctl control file. The value of each digit is determined by the setting of bits which correspond to the equipment. For each digit:

bit 1 on means this command is valid for Mark III equipment

bit 2 on means this command is valid for VLBA equipment

bit 3 on means this command is valid for Mark IV equipment

bit 4 on means this command is valid for S2 equipment

As an example, commands that are valid for either Mark III or VLBA equipment will have this field set to 3. If the command applies only to VLBA equipment, for example the bbc command, this field will be set to 2. Commands that are valid for all equipment will have this field set to F. If a command is valid for all equipment it is also valid for "none".

The standard fscmd.ctl file contents and a sample stcmd.ctl file are listed in the tables below.

*command seg sbpa bo eq

form qkr 0101 01 1F

form4 qkr 0102 01 4F

vc01 qkr 0201 01 5F

vc02 qkr 0202 01 5F

vc03 qkr 0203 01 5F

vc04 qkr 0204 01 5F

vc05 qkr 0205 01 5F

vc06 qkr 0206 01 5F

vc07 qkr 0207 01 5F

vc08 qkr 0208 01 5F

vc09 qkr 0209 01 5F

vc10 qkr 0210 01 5F

vc11 qkr 0211 01 5F

vc12 qkr 0212 01 5F

vc13 qkr 0213 01 5F

vc14 qkr 0214 01 5F

vc15 qkr 0215 01 5F

ifd qkr 0301 01 5F

if3 qkr 0302 01 5F

mat qkr 0401 01 FF

hpib qkr 0402 01 FF

wx qkr 0404 01 FF

wakeup qkr 0405 01 FF

check qkr 0406 01 FF

cal qkr 0407 01 FF

antenna qkr 0408 01 FF

tape qkr 0501 01 F5

tapepos qkr 0502 01 F5

st qkr 0601 01 F5

et qkr 0602 01 F7

rw qkr 0603 01 F7

ff qkr 0604 01 F7

srw qkr 0605 01 F7

sff qkr 0606 01 F7

rec qkr 0607 01 F5

reset qkr 0701 01 FF

newtape qkr 0702 01 FF

label qkr 0703 01 F7

matload qkr 0704 01 FF

enable qkr 0801 01 F5

decode qkr 0901 01 5F

perr qkr 0902 01 11

parity qkr 0903 01 73

parity qkr 0904 01 74

repro qkr 1001 01 F1

repro qkr 1002 01 F4

source qkr 1101 01 FF

radecoff qkr 1102 01 FF

azeloff qkr 1103 01 FF

onsource qkr 1104 01 FF

xyoff qkr 1106 01 FF

track qkr 1107 01 FF

caltemp1 qkr 1201 01 7F

caltemp2 qkr 1202 01 7F

caltemp3 qkr 1213 01 7F

caltemp4 qkr 1214 01 2F

caltempa qkr 1201 01 7F

caltempb qkr 1202 01 7F

caltempc qkr 1213 01 7F

caltempd qkr 1214 01 2F

tpi qkr 1203 01 7F

tpical qkr 1204 01 7F

tsys1 qkr 1205 01 7F

tsys2 qkr 1206 01 7F

tsys3 qkr 1217 01 7F

tsys4 qkr 1218 01 2F

tsysa qkr 1205 01 7F

tsysb qkr 1206 01 7F

tsysc qkr 1217 01 7F

tsysd qkr 1218 01 2F

tpzero qkr 1207 01 7F

cable qkr 1304 01 FF

pcal qkr 1401 01 11

lo qkr 1402 01 7F

patch qkr 1403 01 7F

*pcals qkr 1404 01 11

upconv qkr 1405 01 7F

*logout qkr 1501 01 77

op qkr 1502 01 FF

fivept qkr 1503 01 FF

onoff qkr 1504 01 7F

*pc qkr 1505 01 FF

fsversion qkr 1506 01 FF

rx qkr 1601 01 FF

*head qkr 1701 01 77

