TGBT17B_501_02 - VPM Acceptance Tests

Goals

Observe B1937+21 in all coherent dedispersion modes. Use dual backend operation with GUPPI when possible so that the two can be compared. It will set part way through the observation, so we will prioritize the 128, 256, 512, and 1024 channel modes.

Once B1937+21 sets we will move on to B0329+54 in incoherent modes.

3C343 will also be observed as a flux calibrator.

Details

  • Begin setting up at 16:00. Ray is still switching versions in preparation for 16:30 start.
  • There are problems with turret control coming out of the version version switch. Getting a late start.
  • Started at 17:25
  • Submitted AcceptanceTestsPSRCODD800 SB
    • First scan initiated but did not slew to target
    • Aborted and resubmitted. Scan is running.
    • Scan #2 is c0800x0128 cal.
      • Looks good.
    • Scan #3 is c0800x0128 fold
      • Auto plot not displaying pulsar scan, but seems to be detected.
        • This may have been a permission issue on the /tm/vpm directory.
        • monctrl also seems unable to write PNG files using pgplot.
    • Scan #4 is c0800x0128 search
      • Seems to have ran OK
    • Scan #5 is c0800x0256 cal
      • Ran OK
    • Scan #6 is c0800x0256 fold
      • Pulsar detected
    • Scan #7 is c0800x0256 search
      • Seems to have ran OK
    • Scan #8 is c0800x0512 cal
      • Ran OK
    • Scan #9 is c0800x0512 fold
      • Ran OK
    • Scan #10 is c0800x0512 search
      • Ran OK
    • Scan #11 is c0800x1024 cal
      • Ran OK
    • Scan #12 is c0800x1024 fold
      • Ran OK
    • Scan #13 is c0800x1024 search
      • Ran OK
    • Scan #14 is c0800x2048 cal
      • Ran OK
    • Scan #15 is c0800x2048 fold
      • Ran OK * Scan #16 is c0800x2048 search
      • Ran OK *Scan #17 is c0800x4096 cal
      • Ran OK * Scan #18 is c0800x4096 fold
      • Aborted due to illegal configuration regard notchfilter * Resubmitting SB * Scan #18 is c0800x4096 cal
      • Ran OK
    • Scan #19 is c0800x4096 fold
      • Illegal configuration again
      • There was a spurious space in the notchfilter = 'Out' line
    • Resubmitting SB
    • Scan #19 is c0800x4096 cal
      • Ran OK
    • Scan #20 is c0800x4096 fold
      • Ran OK
    • Scan #21 is c0800x04096 search
      • Ran OK. No dropped packets!
  • Switching to C-Band
  • Submitted AcceptanceTestsPSRCODD1500 SB
    • Scan #22 is c1500x0128 cal
      • Ran OK
    • Scan #23 is c1500x0128 fold
      • Ran OK but not detection. Maybe B1937+21 is too faint at C-Band? Also did not have time to AutoPeakFocus
    • Scan #24 is c1500x0128 search
      • Ran OK
    • Scan #25 is c1500x0256 cal
      • Ran OK
    • Scan #26 is c1500x0256 fold
      • Ran OK. Weak detection this time.
    • Scan #27 is c1500x0256 search
      • Ran OK
    • Scan #28 is c1500x0512 cal
      • Ran OK
    • Scan #29 is c1500x0512 fold
      • Ran OK. Still no detection.
    • Scan #30 is c1500x0512 search
      • Ran OK.
  • Done with CODD tests.
  • Amanda has to reset active surface.
  • Going to do an AutoPeakFocus at C-Band
    • Peaks look good. Tsys is about 18-19 K
  • Submitted AcceptanceTestsPSRInco1500 SB
    • Scan #36 is i1500x0128 cal
      • Looks good. Levels might be a bit low.
    • Scan #37 is i1500x0128 fold
      • Pulsar is there but there is an awful ripple across the profile. We will definitely have to investigate that. There was no sign of it in the cal scan.
    • Scan #38 is i1500x0128 search
      • Ran OK
    • Scan #39 is i1500x0256 cal
      • Ran OK
    • Scan #40 is i1500x0256 fold
      • Ripple is still there. I wonder if has something to do with specifying circular polarization...
    • Scan #41 is i1500x0256 search.
      • Ran OK
    • Scan #42 is i1500x0512 cal
      • Ran OK. Now noticing that power in channel 2 of Bank C is about 7 dB too low.
    • Scan #43 is i1500x0512 fold
      • Ran OK. Ripple still there.
    • Scan #44 is i1500x0512 search
      • Ran OK
    • Scan #45 is i1500x1024 cal
      • Ran OK. Power still low on Bank C, channel 2. CM7 voltage doesn't seem too low, though.
    • Scan #46 is i1500x1024 fold
      • Pulsar is there but ripple is still present
    • Scan #47 is i1500x1024 search
      • Ran OK
    • Scan #48 is i1500x2048 cal
      • Ran OK
    • Scan #49 is i1500x2048 fold
