From vlbaops@aoc.nrao.edu Tue Oct 12 22:49:10 2004 Received: from revere.aoc.nrao.edu (revere.aoc.nrao.edu [146.88.1.15]) by mail.mpifr-bonn.mpg.de (8.8.8p2+Sun/8.8.8) with SMTP id WAA24137 for ; Tue, 12 Oct 2004 22:49:18 +0200 (MET DST) Received: from jansky.aoc.nrao.edu (jansky [146.88.2.2]) by revere.aoc.nrao.edu (8.11.6/8.11.6) with ESMTP id i9CKnB312090 for ; Tue, 12 Oct 2004 14:49:11 -0600 Received: (from vlbaops@localhost) by jansky.aoc.nrao.edu (8.12.10/8.12.5) id i9CKnAg8002502 for tkrichbaum@mpifr-bonn.mpg.de; Tue, 12 Oct 2004 14:49:10 -0600 (MDT) Date: Tue, 12 Oct 2004 14:49:10 -0600 (MDT) From: VLB operators Message-Id: <200410122049.i9CKnAg8002502@jansky.aoc.nrao.edu> To: tkrichbaum@mpifr-bonn.mpg.de Subject: Dear PI: BONN X-MailScanner-Information: Please contact postmaster@aoc.nrao.edu for more information X-MailScanner: Found to be clean X-MailScanner-SpamCheck: not spam, SpamAssassin (score=-4.7, required 7, BAYES_10 -4.70) Content-Length: 5724 Status: R X-Status: N X-KMail-EncryptionState: X-KMail-SignatureState: National Radio Astronomy Observatory Memo ------------------------------------------------------------------- Updated: 2003 October 07 To : VLBA users From : J.M. Wrobel and J. Wurnig Subject: Your recent VLBA program 1. AUTOMATED CALIBRATION TRANSFER FOR VLBA CORRELATOR OUTPUT The first phase of automated calibration transfer for data from the VLBA correlator has been completed, and has been invoked for all observations entered in the VLBA correlator queue after 1999 April 1. This transfer of calibration information includes data from the 10 VLBA antennas, as well as selected information from the VLA, Green Bank, and Effelsberg, which currently provide VLBA-style monitor data. Significant changes to AIPS have been required to introduce calibration transfer, so users must have a recent version of AIPS, preferably 31DEC02 or 31DEC03. (We strongly recommend a recent version of 31DEC03, since it contains the latest procedures for streamlining the calibration of VLBA data.) Help files for a number of AIPS tasks have been updated to reflect the new calibration procedures. Other documents of interest, available from http://www.aoc.nrao.edu/vlba/html/vlbahome/observer.html include (a) Automated Calibration Transfer and (b) A Step-by-Step Recipe for VLBA Calibration in AIPS. The latter exists as Appendix C in the AIPS Cookbook which is a useful general resource. The calibration-transfer process relieves observers of the burden of creating and inputting calibration files for VLBA antennas. Instead, this information is now provided as tables attached to the FITS data sets output by the VLBA correlator. The ancillary data include antenna gain (GC table), system temperature (TY table), pulse calibration (PC table), flags (FG table), and weather (WX table). Wise observers will not modify these original tables, as processing errors might then force the data to be reloaded using FITLD. Skeptical observers can simply delete the appropriate tables created by FITLD and generate their tables in the old manner using fetched files (see section 2). Please send comments to gtaylor@nrao.edu, and send bug reports to daip@nrao.edu, with a copy to gtaylor@nrao.edu. When implemented, the next phase of calibration-transfer will include data from external antennas. 2. VLBA/VLA FILE SUMMARY SHOULD YOU NEED OR WISH TO FETCH FILES 2.1. Anonymous FTP The session ftp ftp.aoc.nrao.edu ! or 146.88.1.10 Name: anonymous Password: ftp> cd pub ftp> get vlba_gains.key ftp> quit fetches file `vlba_gains.key' containing VLBA zenith sensitivities and gain curves, with an explanatory preamble. This file is *not* needed if you receive a distribution tape from the VLBA correlator with GC tables attached. 2.2. File Server aspen 2.2.1. What Files Might You Want? If `mmmyy' is a code for the month and year of the beginning of your program (e.g., dec02) and `pppppp' is your program code (e.g., bw999x), then the following files are stored in directory /home/vlbiobs/astronomy/mmmyy/pppppp: + pppppplog.vlba: VLBA observing log containing comments entered by the array operator. File is automatically e-mailed to observers whose addresses are known to VLBA operations. + ppppppcal.vlba.gz: Gzipped VLBA calibration file containing system temperatures, flagging information, pulse cal and weather station data, scan summaries, and VLBA tape recorder information for all available VLBA antennas (plus the VLA). File is *not* needed if you receive a distribution tape from the VLBA correlator with TY, FG, PC, and WX tables attached. + pppppptsm.XX.ps.gz: Gzipped PostScript plots of selected data from file ppppppcal.vlba.gz for each available antenna with station code XX = SC, HN, NL, FD, LA, PT, KP, OV, BR, MK, or Y. + pppppplog.y: VLA observing log containing comments entered by the array operator, if VLA was used. File is automatically e-mailed to observers whose addresses are known to VLA operations. + ppppppcal.y.gz: Gzipped VLA calibration file containing calibration information for all VLA polarizations and IFs, if VLA was used. File starts with an explanatory preamble. File *is* needed even if you receive a distribution tape from the VLBA correlator with TY, FG, PC, and WX tables attached. + pppppptap.vlba: VLBA tape log made for programs not correlated in Socorro. File lists VLBI tapes used. 2.2.2. Browse the File Server Aspen Operations staff have devised a web browser to navigate the file server, as well as view and retrieve its text and PostScript files, gzipped or not. This browser can be reached from http://www.aoc.nrao.edu/vlba/html/vlbahome/observer.html using the Aspen button. 2.2.3. FTP from the File Server Aspen The example ftp session ftp aspen.aoc.nrao.edu ! or 146.88.1.124 Name: vlbiobs Password: ftp> cd astronomy/dec02/bw999x ftp> get bw999xcal.y.gz ! if ascii transfer ok ftp> quit fetches a gzipped VLA calibration file. The vlbiobs password can be obtained from an active vlbiobs user, the data analysts (+1-505-835-7238; e-mail vlbiobs@nrao.edu), or the AOC contact assigned to your program. If you wish to avoid transatlantic or transpacific phone calls then you may contact Walter Alef at the Bonn correlator (+49-228-525220) or Anastasios Tzioumis at his ATNF office (+61-2-9372-4350). The password should *not* be transmitted in an e-mail message. An e-mail user name is given for the data analysts so you can contact them by either phone or e-mail if you experience trouble accessing aspen. (document ends)