tapeform qkr 1801 01 F7

beam1 qkr 1901 01 7F

beama qkr 1901 01 7F

beam2 qkr 1902 01 7F

beamb qkr 1902 01 7F

beam3 qkr 1903 01 7F

beamc qkr 1903 01 7F

beam4 qkr 1904 01 2F

beamd qkr 1904 01 2F

flux1 qkr 1911 01 7F

fluxa qkr 1911 01 7F

flux2 qkr 1912 01 7F

fluxb qkr 1912 01 7F

flux3 qkr 1913 01 7F

fluxc qkr 1913 01 7F

flux4 qkr 1914 01 2F

fluxd qkr 1914 01 2F

pass qkr 2101 01 F7

stack qkr 2102 01 F7

lvdt qkr 2103 01 F7

peak qkr 2104 01 F7

savev qkr 2105 01 F7

hdcalc qkr 2106 01 F7

hecho qkr 2107 01 F7

locate qkr 2108 01 F7

worm qkr 2109 01 F7

hdata qkr 2110 01 F7

ifdab qkr 2201 01 2F

ifdcd qkr 2202 01 2F

repro qkr 2301 01 F2

bbc01 qkr 2401 01 2F

bbc02 qkr 2402 01 2F

bbc03 qkr 2403 01 2F

bbc04 qkr 2404 01 2F

bbc05 qkr 2405 01 2F

bbc06 qkr 2406 01 2F

bbc07 qkr 2407 01 2F

bbc08 qkr 2408 01 2F

bbc09 qkr 2409 01 2F

bbc10 qkr 2410 01 2F

bbc11 qkr 2411 01 2F

bbc12 qkr 2412 01 2F

bbc13 qkr 2413 01 2F

bbc14 qkr 2414 01 2F

form qkr 2501 01 2F

enable qkr 2601 01 F2

capture qkr 2701 01 2F

dqa qkr 2801 01 2F

tape qkr 2901 01 F2

st qkr 3001 01 F2

rec qkr 3101 01 F2

mcb qkr 3201 01 FF

trackform qkr 3301 01 2F

tracks qkr 3401 01 2F

bit_density qkr 3501 01 F2

systracks qkr 3601 01 F2

rcl qkr 3701 01 FF

user_info qkr 3801 01 F8

st qkr 3901 01 F8

et qkr 4001 01 F8

rw qkr 4002 01 F8

ff qkr 4003 01 F8

tape qkr 4101 01 F8

rec_mode qkr 4201 01 F8

data_valid qkr 4301 01 F8

label qkr 4401 01 F8

rec qkr 4501 01 F8

form qkr 4601 01 4F

tracks qkr 4701 01 4F

trackform qkr 4801 01 4F

cont *xx 0000 02 FF

halt *xx 0000 03 FF

log xxx 0000 04 FF

schedule xxx 0000 05 FF

xlog *xx 0000 06 FF

xdisp *xx 0000 07 FF

echo *xx 0000 08 FF

*break *xx 0000 14 77

terminate *xx 0000 10 FF

flush *xx 0000 11 FF

sy *xx 0000 12 FF

ti *xx 0000 13 FF

proc xxx 0000 15 FF

list *xx 0000 16 FF

status *xx 0000 17 FF

help *xx 0000 18 FF

? *xx 0000 18 FF

date *xx 0000 19 FF

op_stream *xx 0000 20 FF

*********STATION SPECIFIC COMMANDS**************

*COMMAND SEG SBPA BO

6.0 fserr.ctl and sterr.ctl - error message files

The extended error message facility uses the files sterr.ctl and fserr.ctl during Field System operations.

Files fserr.ctl and sterr.ctl are ASCII files that contain error codes, numbers, and the error messages themselves. The format of these files is described in the Error Message manual, which also includes a listing of the fserr.ctl file.

If the fserr.ctl or sterr.ctl files are not present, the Field System can still go on, but no extended error message explanations get printed on the screen.

Changes can be made to both files during Field System operations but will not take effect until the Field System is re-started.

