ALMA WEEKLY PROGRESS REPORT 2nd July 2004 Name: Jeff Mangum IPT: AEG -- Assemblage of full reports on all aspects of prototype antenna evaluation continues. -- ALMA Calibration Group: --- Organizing a monthly telecon to be held at 15:00 UT on the second Thursday each month. Had to delay the first installment of this telecon due to schedule conflicts. --- Continue to update the ALMA Calibration web page (http://www.nrao.edu/~jmangum/ALMA/Calibration/). Will use this page as a point of reference and discussion for calibration group issues. --- Continue to dig through the mass of documents that have been produced on calibration over the past year or so. -- Continue to interact with groups evaluating production antenna bids. Name: John Effland IPT: Front End *** Major Issues: Further delays in receiving the production cartridge bodies will seriously limit our ability to meet the 1 October 2004 cartridge ship date. The prototype cartridge was equipped with two mixer-preamps containing the new matching circuits to improve the sideband isolation but test set problems prevented their measurement this week. *** Progress: *** Mixers Mixer block 26 was completed this week and Blocks 27 - 30 are ready for plating. ** Preamps for Mixers Gene and Mike are continuing to work with ACC on their parts lists and substrate drawings. Because ACC's preamp delivery is scheduled for mid-October, we have decided to build 16 more amplifier bodies and populate and test 8 of them. *** Cartridges It looks like the cartridge delivery from RAL is another two weeks away. This is beginning to compromise our schedule, and I will provide details soon. AML is building 5 warm IF amplifiers for us and I have completed their specifications to use an integrated 3 dB attenuator to provide and output return loss of 1.33:1. Tony and I are working with George Reiland and Chris Groppi to build the OMT cold-test system. George submitted a development schedule to us for this work. George's thermal break drawings will be review by Greg Morris and submit them to the NTC shop. Greg also completed and submitted to the shop the optical alignment test jig that's needed for machining the alignment pins in the optical system components. *** Cartridge Test System (CTS): The production LO software was tested and installed in the measurement software. The machine shop is working on the counter-weight system for cartridge installation. *** Mixer Test System (MTS): Two more mixers were measured this week. Lin Qiu, our summer student from the University of Wisconsin at Madison, completed LabVIEW code to accelerate the chopper wheel movements, and is now documenting his results and testing the robustness of the algorithms. *** Amplifier Test System: The cold plate was installed this week and some coaxial cables were routed inside the Dewar. The wiring diagram is being drawn. *** Automated LO: The overvoltage protection boards were installed in a power supply but the 20-V spike problems persists. Kirk will contact the manufacturer. *** Software: The production LO locking software was completed and tested. The next high-priority task is to control automatically sideband source levels. *** Management: I'll be on vacation until 2004-07-19. A report of outside vendors and prices they charged was generated for Antonio. The Statement of Work and Specifications for the Warm IF amplifiers was written. This is for 30 amplifiers for cartridges 2 - 8. Five warm IF amplifiers are already on order from AML. *** Tasks to be completed last week: 1) Measure a second mixer-preamp with new matching circuit Complete 2) Assemble components in two more mixer blocks Incomplete - one block completed 3) Deburr 3 more mixer blocks Complete 4) Order replacement wires for cartridge 4-K intrastage wiring. Complete 5) Complete software for production LO reference synthesizer. Incomplete - a few enhancements left to be tested 6) Continue writing and review drafts of technical description documents Incomplete 7) Complete at least one more ICD. Incomplete 8) Complete the requirements document for ordering the remaining 27 warm IF amplifiers. Complete *** Tasks to be completed in the next two weeks: 1) Complete wiring diagram of amplifier test system 2) Complete technical description document for Cartridge Test System 3) Complete technical description document for Mixer Test System 4) Complete draft of mixer assembly procedures 5) Measure cartridge with mixers employing improved matching networks 6) Update software to automatically set power level of sideband source 7) Complete construction of 4 more mixers. 8) Setup beam scanner in cartridge measurement system and investigate increasing dynamic range. 