[alma-config] Communication from D'Addario

[Al Wootten]

Bryan Butler writes:
 > > I agree with Simon that the 25 km spec should be made more prominent
 > > in the PB, and that the various other references to the array size
 > > should be made consistent and precise.  At this stage, any proposal to
 > > make the maximum baseline longer than 10 km should be treated as just
 > > that -- a proposal -- until its benefits can be carefully weighed
 > > against its costs.
 > 
 > i would state it as: any proposal to have fiber runs longer than 25 km
 > should be treated as just that - a proposal.  the spec isn't on the
 > max baseline length (is it?), but rather on the max allowable fiber run.

No.  The requirement for 10 km maximum baseline length was translated
into an engineering spec, namely that we will support a maximum of 25
km cable runs.  If a proposal is made to increase the max baseline,
then we will have to have a look at what engineering changes may be
needed to support it, and the costs thereof.  We must not get into a
situation where the scientists are trying to second-guess the
engineers; most of the scientists are just not competent to do this.

--Larry
ldaddari at tuc.nrao.edu