7.0 fspgm.ctl and stpgm.ctl - Field System Programs

The files fspgm.ctl and stpgm.ctl each contain a list of programs that fs activates to get the Field System running. Program fs acts like a Unix shell, initializing and starting the required Field System programs. Each line in these control files is a system command to start a program; most programs are run in background. fs sends each command to the system to be executed.

fspgm.ctl should not be changed. If you have some station-unique programs which you want to have automatically started up, they should be added to file stpgm.ctl. Note that the antenna interface program antcn appears here, not in stpgm.ctl.

fs assumes you really need these programs and will not complete Field System initialization unless they can all be started properly. If any of the programs terminate, then fs kills the rest of them and shuts down the Field System.

If an error occurs during initialization of a program, an error message is displayed and fs quits.

The tables below list the standard contents for these control files.

incom n incom

ddout l ddout &

fserr la fserr &

boss n boss &

matcn n matcn &

mcbcn n mcbcn &

chekr n chekr &

ibcon n ibcon &

fivpt n fivpt &

onoff n onoff &

quikr n quikr &

quikv n quikv &

moon n moon &

pcalr n pcalr &

antcn n antcn &

rclcn n rclcn &

oprin n xterm -name oprin -e oprin &

* Put site-specific programs here that should

* be started by the Field System.

* antcn should not be here

stqkr n stqkr &

8.0 head.ctl - head stack information

This file contains information needed to position the high density write and read heads. All lines of the file are read in "free-field" format, with each field separated by spaces and no embedded blanks allowed in fields. The values for these parameters may be determined using the headstack calibration commands. Refer to the Narrow Track Calibration manual.

Tables 7, 8, 9, and 10 are listings of sample files for a typical narrow track Mark IIIA recorder, a typical VLBA recorder, a typical VLBA2 recorder, and a wide track Mark III recorder. Some parameters are applicable only to certain types of recorders. These are noted in the parameter descriptions that follow the sample file listings. If a parameter is not applicable for the recorder at your station, any legal value for that parameter should be used.

For VLBA recorders, there is only one set of heads. Values must be supplied for all parameters in this file, although only the write head (head number 1) parameters are used. The parameters for the read heads should be any legal values.

For wide track systems values must be supplied for all parameters in this file, although only the write head type, read head type, and the reproduce electronics type need to be correct. The values of these three parameters for wide track systems should be ALL, ALL, and ALL. The remaining parameters may be any legal value. The values from the sample file are adequate.

* /usr2/control/head.ctl -

* Head Parameter Control File for a Mark IIIA recorder

*

* History: Last Edited: <<910222.1703>>

*

* Who When What

* xxx 910221 Created at NASAGSFC

*

* Write Heads Read Heads Reproduce: Electronics Detector

all even odd odd

*

* Positioning Slow Osc (MHz) A/D Tol. (counts)

adaptive no 5.0000 1

*

* Write Read

200.0 200.0 Fast Out Inchworm Speed (microns/sec)

20.0 20.0 Slow Out Inchworm Speed (microns/sec)

*

0.0 0.0 Absolute Head Offset (microns)

*

200.0 200.0 Fast In Inchworm Speed (microns/sec)

20.0 20.0 Slow In Inchworm Speed (microns/sec)

*

0.0 0.0 Forward-Reverse Relative Offset (microns)

*

150.00 150.00 Positive Voltage Scale (microns/volt)

150.00 150.00 Negative Voltage Scale (microns/volt)

*

* /usr2/control/head.ctl -

* Head Parameter Control File for VLBA recorder

*

* History: Last Edited: <<911222.1703>>

*

* Who When What

* xxx 911221 Created at NASAGSFC

*

* Write Heads Read Heads Reproduce: Electronics Detector

all even odd odd

*

* Positioning Slow Osc (MHz) A/D Tol. (counts)

adaptive no 5.0000 1

* 3.0 for Urumqi

* Write Read

200.0 0.0 Fast Out Inchworm Speed (microns/sec)

20.0 0.0 Slow Out Inchworm Speed (microns/sec)

*

0.0 0.0 Absolute Head Offset (microns)

