[evlatests] Retaining a piece of history?

[Craig Walker]

Note that a while ago we went through similar thinking about the old 
Mark II VLBI correlator.  We eventually got agreement in principle to 
send it to Green Bank where much NRAO historical stuff is located.  Of 
course that correlator did most of its work in Charlottesville using the 
Green Bank 140' telescope, along with others, so sending it back East is 
appropriate.  I don't think we have actually gotten our act together to 
ship the units yet - everyone's been too busy.

You might also want to save some sample bits of the VLA correlator.

Unfortunately, I would guess that the current VLA visitor center doesn't 
have room for much in the way of historical displays.

Cheers,

Craig


Bob Hayward wrote:
> This might not be the best form to bring this topic up, but it goes to 
> all the right people to start the conversation. We can then take it 
> somewhere else if it's worth further discussion.
> 
> We only have a few antennas left to be upgraded. Once the last one is 
> done, we can say goodbye to the old VLA electronics forever and the dawn 
> of a new age begins.
> 
> I'd like to suggest that we preserve at least set of the antenna 
> electronics. By this I mean the A, B and F Racks. A great deal of time 
> and effort has been given by numerous people - many no longer with us - 
> designing, building, testing and improving these units. And let's not 
> forget the amount of tender loving care that has been devoted to keeping 
> them working over the last 30 years. It would be a shame to just toss 
> all of the racks on to the garbage heap of history.
> 
> If there was room in the Visitor's Center, that might be a good place to 
> put them - sort of a VLA Memorial. If not, somewhere out of the way in 
> the basement in the Control Building might be fine too. I always found 
> it fun to show visitors at the Site a VLA antenna first, then take them 
> over to see an EVLA antenna and then point out all the differences that 
> several decades worth of new electronics allowed the EVLA to achieve. 
> With no more VLA antennas, that option will no longer be viable.
> 
> If there is any interest in preserving the VLA's heritage, then we 
> should start thinking about it soon. Maybe someone has already 
> squirreled away some of these racks. If not, the time is now.
> 
> If there is agreement, how many should we save? Where will we put them? 
> Does anyone know if Green Bank would be interested in a rack or two 
> (much of this stuff was developed and prototyped back east)?
> 
> -Bob
> 
> 
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     R. Craig Walker            Array Operations Center
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