9) Produce list documenting status for all outstanding parts for cartridge 10) Complete and install cartridge counter-weight system 11) Complete installation of all equipment in Cartridge Test System ******************************************************************** Report from Kirk Crady This Week: Automated LO - To date, one overvoltage protection circuit for the Acopian +6V supplies has been installed, but the problem of high frequency spikes at power up persists. New amplifier test station - Replaced 12K plate and began fitting the input/output coaxial lines inside dewar. - Signal i/o requirements have been defined by G. Lauria, and a connector secured which will handle all but heater voltages. Heaters will be powered by a separate input connector. The actual wiring diagram is in the process of being created. - Workbench modifications are underway to facilitate cabling - A phone has been installed on the workbench; network access and security updates on the computer (computer name: ‘amptester’) was accomplished by C. White on 2004-06-26. ******************************************************************** Report from Christian Holmstedt Software controlled locking of the LO in the Cartridge test set has been implemented and is working. A new release will be done. (Band6DAQ 2.2) Dan Koller is currently using the source code version of Band6DAQ for his measurements. Worked on new prototype GUI for Band6DAQ. The prototype for the Cartridge test set is done but the GUI for the Mixer test set is not done. It will be very similar but due to hardware differences they are not identical. Note that both test sets will still be supported by the same bundle of code. Worked on documentation for the software delivered with the LO/Bias Electronics designed by Wes G. User Manual is done. Source code documentation is still under work. ******************************************************************** Report from Neil Horner Mixers Blocks 14 and 21 Have been tested with the improved matching network. This setup has improved the isolation value for these mixers. Block 24 was tested with similar result to the original block 14 results with the c14,L62 tuning. Block 24 is now being modified with the improved matching network. Block ISM373G-26 has been completed and is ready for testing. This block was built with the improved matching network. Block ISM373G-25 is in progress. Blocks 27,28,and 29 are ready to be cleaned, buffed, and plated when Vince returns. Cartridge Mixer blocks 14 and 21 were installed with block connected to the through port of the OMT. During this assembly no wires were broken. The epoxy test are continuing. The H74F seems to work the best for now. E&C suggest we try Eccobond 45LV. This is being ordered. The 5 mil waveguide window components from Custom Microwave came in. We need to work with Dan to install the epoxy in the WG ports. Instead of carrying the cartridge I put an anti-static mat on one of the wooden carts and transported the cartridge up and down on the elevator. An outline of my, mostly guessed, procedures for cartridge assembly is at \\cvfiler\cv-cdl-sis\neil\microsoft excel\cartridge assembly procedure ******************************************************************** Report from Dan Koller 1. Consolidated cartridge test set documentation into one document. Wrote intro section and table of contents. 2. Replaced Prototype 8 with Prototype 9. With Kirk, measured cartridge. Some points may need to be repeated, but initial data look encouraging, with better image rejection in Pol B. 3. Received several parts from shop for cartridge loader. Redesigned counterweight to use lead so as to be able to buy the stock. 4. Worked on performance review form for appraisal by John Webber. ******************************************************************** Report from Gene Lauria Worked with ACC in helping them settle a few more issues in regards to their bill of materials and substrates. ACC wants to have their substrates pre-cut so we had to go over the dimensions and tolerances of the substrates so that they will come out right. Due to the late delivery time of the amplifiers from ACC (mid-October), we have decided to build 8 more preamps so we can continue evaluating mixer chips. The 12K plate for the amplifier test system came back from being gold plated and is now installed in the Dewar. Kirk Crady and I are now working on the assembly of the Dewar itself. Continuing with documentation for the mixer test system and Kirk and I are working on the wiring diagram for the amplifier test system. In regards to the amplifier test system, I went over with Kirk what wires will be needed to go into the Dewar, and he is going to work on the diagram from these requirements. Two mixers have been tested in the MTS with the new tuning circuit that Tony Kerr came up with between the mixer and preamp. Both measurements show improved image rejection but slightly higher noise temperatures from the original circuit that optimized for minimum noise. Both mixer/preamps were installed in the cartridge and have been tested. Name: Clint Janes IPT: Back End NA Project Management announced that the NA LO Group has been recombined with the BE