*

200.0 0.0 Fast In Inchworm Speed (microns/sec)

20.0 0.0 Slow In Inchworm Speed (microns/sec)

*

0.0 0.0 Forward-Reverse Relative Offset (microns)

*

150.00 0.00 Positive Voltage Scale (microns/volt)

150.00 0.00 Negative Voltage Scale (microns/volt)

* /usr2/control/head.ctl -

* Head Parameter Control File for VLBA2 recorder

*

* History: Last Edited: <<911222.1703>>

*

* Who When What

* xxx 911221 Created at NASAGSFC

*

* Write Heads Read Heads Reproduce: Electronics Detector

all even odd odd

*

* Positioning Slow Osc (MHz) A/D Tol. (microns)

adaptive no 5.0000 1

*

* Write Read

0.0 0.0 Fast Out Inchworm Speed (microns/sec)

0.0 0.0 Slow Out Inchworm Speed (microns/sec)

*

0.0 0.0 Absolute Head Offset (microns)

*

0.0 0.0 Fast In Inchworm Speed (microns/sec)

0.0 0.0 Slow In Inchworm Speed (microns/sec)

*

0.0 0.0 Forward-Reverse Relative Offset (microns)

*

0.10 0.00 Positive Voltage Scale (microns/kA)

0.10 0.00 Negative Voltage Scale (microns/kA)

* /usr2/control/head.ctl -

* Head Parameter Control File for Wide Track Mark III recoder

*

* History: Last Edited: <<910222.1703>>

*

* Who When What

* xxx 910221 Created at NASAGSFC

*

* Write Heads Read Heads Reproduce: Electronics Detector

all all all all

*

* The rest of the information in this file is not used but must

* be present for the wide track system

* Positioning Slow Osc (MHz) A/D Tol. (counts)

adaptive no 5.0000 1

*

* Write Read

0.0 0.0 Fast Out Inchworm Speed (microns/sec)

0.0 0.0 Slow Out Inchworm Speed (microns/sec)

*

0.0 0.0 Absolute Head Offset (microns)

*

0.0 0.0 Fast In Inchworm Speed (microns/sec)

0.0 0.0 Slow In Inchworm Speed (microns/sec)

*

0.0 0.0 Forward-Reverse Relative Offset (microns)

*

0.0 0.0 Positive Voltage Scale (microns/volt)

0.0 0.0 Negative Voltage Scale (microns/volt)

The first non-comment line in the file identifies the type of heads and electronics. Four parameters are specified:

Write heads

The write head type may be all, even, or odd. This value refers to which physical tracks are to be used for writing. For wide track systems all should be specified. Narrow track and VLBA systems usually have all write heads, although if the head has some defective tracks it may be necessary to use only the odd or even heads. The head positioning software automatically adjusts for the type of head specified. The software also changes which write heads are enabled based on the type. Thus a station that had been using all write heads can switch to odd or even merely by changing this parameter and re-starting the Field System. Of course full Mode A recording cannot be done if the write head type isn't all, but the system can record as many tracks as possible by setting the offset parameter in the pass command to none. Since VLBA recorders have only one head, specifying odd or even for Write heads also determines which heads are used for reading and the reproduce electronics.

Read Heads

The read head type may be all, even, or odd. This value refers to which physical tracks are to be used for reading. For wide track and VLBA systems all should be selected. Narrow track systems usually have either even or odd read heads. The head positioning software automatically adjusts the positioning based for the type of head specified. This parameter has no affect for VLBA systems; the Write heads parameter completely specifies the head configuration.

Reproduce: Electronics

The reproduce electronics type may be all, even, or odd. This value refers to which set of electronics should be used to reproduce data. For wide track and VLBA systems all should be specified. Narrow track systems usually have even or odd read electronics. The software automatically maps the selected reproduce tracks based on the reproduce electronics type. This parameter has no affect for VLBA systems; the Write heads parameter completely specifies the head configuration.

