[Escoordminutes] ES Div Coordination meeting Minutes- October

[Lew Serna]

Minutes for the ES Division Coordination Meeting held on Tuesday, 
October 26, 2010, at 10:30 am, in the LL CB conference room. Attending 
were Lew Serna, Ramon Gutierrez, Guy Stanzione, Matt Evatt, Gene Cole, 
James Sullivan, Jon Thunborg and Charley Chavez.

BUDGET —No word yet on FY 2011 budget. Continue with ARRA funded 
projects such as AZ bearings, Track work, and VSQ demolition. VLBA 
budget is still not known. TT visits are not yet scheduled as yet. SC 
October TT visit postponed.

VLBA –MK Elevation bearing grease samples for the “EL synchro side” 
bearing still show metal particles. Fewer metal flakes showing in the 
monthly samples reported thus far probably due to flushing out of the 
bearing with grease. FD Elevation bearing Encoder side was showing metal 
particles as well.

Tentative FY 2011 TT Visits are to NL, OV, SC and PT. Tentative FY 2012 
trips are KP, MK & LA. Task and planning meeting in November date TBA.

Foundation repairs were conducted last summer. The Rail joints were 
found to be cracking. Bob replaced most of the joints at NL and replaced 
bad ones at HN. An engineering effort to improve the rail joints is 
underway. This is a task that will likely be added to TT visits.

KP will require one each wheel assembly to be replaced. A short shaft 
should be used on the spare wheel since it will fit assemblies at all 
sites.

The VLBA C-Band project is funded. Antenna Mechanic and Mechanical 
engineering effort is expected to install the new feeds. The prototype 
will be installed in PT by June of 2011. Other installations will occur 
between June 2011 and June 2012.

Repair of the St. Croix Subreflector is in progress.

MK dish panels that were damaged will need to be repaired for spares.

SC TT Bin will need an inspection and certification before it can be 
shipped to SC.

AZ BEARINGS – An order for 6 new bearings has been placed with delivery 
expected in November. We have one spare bearing on hand usable as the 
emergency spare. Older grease samples show that antennas 25, 10 and 20, 
are candidates for scheduled bearing changes. Antenna 25 has the worst 
sample. An estimated three weeks in the AAB are required before a 
bearing change can occur. Parts from the bearings removed from antennas 
are needed for measuring and fitting of new parts and should be stored 
until they are scheduled to be shipped for repair. Fourteen bearings 
have been replaced to date. It may be desirable to refurbish bearings at 
some point in the future (perhaps after 3 have been replaced).

PROJECTS:
CONTROL BUILDING STAIRWAYS—The CB balcony stairways will be replaced 
with an improved design conforming to ADA. A new concrete landing will 
have to be poured at the base of the eastern stairway and the steps 
replaced. The “western” stairway repairs are complete. The eastern 
stairway is barricaded to prevent its use. Work on the eastern stairway 
will continue as the workload and funds permit. It will cost 
approximately $7K- $10K to complete.

ST Croix PAINT—a crew was sent to St. Croix in April 2010 to continue 
brush painting the areas where bleed through is evident. All new paint 
is holding up well. A follow up painting program at SC would cost around 
$17K per visit. The site techs are doing some painting spot repairs 
until enough yearly funds are made available for regular follow up 
painting trips.

VLA ANTENNA FOUNDATION MOVEMENT— A problem with north arm antenna 
foundation movement needs to be investigated. It appears that the two 
rearward station pillars have been slowly separating over the years at 
CN5, CN6, CN7 and BN5 with BN5 being the worst. They have separated far 
enough in about 33 years that 1 bolt (one on a reward pad) can no longer 
be used to secure the antenna pad to the foundation pillar. Modification 
of the CN5, CN6, and CN7and BN5 plates are complete and the plates are 
reinstalled. This will solve the immediate problem of setting down 
antennas on these foundations.

If the pillars are moving apart it is felt that there may be no 
practical way of preventing the movement. It is believed that if this is 
the case it would be more desirable/practical to build an additional 
foundation next to the bad ones. Another option is that if the pillar 
movement is very slow it may be adequate to modify/redesign the mounting 
plates in order to make up and correct for the movement. In any case it 
would be desirable to get inspection of the foundations and a 
recommendation for action. A cost estimate for an inspection has been 
requested to an outside firm.

Markers have been set for taking measurements to try and see which 
pillars are actually moving and at what rate. No change has been 
observed between loaded and unloaded measurements thus far. Recent 
Measurements taken continue to show no movement.