      • Starting to see some packet loss but tolerable. Ripple is still there.
    • Scan #50 is i1500x2048 search
      • Seeing 50% packet loss now
    • Scan #51 is i1500x4096 cal
      • Seeing few percent packet loss
    • Scan #52 is i1500x4096 fold
      • Ripple still there. few percent packet loss. Pulsar not visible.
    • Scan #53 is i1500x4096 search
      • Near 90% packet loss.
  • Submitting AccpetanceTestsPSRInco800 SB
    • Had to manually kick the LO1 center IF. It was set to -1800 and the RF was set to 6300 even though it should have been 1500. Cycled manager off/on and it worked eventually.
    • Scan #54 is i0800x0128 cal
      • Looks good
    • Scan #55 is i0800x0128 fold
      • Looks good
    • Scan #56 is i0800x0128 search
      • Ran OK
    • Scan #57 is i0800x0256 cal
      • Ran OK
    • Scan #58 is i0800x0256 fold
      • Pulsar detected
    • Scan #59 is i0800x0256 search
      • Ran OK
    • Scan #60 is i0800x0512 cal
      • Ran OK
    • Scan #61 is i0800x0512 fold
      • Ran OK, pulsar detected
    • Scan #62 is i080x0512 search
      • Ran OK
    • Scan #63 is i0800x1024 cal
      • Ran OK
    • Scan #64 is i0800x1024 fold
      • Pulsar looks good
    • Scan #65 is i0800x1024 search
      • Ran OK
    • Scan #66 is i0800x2048 cal
      • Ran OK
    • Scan #67 is i0800x2048 fold
      • Pulsar looks good
    • Scan #68 is i0800x2048 search
      • Ran OK
    • Scan #69 is i0800x4096 cal
      • Ran OK
    • Scan #70 is i0800x4096 fold
      • Good detection
    • Scan #71 is i0800x4096 search
      • About 30% packet loss
    • Re-running i0800x4096 scans with longer integration time and Linear polarization (it was accidentally circular)
    • Scan #72 is i0800x4096 cal
      • Ran OK
    • Scan #73 is i0800x4096 fold
      • Good detection
    • Scan #74 is i0800x4096 search
      • Looks good. No dropped packets with 81.92 us integration.
  • Doing fluxcal scans
  • Submitted AcceptanceTestsFluxcalInco800
    • Scans #75 is i0800x0128 Track
    • Scans #76 is i0800x0256 Track
    • Scans #77 is i0800x0512 Track
    • Scans #78 is i0800x1024 Track
    • Scans #79 is i0800x2048 Track
    • Scans #80/81 is i0800x4096 On/Off
    • Noticed afterward that I had a Track instead of OnOff for most of these.
  • Submitted AcceptanceTestsFluxcalCODD800
    • Scans #82/83 is c0800x0128 On/Off
    • Scans #84/85 is c0800x0256 On/Off
    • Scans #86/87 is c0800x0512 On/Off
    • Scans #88/89 is c0800x1024 On/Off
    • Scans #90/91 is c0800x2048 On/Off
    • Scans #92/93 is c0800x4096 On/Off
    • All ran OK
  • Re-running AcceptanceTestsFluxcalInco800 with proper OnOff
    • Scans #94/95 is i0800x0128 On/Off
    • Scans #96/97 is i0800x0256 On/Off
    • Scans #98/99 is i0800x0512 On/Off
    • Scans #100/101 is i0800x1024 On/Off
    • Scans #102/103 is i0800x2048 On/Off
    • All ran OK
  • Turning it back over to Ray to switch versions at 21:42
  • Submitted AcceptanceTestsSpecFSW to check switchover using one Mode 29 scan.

Conclusions

  • puppi_auto_plot is not working on 18.2. This seems to be because it can't find the right version of supervisorctl
    [root@gpu1 ~]$ /home/pulsar64/bin/supervisorctl restart auto_plot
    Traceback (most recent call last):
      File "/home/pulsar64/bin/supervisorctl", line 5, in <module>
        from pkg_resources import load_entry_point                                  
      File "/opt/local/lib/python2.7/site-packages/pkg_resources.py", line 2603, in <module>                                                                        
      File "/opt/local/lib/python2.7/site-packages/pkg_resources.py", line 666, in require                                                                          
      File "/opt/local/lib/python2.7/site-packages/pkg_resources.py", line 565, in resolve                                                                          
    pkg_resources.DistributionNotFound: supervisor==3.0
  • Need to investigate ripples in C-Band incoherent data a bit more.
  • Also need to keep an eye on channel 2 of Bank C.
  • Other than that, very successful!
-- RyanLynch - 2018-01-18

This topic: CICADA > WebHome > GreenBankSpectrometer > CICADAGreenBankSpectrometerCommissioningLogs > CICADAGreenBankSpectrometer2018jan18b
Topic revision: 2018-01-23, RyanLynch
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