[Escoordminutes] ES Division Meeting Minutes-January 2011

[Lew Serna]

Minutes for the ES Division Coordination Meeting held on Tuesday, 
January 25, 2011, at 10:30 am, in the LL CB conference room. Attending 
were Lew Serna, Guy Stanzione, Ramon Gutierrez, Chuck Thompson, Jon 
Thunborg, Bob Broilo, Brent Avery and Charley Chavez.

BUDGET ---FY 2011 M&S budget is $17K less than FY2010. Travel is also 
cut by $7K.    Budget reports are issued.   Remember to charge to the 
correct VLA (533XXX.XXX) or VLBA (633XXX.XXX) account when writing your 
PO's.  Antenna Mechanics should use VLBA administrative account 
633100.4626 for tools to stock the SC maintenance container (Bin), not 
to exceed $7K.

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.

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.

Tentative FY 2011 TT Visits are to NL (4/12/2011-4/18/2011), OV with 
C-band horn (6/6/2011-6/12/2011, SC with C-Band upgrade 
(10/17/2011-10/31/2011) and PT(schedule on double maintenance days). 
 Tentative FY 2012 trips are KP, MK & LA.


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 and will be tried at PT.

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 spare will be complete as soon as the hub is in place.

Repair of the St. Croix Subreflector is in progress.

MK dish panels that were damaged will need to be repaired for spares. 
 Brent will try and locate 1/16" aluminum sheeting on surplus for 
material to repair panels.

SC TT Bin will need an inspection and certification before it can be 
shipped to SC.  Brent will contact Malloy to set up a date for inspection.

AZ BEARINGS -- An order for 6 new bearings has been placed with delivery 
expected early in 2011. An inspection trip is scheduled for Matt in 
January. The new bearings should be shipped by the end of next week.  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 is scheduled to get a new AZ 
bearing on 8/25/2011. 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 is desirable to send bearings 
for refurbishment after about 3 bearings are available to send.

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 begin soon.  It may cost approximately $5K 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 trip. Some touch up and corrosion repairs will be done during 
the SC TT trip this year if possible.  Need to have more paint delivered 
to prepare for this.

VLA ANTENNA FOUNDATION MOVEMENT--- Problems 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.  No measurements done 
in the last couple of months.

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.

Fuel System---Diesel Tank / The diesel tank containment is upgraded to 
meet state regulations.  Outstanding items: finish O&M plan, set up 
annual certified pressure tests, paint fuel lines and receive regulatory 
required training for owners/operators.

Modifications and upgrades to the fuel dispensing system are 
recommended.  Monitoring and removal of dispensing pumps requiring 
Breakaway valves and solenoids installed by certified installers is 
necessary.

Fire Alarm upgrade- The site fire alarm is in need for upgrade.  It is 
desirable to replace the Simplex system with a system that includes 
audible alarms at all buildings and area alarm reporting to operations.  
Upgrade would cost around $30K.

VLA FRM's- After removal and inspection of the troublesome FRM on 
antenna 24 it was determined that the FRMs are in good shape.  So far it 
does not seem necessary to remove the FRMs from the antennas to perform 
overhaul maintenance on them.  It may be desirable to remove and inspect 
a second troublesome FRM and do another inspection; perhaps Antenna 28 
to make sure it is not required.  Two new steel gears to replace 
aluminum gears that wear are going to be stocked in the warehouse.

EVLA;
Civil---SEC has installed a new 3MW utility Transformer (on 10/22/10) 
since the VLA site Utility Transformer and Generator Transformers will 
be marginal once the EVLA full load is on line. The re-closure remains 
to be installed at a later date as scheduled by SEC. Bob has ordered and 
received a 3MW transformer to replace the 2MW Generator transformer 
which was damaged and needs repairs done.  This generator is tentatively 
scheduled to be installed later this year

Weather station tower- ES Division has funds to install the weather 
station tower along with fiber and power. The site is selected and the 
tower Installation to occur by March- April of 2011.  Instrumentation 
will be installed by the Electronics Division with ES help.

EVLA Antennas--- Dry air system needs to be installed. Most dry air 
parts are ordered and production design is in progress. In late April, 
another 4th compressor retrofit (1 week) is scheduled involving moving 
an antenna to MP, Electrical and cryo efforts.

SAFETY REPORT:

Reminder to all personnel to fill out accident report sheets as soon as 
possible after an accident.  Copies should be sent to all parties noted 
on the forms within 24 hours if possible (ie.. Safety officer, Division 
Head HR etc.).  This will insure that all insurance concerns are 
addressed.    

Safety meeting Thursday at 3:30pm.


ANNOUNCEMENTS:
2/14/2011- Warehouse closed for one week for Inventory. Only emergency 
issues will be permitted.

2/14/2011-2/18/2011---Meercat visitors at AOC and VLA site visiting 
managers.

2/14/2011-2/19/2011---ACU consultant visiting select Servo Personnel for 
design of VLA Servo upgrade
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