IPT. Jonathan Weintroub, BE CDR Review Panel Chair, released the final CDR report to JAO. NA IPT Lead organizing response. A follow-on concluding CDR is required to address incomplete areas. Socorro: New requirements for the version 2 Total Power Digitizer were identified in a meeting with the System Architect. Characterization of the RF-connectorized IFDC module shows a gain flatness of 5 dB p-p. Construction of second group of 4 2nd LO synthesizers waiting for a misplaced filter order. Re-design initiated for the DC power supplies. Conducted initial review of rework planned for module and bin hardware. Procurement for long delivery items necessary for pre-production will be initiated in July. 1st draft prepared for pre-production Production Plan. Revised antenna rack interface panel to accommodate changes requested by prototype SI. Design review initiated for LORR module. Consolidation of FO and RF functions awaits decision on where to locate FO components. Successful eye pattern tests (Figure 1) show that the ˝ transponder can be used successfully with the formatter board. This should be considered an announcement that the ˝ transponder will be used for the 1st pre-production units to be shipped to the OSF. The Pseudo Front-End is completed with a working LabView VI for monitor and control. Testing is the next step. Bill Brundage to be BE subsystem engineer. Power applied successfully to prototype antenna racks for ATF #1. Tucson: 1. The laser synthesizer construction is 50% complete. The PLL board has been fabricated, and initial tests will occur next week. Tasks remaining are complete module wiring, a few mechanical issues, and monitor and control interface. 2. Three test reports were completed on line length correction and uploaded to EDM: BEND-56.03.00.00-001-A-TDR ALMA Photonic LO Reference: Buried Fiber Polarization Measurements at the VLA (June 2004) BEND-50.03.10.00-001-A- REP ALMA Line Length Correction - Test at VLA on Vertex Antenna Aug 2003 BEND-50.03.10.00-002-A-REP ALMA Line Length Correction Tests – Sept/Oct 2003 3. A document was written for requirement input into the BE-Site ICD on buried fiber: BEND-50.00.00.00-081-A-SPE Fiber Optic Technical Specifications and Recommendations for 1st LO Photonic Reference 4. Another document was written concerning fiber optic cabling on the antenna. This document will be circulated for discusion within BE IPT. 5. A preliminary meeting was held between 1st LO reference and BE concerning integration of LO and BE production schedules. 6. Various discussions were held between BE-LO, SYS, COMP, and the slave laser vendor to decide how to resolve a CAN node addressing issue. 7. Work at Univ. of Kent and Tucson is ongoing to try to quantify the effect of fiber polarization dispersion on the LO phase. Name: Mark Holdaway IPT: Science I finally sent out the report on the polarization simulations which showed that 1/f gain fluctuations of 1e-3 still permit better than 0.1% fractional polarization imaging with ALMA. I cleaned out the shower here at NRAO/Tucson and organized the soap, shampoo, and towels. However, I've decided that if I am unable to continue with NRAO due to the closure of the Tucson office, the janitorial business is propably not my true calling. I've made good progress with writing code which will drive 3-D atmospheric simulations, including both fast switching and water vapor radiometry phase correction methods. This work is being done in AIPS++/glish, in collaboration with Alison Stirling, John Richer, and Richard Hills. I think this code will be a great laboratory for atmospheric investigation, and am looking forward to seeing thefruits of this labor. Seeing the recent reports on the planned reorganization of NASA which is required to shift the focus from GREAT SCIENCE to SENDING PEOPLE TO MARS is enough to inspire one to become overtly political. I hope everyone is registerred. Name: Lee Shapiro IPT: Education & Public Outreach An EPO-IPT meeting was held this week. Resolved issues of reprinting both English and Spanish versions of the small (rack) ALMA brochure. The ALMA Logo and official paragraph will be added where it was not yet included. Finalizing of the arrangements for Boffin & Zodet to shoot video footage at the ATF of the Vertex and AEC prototype antennas as well as footage at the NRAO's NRAO Technology Center and perhaps the Array Operations Center was decided. Some images of the OSF site were recently placed on the NRAO ALMA page and the full set of those pictures (from J. Eschwey) were sent to ESO for their use. Some newer pictures may soon be available from R. Simon. Anyone else having good pictures of the OSF, AOS or other appropriate ALMA sites are requested to send them to Lshapiro@nrao.edu and Hboffin@eso.org so that they might be available for use. There was ongoing discussion about producing a vector graphic form of the ALMA logo, a general ALMA web site, and a proposed ALMA online Newsletter.