GENERATOR REPAIRS— Minor leaks were noticed at the engine rear seals and 
it is desirable to install a better fuel filtering system. This work 
would cost around $12K and has been put on the funding wish list.

HOT WATER LOOP. A project is submitted to install a hot water loop using 
Correlator waste heat: The difference between the summer load and winter 
load is mostly due to heating (at least 300kW). However, even during the 
coldest mornings the cooling tower is ventilating correlator waste heat 
into the atmosphere. We already use some of the heat in the Control 
Building, but by extending the hot water loop to other buildings, we may 
be able to reduce our power demand. The WIDAR correlator will have an 
even higher heat output to work with.

This project mainly consists of burying a hot water loop and using heat 
exchangers similar to what many complexes of buildings use. Payback on 
this project could be as quick as 1 year. Bob Broilo will investigate 
and provide further information. This project has the potential to save 
$250K/year on our power bill.

VLA AZ GEARBOX’s -- Antenna 6 and 7 gearboxes’ have been replaced. The 
spare will need to be repaired. A plan to change oil on around 10 
antennas per year is underway. Antenna 6 has slight thumping noise while 
in single motor operation, believed to be from a small burr on a gear 
tooth. Under current preloads the burr is not making contact and no 
thumping is heard. Engineers say no problem and to keep running since we 
do not normally use Azimuth in single motor operation.

VSQ’s- A decision to raze VSQ buildings has been made. A demolition 
effort with a special abatement plan to remove the asbestos flooring is 
underway. Johnny Gonzales, Gerald O’Connell and Charley Chavez have 
received training for removal of the asbestos material and will be 
fitted for respirators for the removal operation. Other material such as 
the veneer outer walls and inner wallboard were tested for asbestos and 
none was found. Use account # 110.XXXX.AR110

Diesel Tank /Gasoline Dike- Gasoline Dike repairs have been completed by 
ES Div personnel. A report was received from the NACE certified 
inspector. This project is done. A gasoline submersible pump for 
pressurized fuel dispensing is being investigated.

The diesel tank containment is upgraded to meet state regulations. A 
double-walled tank will replace the tank now in place. The installation 
is complete. The upgrade includes pressurized fuel dispenser (which 
requires a testing of the pipeline leak detection system). Remaining 
Items to be addressed; Need new tank registration documentation, need 
old tank closeout documentation, finish O&M plan, paint fuel lines and 
receive regulatory required training for owners/operators.


EVLA;
Civil— VLA site Utility Transformer and Generator Transformers will be 
marginal once the EVLA full load is on line. SEC has installed a new 3MW 
utility Transformer (on 10/22/10). The re-closure remains to be 
installed at a later date. A Hatch PM and array transformer PM was 
coordinated with the installation of the Utility Transformer. Bob has 
ordered and received a 3MW transformer to replace the 2MW Generator 
transformer.

ES Division has funds to install the weather station tower along with 
fiber and power. All instrumentation will be installed by Electronics 
Division.

EVLA Antennas— Dry air system needs to be installed. Parts are here, 
awaiting manpower.

SAFETY REPORT:
Accidents:
There have been a total of 14 accidents reported this year. 10 of these 
are attributed to the ES Division. There are 3 ES Division accidents 
that the employee has been out for more than 60 days.

Site Safety Meetings:

The monthly site safety meetings are ongoing. Last Qt there was three 
site safety meetings.
7-2010, LO/TO with 23 employees in attendees
8-2010, Crane, Hoist and Slings 29 employees in attendees
9-2010, Understanding Safety at work 23 employees in attendees

There was an antenna hoist refresher class conducted on 10-26-2010. 
There were 18 employees in attendees. Gene Cole was the lead facilitator 
for this class. Thank you, Gene. The groups that were present at the 
refresher were AAB, HVAC, Cryo, Servo, Transporter and one employee from 
Socorro.

Next Site Safety Meeting: Next meeting is on 10-28-2010 at 3:00 PM, Fire 
Extinguishers are the topic.

VLBA:
We have ordered new extinguishers for the VLBA sites and they have 
arrived. Chuck will be making contacts to have them shipped to each of 
the sites. If the VLA site has employees that will be going to any of 
the sites please let me know so maybe we can send them along.
Thanks,
James B. Sullivan

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
10/28/10—open enrollment Meeting with Allen Lewis at 10:00am in the VLA 
Cafeteria

11/02/10—Flu Shots in the VLA Cafeteria from 11:30 – 12:00 am.