[alma_na] DH Meeting Minutes - December 03

[Carolyn White]

ALMA US DH Teleconference Minuets - 2001-Dec-03

Attendees: Avery, Brown, Glendenning, Kingsley, Perfetto, Porter, Radford,
Rafal, Simon, Sramek, Webber, Wootten

News: The President has signed the appropriation bill, which includes
$12.5 M for ALMA Construction.  NSF is looking into ways to provide funds
before the official NSB approval.

Today in Garching, ESO approved entry of the United Kingdom into ESO.
This was a necessary step for ESO participation in ALMA.

AEC Meeting in Grenoble
-------------------------------
Simon will send out the revised costing plan that fits into the $552 M
guidelines.  There were some substantive decisions made at the AEC:

1) The AEG proposed name change for the test interferometer site was
approved; the new name will be the ALMA Test Facility.  The turn system
for Socorro was approved as was the equipment list.

Japanese may continue to participate in the ATF; however, they will have
to pay for their own foundation.  Japan will build their own electronics;
we will not build the evaluation receiver, etc. for the Japanese prototype
antenna.  We will make sure it is software compatible.  They will have to
make their hardware compatible with us and their antenna testing should be
independent of ours.  The Japanese should look after everything associated
with their antenna.  We should not plan on their antenna being part of the
test interferometer.  We will not build electronics for the third antenna.

The Europeans are proceeding with the Alcatel antennas; delivery is
expected April 2003.  Alcatel will be including the metrology needed to
meet specifications.  Kingsley reports that Alcatel will use a tent at the
ATF instead of the VLA antenna barn.

The AEC has put together a list of top level milestones:

	Jan 01 2003		legal access to site
	4th quarter 2005	1st antenna on site
	4th quarter 2006	start of science commissioning
				(end to end testing of system)
	2007			Interim science operations with non-ALMA
				scientists

The current plan is to end evaluation of the two prototype antennas early
in 2004, and expect to place a contract during the fourth quarter.  The
RFP for the antenna will go out before the testing is complete.  Vendors
will submit a proposal before they know if their antenna meets
specifications.  This should help the competitive situation.  This makes
it vital that antenna testing results are kept confidential.  We will need
to establish more control of file access.

The dates and location of ALMA week has been shifted to the week of April
22nd in Grenada.  This will confirmed; it will be Monday through Friday or
Tuesday through Saturday.

An update to the project book is going to be needed; the AEC will submit
the updated project book to ACC.  Baars will be organizing this and you
should refer to his recent email.  Contact White if you need this to be
resent.

The Fall AMAC meeting has been postponed and will not meet before April
2002.

Status Reports
--------------

Sramek - The digital receiver board has been sent to fabrication and
should come back in mid December.  Testing to be complete by mid January.
The RFP for the holography tower should be sent out to bids by December
19, and plan to have a contract by the end of December.

Glendenning - There are many items in progress.  Vertex wants to slip the
factory test from early January to late January or early February.
Kingsley is working with Brooks to keep on schedule at Vertex; we are
ready on our side.  Marsen starts with ALMA today.

Kingsley - The delta CDR material was distributed last week.  The CDD
information from Vertex was received and will be distributed today.
Working on several contract changes (liquidation damages, etc.).  Vertex
is still holding April 23, 2002 as their delivery date.

Perfetto - The receiver frames are being assembled.  The holography
receiver assembly is starting.  Chang starts today and will be working on
the holography receiver.

Payne - We are working on the laser metrology for the antenna evaluation
to verify front end model of antenna and BUS. Ready to order parts are to
be made from simple machining to measure changes in distance for eight
selected paths.  Glendenning needs the front end ICDs.  This is not the
$50K metrology system.  We need to buy both systems.

The Japanese contacted Payne to plan when they could bring their 3mm
device to Tucson for testing.  This will be done in January.

The OMT 1 mm drawings are complete; bids will go out in next couple of
weeks.  The 3 mm budge estimates are complete; these are confidential.

Radford - Four options for the roads have been presented.  Radford will be
meeting with Hofstadt to discuss the options.  We are planning to have a
PDR in July for development.  Radford is on his way to Chile to review the
site in detail.

Avery - Canada is proceeding to "ramp up" the work on Band 3.  A new SIS
engineer started today.  Che Yung has been named the work package project
manager for Band 3.

The Canadian budget is to be announced one week from today; we are hoping
for long range planning funds.  So far approximately $14 M has been
identified for Canadian activities.  Avery questioned if there is a
central point for information on planned contracts and procurements.
Porter stated that he should probably be the central point of contact.
Avery and Porter will look into this issue.

Webber - Tests were started on fine tuning the synthesizer.  The initial
tests were positive.