Reproduce: Detector

The reproduce detector type may be odd or even. For wide track systems, either value may be used, it is unimportant which. For narrow track systems this refers to which power detector in the Levine Head Controller is connected to the equalized reproduce signal jack on the read board. This signal is usually 'T'-ed off, one arm going to an oscilloscope for monitoring the eye-pattern. The other arm usually goes through 23-26 dB of attenuation to either the odd or even detector input on the Levine Head Controller. This parameter (and the cabling) must be set-up correctly in order for the Narrow Track Calibration software to work.

The second non-commented line in the file contains miscellaneous control parameters related to the inchworms. The wide track systems do not utilize any of these parameters.

Positioning

The positioning algorithm may be either fixed or adaptive. adaptive is preferred and will allow the system to compensate for variations in the fast inchworm speeds. fixed will not compensate for speed variations, rather the values specified in this file will be used. The slow inchworm speed is never adjusted. This parameter is not used for the VLBA2 recorder.

Slow

The slow speed control may be either yes or no. no is preferred and will force the fast speeds to be used for all head movement. no allows the slow speeds to be used for small motions. This parameter is not used for the VLBA2 recorder.

Osc (MHz)

The Levine Head Controller oscillator frequency is specified in MHz. This should always be set at 5.0000 MHz unless your controller has been modified to have an on-board oscillator. Normally, the same 5.0 MHz used to run the tape drive is supplied to the 5.0 MHz BNC jack on the Levine controller. The frequency of the oscillator affects the length of time corresponding to a head motion duration count (see the MAT Protocol manual). Use 3.0 for Mark IIIB recorders. This parameter is not used for the VLBA2 recorder.

A/D Tol. (counts) or A/D Tol. (microns)

The A/D positioning tolerance is specified in counts for all systems except the VLBA2 system for whcih it specifies the tolerance in microns. It may be any small integer (0, 1, 2, ...). For non-VLBA2 recorders, this parameter controls how precisely the heads are positioned. 1 is a good choice because it converges fast and gives only a small error. If the positioning system is failing to converge because of dead bits in the A/D read-out, you may need to increase the tolerance. The value should not be increased anymore than absolutely necessary. If it is necessary to set the value to more than 3, you should contact Haystack to resolve the problem. For VLBA2 recorder this parameter has no affect on the positioning algorithm. It only determines the level of error in the command position at which chekr will complain. The VLBA2 head positioner does not allow the actual micron position of the head to be determined. It is only possible to determine whether the postioning is within one micron of the correct position or not and what the commanded position was. A value of 1 for this parameter seems to be a good choice for VLBA2 recorders.

The remaining lines in the file describe the inchworm and head positioning calibration. None of these parameters are utilized by wide track systems. These values can be measured using the Narrow Track Calibration software. See the Narrow Track Calibration manual for more information. There are two numbers on each line, the first for the write head, the second for the read head. The lines, in order, contain the following parameters:

Fast Out Inchworm Speed, Slow Out Inchworm Speed

The inchworm speeds are specified in microns/seconds. The out inchworm direction is away from the deck plate, labelled Forward on Burleigh controllers. These parameters are not used for the VLBA2 recorder.

Absolute Head Offset

The offsets are in microns. The absolute head offset is the offset applied for forward (odd) tape motion passes. The offsets do not include any head pitch offsets that depend on the type of heads in use. These are controlled by the head types specified in the first record of this file.

Fast In Inchworm Speed, Slow In Inchworm Speed

The inchworm speeds are specified in microns/seconds. The in direction is toward the plate, labelled Reverse on Burleigh controllers. These parameters are not used for the VLBA2 recorder.

Forward-Reverse Relative Offset

The offsets are in microns. The forward-reverse relative offset is the additional offset applied for reverse (even) tape motion passes. The offsets do not include any head pitch offsets that depend on the type of heads in use. These are controlled by the head types specified in the first record of this file.

Positive Voltage Scale, Negative Voltage Scale

The scales are in microns/volt for all recorders except VLBA2 for which they are in microns/kÅ The voltage scales are normally assumed to be the same for both positive and negative scales for a given head. For non-VLBA2 recorders the nominal value for the scales is about 150; for VLBA2 systems, the nominal value is 0.10.

