Документ взят из кэша поисковой машины. Адрес оригинального документа : http://www.naic.edu/~palfa/doc/palfa_observe.txt20050802 Дата изменения: Tue Aug 2 21:46:07 2005 Дата индексирования: Sun Apr 10 21:33:49 2016 Кодировка: Поисковые слова: star

HOW TO MAKE PALFA OBSERVATIONS: A Beginner's Guide.

Notes by DJN, 2 August 2004.
Updated NDRB, 5 September 2004.
Updated and expanded to Beginner's Guide SC, 9 April 2005.
Updated by DJC, 07/05/05

0. DOCS = http://www.naic.edu/~palfa/documents/
but ask for newest versions!

1. Prepare an observing catalog for PALFA run:
log in to fusion00 (as self, in group palfa)
source ~palfa/python_env
makeobs-new.py --MJDStart STARTMJD

Read DOCS: mysql_python_scripts.txt for instructions.
Note that you should leave allowance for startup tests before STARTMJD.
(so regenerate catalog before starting?)
As dtusr on observer2,
cp autosched.cmd /share/obs4/usr/pulsar/p2030/autosched_04Apr05.cmd

2. Set Up Actual Observing:

Log in to observer2 as dtusr. The password
is written on a sticker on the monitor, or
ask the operator if observing remotely.

Click right button on the mouse for a pull
down menu, select "CIMA Online GUI"

You will be prompted for some information.
Enter your name(s), the project number
("p2030" for now) hit "pulsar" button.

The Receiver widget will pop up by itself.
Click on "ALFA", "disable quick tsys",
"choose receiver", and "dismiss"

Click "Receiver IF/LO control",
"New & Improved IF/LO setup" (blue),
"Apply this setup", and "dismiss"

"Pointing Control", default is psr.cat, click on
the test pulsar (e.g. B0540+23, B1933+16),
` click on "point". Telescope will slew to source.

Make sure ALFA Center = "0", or set it and
click on "Apply Pointing Correction" to apply it.
The correct value for start rotation angle is 18.999933
*** This may need to be set BY HAND (then "send").
(The displayed value will change as observing progresses.)

Click "Pulsar observing", leave it open.
Click "Load/Save state", click "load a state",
select "alfa_psr_scan.1420.gui".

*** Is the IF-LO setup is correct on IF/LO monitor?
Center = 1420, bands = 1370-1470.
If not, redo New&Improved IF/LO setup.

If not configured for "2 chan 3 levels":
Configuration "2 chan, 3-levels",
"Copy WAPP 1 to all", "Sanity Check".

"Start Monitor", "Auto Attenuation", "stop observing"

Log in to Dataview (right hand terminal) as "guest".
OLD: Open an xterm on the right terminal, run "alfaobswin &"
Now: on dataview (right screens) choose "Observer's Monitor"

Go to another desktop on the right terminal,
open an xterm, "ssh wapp@wapp" (you know it!),
run "snap" (full path "/share/wappsrc/bin/snap")

In plot window "select" menu, choose "raw band".
(Remember to stop snap before you start observing)

When on source:
"Start Monitor," "Auto Attenuation," "stop observing"
(Look at power levels on alfa monitor for beams 5 to 7)

Change to "Summed chans, 3-level auto"
"Copy wapp1 to all", "sanity check", "start observation"

"Start Monitor," "Auto Attenuation," "stop observing"
Look at power levels on alfa monitor for beams 5 to 7.
Power levels should be ~1 if both poln chans are active.

For cycling through the beams, go to telescope pointing
control, click on "set alfa center "1" button then
"Apply pointing correction"

After telescope settles ("Tracking" in green),
Select the integration time (scan length) of
your choice (67 s for anticenter, 135 s for GC)
click "Start observation"

Cycle through all seven beams, then set alfa
center "0" when done.

In snap, change the wapp setting as appropriate
(e.g. beams 2 & 3 are on wapp2). Use pull down
menu in upper left of snap control.

Make sure you have restored the source pointing to
central pixel.

"More" (on wapp panel), "Pulsar Catalog Observing",
"Catalog", "Click on desired catalog" (for anticenter,
"ap_ad1.dat", for the GC direction, "ap_cd1.dat")

Click on "command file", choose catalog created by
makeobs-new.py = "autosched_04Apr05.cmd"
"Start wapp pulsar catalog observation"
Note: Run time is in file-- no need to set it in the wapp panel.

Power levels usually drop when moving from a bright pulsar to
the survey pointings. May be worthwhile to re-do power levels.
(2-chan, 3-lev; 1->all, sanity, monitor, auto-attenuate; stop;
summed 3-lev auto, 1->all, sanity.
Then update line number on catalog observing, start obs.)

These are normally running in the control room,
but you may want to start them up yourself if
running remotely:

"alfaobswin": alfa power monitor (broken for now)
"rxview" : receiver if/lo graphic display
"aostatus" : graphic pointing status display
"monpnt" : ascii pointing status display
"monif" : ascii if/lo status display

3. Now that observations are running, start quicklook
On dataview, ssh aspmaster -l alfa;

Beta version:
'cd realtime'
'./nodestatus.djc'
NB. lack of free hard drive info is a known issue

Old version:
'realtime'

Both:
Give it a little while to update
'clear files' button and confirm
'start' button
once all files have been processed
'stop' button
to reprocess (only after quick processing is over)
'reprocess' button and confirm
and 'stop' button to end

STATUS button (Beta version only):
If a node appears to be stuck (or similar) use 'status' button
NB. nodes can be slow rather than stuck, a slow node should be ok
This can take time, be patient
read 'suggested action'
Before taking action it is worth clicking 'ok' and retrying 'status'

Both:
The interface can be slow, esp when nodes are busy. Click each button
once only and wait.
Multiple instances of the interface can run at once. I suggest running
both beta and old interfaces simultaneously. BUT wait for any action
(i.e. button click) to be completed before click a button on the same
or another interface!

On browser, open http://aspmaster.naic.edu:8080/alfa/viewer.php
More details in DOCS: asp_processing.txt

4. To end observations: AO Obs Display: End at Next loop.
CIMA: Exit Normally

5. Remember to run fill_observed.py on fusion00
(source ~palfa/python_env; fill_observed.py)
Or else future schedules will be wrong!

Place log file on ~palfa/public_html/observing.notes/
(and make sure group and permissions are correct).

***********************
*** Troubleshooting ***
***********************
- Check IF Setup on the IF display monitor:
should say center=1420, band=1370-1470 (as of April 2005)
- If there was a nearby radar run, ask to make sure ALFA cover
is off and the filterbank has been reset to the standard setup.