[evlatests] Slow band changes

Rick Perley rperley at nrao.edu
Thu Jun 21 13:22:29 EDT 2012


    The calibration test file I ran a couple days ago revealed a few 
antennas where the transition from one band to another was much slower 
than normal.  One of these is perhaps a 'real' issue, the other a 
curiosity soon to be eliminated.  I list both:

    1) ea15, transitioning from L to S bands, takes about 25 seconds 
longer than any other antenna.  Since this is a long subreflector 
rotation, I'm guessing that the rotation rate is too slow.  Can somebody 
confirm this?   This extra lag is much too long, and should be addressed. 

    2) ea03, 08, and 09, when transitioning from Ku to K bands, takes a 
few (<5) seconds longer than other antennas.  Here the cause is clear:  
Those antennas are not outfitted with Ku-band receivers, and I'm pretty 
sure the default focus position, when there is no receiver present, is 
to move the subreflector to an extreme position -- OR -- the focus 
position for those three antennas at K-band is unusually far from the 
position set for the last operational band (X, in this case).  I recall 
Ken telling me that the former explanation is the right one, in which 
case this problem will fix itself when Ku-band receivers are installed 
on those antennas. 
    However, ea15, 27, and 28 do not have Ku-band receivers, yet there 
is no tardiness for these antennas!  (Explanation wanting ...)

   



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