9.0 ibad.ctl - HPIB (IE³) interface devices

This file contains the mnemonics, addresses, and modes for HPIB devices used by the Field System. The interface is known as the "HPIB" or "IEEE bus" or "GPIB". Devices are connected to the interface card installed in the computer.

ca=dev03,0

Except for one case, described below, each line of the file has the format:

mn=dev,m

mn A two-character mnemonic for the device. The mnemonics used internally in the Field System software are the following.

ca for the cable counter (cable command)

cl for the cal signal switch (cal command)

sa for the signal analyzer used by pcalr and tessa)

pr for the Epson bar-code printer (label command)

Other mnemonics are not used by the Field System. For other devices on the bus you may use any unique two characters, such as cl for a counter, or xx for any device.

dev The driver's name for this device. This is not a traditiional UNIX device name; it is merely a string the driver recognizes. The address switches on the back of each device must be set to the HPIB address that corresponds to this name. In the standrad system, the driver is configured to support a maximum of 29 addresses, corresponding to device names dev01 through dev29

.

m The mode for this device:

0 for read/write devices (such as counters)

1 for talk-only devices

2 for listen-only devices (such as switches)

The one exception to this format is that there may a line the file:

no_untalk/unlisten_after

to disable untalking and unlistening of the bus after each read and write transaction. This CANNOT be controlled on a device-by-device.

All devices to be used with the IEEE board with the Field System must be declared in the control file. When the Field System is started, the program ibcon opens every device listed. When calls are made to ibcon if the calling routine's requested mnemonic does not match with anything in this file an error is generated.

To add a new HPIB device to the system, do the following:

1. Select an unused address by checking the devices already connected on the bus and noting the address set in each one. The GPIB driver is configured to support up to 29 addresses, corresponding to device addresses 1 through 29.

2. Edit the file ibad.ctl and enter a mnemonic for the device, the system device name for the unused port, and the mode as described above. The mnemonic may be any two characters since it will not be used. Be careful editing the file if the device you specify is not defined in the /etc/gpib.conf file or no_untalk/unlisten_after is misspelled the driver will cause the FS to crash on initialization. This cannot easily be coded around. No leading or embedded spaces are allowed in the file either.

3. Set the address switch on the device to the port number that corresponds to the device name you entered in ibad.ctl.

4. If the Field System is running, terminate it. Restart the Field System so that the new version of the control file is read.

10.0 location.ctl - station configuration

This file contains station configuration information. All lines of the file are read in "free-field" format, with each field separated by spaces and no embedded blanks allowed in fields. In all but the last line (horizon mask), the first field is interpreted as data, the remainder of the line as a descriptive comment.

* /usr2/control/location.ctl

********* Location Control File *********

*

NASAGSFC Station Name

76.8217 WEST Longitude

39.0211 Latitude

43.5 Station Elevation (meters)

00000000 Occupation Code

G Station ID

1990 Current decade

* Horizon mask

* az1 el1 az2 el2 . . . .

0 10 360

Station Name

The station name, no embedded blanks, max 8 characters. This name will appear in the first line of all log files written at this station.

Longitude

The station west longitude in degrees.

Latitude

The station latitude in degrees.

Station Elevation

The station elevation, in meters.

Occupation Code

Occupation code, 8 characters. This code will appear in the first line of the log files written at this site. The occupation code includes an identifier for the geodetic monument (4 char), the data recording system (2 char), and serial occupation number (2 char).

The following are occupation codes for a few fixed stations:

Westford 72097301

Onsala 72137701

Wettzell 72247801

Station ID

A one-character station identifier. This must be the same as the ID that appears in the sked output file.

Current Decade

This must be 4 digits and end with a 0, zero. This is used with the single digit year returned by the Mark III formatter to form a four digit year for setting the computer clock.

Horizon Mask

az,el pairs : The horizon mask is a series of terrain elevations and the azimuths between which each applies. The format is:

az1 el1 az2 el2 ... el14 az15

where eln is the minimum allowable elevation between azimuths azn and azn+1. The value of az1 must be 0, and the entire horizon must be specified up to azn which must be 360 degrees. Each value must be integer degrees.

Only as many values need be specified as are necessary to represent the horizon, up to a maximum of 14 elevations and 15 azimuths. A default flat horizon is represented by setting the elevation to 0 degrees between azimuths 0 and 360 degrees which would look like:

0 0 360

Horizon masks are not currently used by the Field System, but will be used in the future by Field System pointing software.

11.0 matad.ctl - MAT addresses

This file contains the mnemonics and addresses for MAT modules. It is read only if the control file location.ctl indicated that there is Mark III equipment or a receiver with an MAT interface at the station.

Each line has the format:

mn=aa,hh

mn The two-character mnemonic which is hard-coded into the Field System software:

V1 to VF - video converters 1 to 15

DE - decoder

FM - formatter

IF - IF distributor

TP - tape transport

RX - receiver

WX - met sensor

HD - high density head

I3 - IF3

aa The two-letter hex address of the module. This address is set on the switches on the MAT board in each module. The standard addresses are listed in Table 10.1.

hh An optional parameter that specifies how much to increase the default time-out, in units of 0.01 seconds. The default time-out for the MAT bus is 0.025 + 110/(current BAUD) truncated to the next smallest 0.01 seconds, e.g. the default for 9600 BAUD is 0.03 seconds. If an optional time-out parameter is used, that number of 0.01 seconds is added to the default time-out.

The first entry in the standard file must be a dummy entry for direct MAT communications when the programs do not know which device they are addressing. This entry can be of the form xx=?? or similar.

XX=??

V1=01

V2=02

V3=03

V4=04

V5=05

V6=06

V7=07

V8=08

V9=09

VA=0A

VB=0B

VC=0C

VD=0D

VE=0E

VF=0F

DE=91

FM=92

IF=93

TP=94

I3=95

WX=AA,250

RX=96

HD=A7

12.0 mcbad.ctl - MCB device addresses

This file lists the MCB device addresses. It is read only if control file location.ctl indicated that there is VLBA equipment at the station.

Each line contains the following:

device id baseaddress blocklength

device The 2-character mnemonic for the device. These mnemonics are hard-coded into the Field System software and should not be changed.

id The hardware ID of the device, in hex. This ID is burned into the device's ROM and should not be changed.

baseaddress The base address on the MCB for this device's space assignment, in hex.

blocklength The length of the device's space assignment, in hex.

The standard version of this file is listed in the table below. The standard file lists all possible MCB devices, including a full set of modules in two racks plus two recorders. Please make sure your control file corresponds to the hardware!

* /usr2/control/mcbad.ctl

*Device Hex ID Base Addr Block Length

B1 20 2000 30

B2 21 2040 30

B3 22 2080 30

B4 23 20C0 30

B5 24 5000 30

B6 25 5040 30

B7 26 5080 30

B8 27 50C0 30

IA 28 2100 30

IC 29 2180 30

RC 2A 2200 100

FM 2C 2300 100

B9 30 2400 30

BA 31 2440 30

BB 32 2480 30

BC 33 24C0 30

BD 34 5100 30

BE 35 5140 30

13.0 rclad.ctl - RCL addresses

This file contains the device mnemonics for the RCL interface and the network address for each device. If there are no RCL devices, the file should be empty or contain only comments, as the default file does. Each non-comment line has the form:

device address

device The two character menmonic for the device.

address The IP or host.domain address of the device.

The default control file, /usr2/fs/st.default/control/rclad.ctl, contains only comments.

*device(2 chars) address (IP or host.domain)

*rc 0.0.0.0

14.0 rxdef.ctl - receiver channel definitions

This file contains an ordered list of receiver A/D channel names and conversion factors. Under normal circumstances this file should not be changed. Each line of the file has the following format:

channel name factor description

channel A/D channel, in hexadecimal

name Describes the physical quantity being measured. It may have up to six characters.

factor Number by which the voltage for this receiver channel should be multiplied in order to obtain the true value of the quantity in appropriate units.

description What is being measured

This control file is used by the rx commands; refer to the SNAP Command manual. The standard receiver definitions are in rxdef.ctl, and those for non-standard receivers are found in files with special extensions such as rxdef.mv2 for MV2. The file appropriate for your station should be copied into the standard file name, /usr2/control/rxdef.ctl, that is read by the Field System.

00 FRONT 100.

01 REAR 100.

02 LO 100.

03 DCAL 100.

04 SUP 100.

05 INLET 100.

06 RET 100.

07 -2.73V 2.

08 SIF 1.

09 XIF 1.

0A KIF 1.

0B SLO 1.

0C XLO 1.

0D KLO 1.

0E LO5MHZ 1.

0F SPARE 1.

10 28V 101.

11 12V 101.

12 20V 11.

13 15V 11.

14 5V 11.

15 -15V 11.

16 GROUND 1.

17 PRES 4.9

18 X1BIAS 4.9

19 X2BIAS 4.9

1A X3BIAS 4.9

1B S1BIAS 4.9

1C S2BIAS 4.9

1D S3BIAS 4.9

1E 20K 1.

1F 70K 1.

Note: This table applies only to standard S/X receivers.

15.0 rxdiode.ctl - receiver diode interpolation factors

This control file holds the temperatures and voltages needed to interpolate the MAT voltage readings to temperatures and/or pressures. The voltages must be in either ascending or descending order. You must use the correct curve for the diode in your receiver. The available control files are:

rxdiode.ctl The "D" curve (standard)

rxdiode.ca The "A" curve

rxdiode.c10 The "10" curve

The file appropriate for your station should be copied into the standard file name, /usr2/control/rxdiode.ctl, that is read by the Field System.

* RX DIODE INTERPOLATION CURVE 'D'

* COLUMN 1 TEMPERATURES; COLUMN 2 VOLTAGES

*

5. 2.39680

7. 2.25700

9. 2.11720

14. 1.83380

18. 1.56460

22. 1.30060

23. 1.25070

24. 1.21140

25. 1.17200

26. 1.14860

27. 1.13080

28. 1.11900

29. 1.11160

30. 1.10580

32. 1.09700

34. 1.09020

36. 1.08500

38. 1.07980

45. 1.06330

60. 1.02870

75. 0.99172

95. 0.93987

125. 0.85946

155. 0.77716

190. 0.67931

225. 0.58080

250. 0.51337

275. 0.44711

300. 0.37802

320. 0.32025

*

16.0 sw.ctl - Software control switches

This file contains miscellaneous software switches for controlling the behavior of the FS.

* sw.ctl control file

no vacuum switching control for Mark IV and VLBA: yes or no

The first non-comment line in the file specifies whether vacuum switching is to be used for VLBA (but not VLBA2) and specially equipped Mark IV drives

Vacuum switching

This parameter should be no for no vacuum switching or yes for vacuum switching. The setting of this parameter affects the interpretation of the equip.ctl file for VLBA systems and the behavior of the commands: label (non-S2 drives), rec (VLBA and Mark III (IV only) drives), repro (Mark IV drives), and parity (for Mark IV drives). Vacuum switching is only used for operation with mixed thicknesses of tapes.

17.0 time.ctl - computer time model

This file contains the model of the computer clock. The model is used to keep the Field System time synchronized with UT. Refer to the setcl manual for detailed information about the use and meaning of the fields in this file. Each line has the form

rate span model

rate The computer a priori clock drift rate (seconds/day), positive values indicate that the computer runs more slowly than the formatter.

span Period over which the rate was determined (hours).

model Model to use for correcting the computer clock: none, offset, or rate.

The default control file, /usr2/fs/st.default/control/time.ctl, has zero rate, a span of 1 hour, and a model parameter of rate.

* rate (secs/day) span (hours) model (none/offset/rate)

0.000 1.000 rate