Notes on new VLBA system at Green Bank
(F.Ghigo, Sept 2010)
Fetch schedule files
(normally done by the VLBI "friend")
- log in either to gbvlbi@gb-cc or vlbamon@gb-cc
- cd scripts
- CheckVLBI
Setting up and running schedules
- edit observ.tx -- note project name is case-sensitive; it should match the ....GB.py file name
- download vex file (or use CheckVLBI)
- Start Astrid,
- if you give it the name of a .vex file, doing validate on "RunVLBI" makes the .py file.
- save to database.
- run the "RunVLBI"
- the executor should pick up the project in the scripts dir.
- ObservScriptMonitor appears to pick up the change after you have saved a modified observ.tx file.
The Mark5C
Mattias' notes on the Mark5C
MARK5C - Starting and Stopping
==============================
To stop MIB and DRS
ps ax | grep mib
kill -INT
/etc/init.d/nrao-mark5 stop
To start DRS and MIB
/etc/init.d/nrao-mark5 start
cd /export/home/mark5/vlbamon/mib_mark5c
./mib_mark5c ./ &>/tmp/mib.`date + %Y%m%d`.log &
Mark5C autostart has been installed -- all the necessary processes should come up on reboot or power-up.
To update the software -- K.Scott does it.
---+++The control computer
GB-CC (Control Computer)
========================
Directories
Execution Scripts:
/export/home/cc/vlba/bin/
Observation Scripts (python files)
/export/home/cc/vlba/scripts/
Check that the ObservScriptMonitor is running:
ps ax | grep Observ
To get info about executor
./execInfo
To get info about current scans
./scanInfo
To queue up observation file to executor
./execAdd ../scripts/
Scripts for testing
noop.GB.py (does nothing for 60 seconds)
short.GB.py (starts 20sec after being queue up to executor; records
data for 60sec)
The RDBE
- See attached files below for e-mail discussion about the rdbe setup.
- After power-up, start rdbe, mib, and reload personality.
IF Cabling
Converter Module |
Pol |
Port Name |
cable number |
RDBE IF input |
CM5 |
RCP |
"A" |
2 |
J3 |
CM1 |
LCP |
"C" |
1 |
J4 |
CM13 |
RCP |
"B" |
4 |
J3 |
CM9 |
LCP |
"D" |
3 |
J4 |
Until we get the 4x4 switch, changing between converter racks A (CM1&5) and B (CM9&13)
will require physically changing the cables at the back of the RDBE.
Using the VLBA device browser.
Go to this address
http://www.aoc.nrao.edu/asg-internal/software/vlba/
1. Click on the button "Launch" next to "VLBA OpsPack 1.6.8"
* If you're using FireFox:
* You'll see a window titled "Opening ets.jnlp".
* Please choose Open "Other"
open with: /opt/local/jre/bin/javaws [For red hat 6 computers]
or /usr/local/jre/javaws [for red hat 5, e.g., gb-cc or
* If you're using Internet Explorer:
* It won't display a message at this point.
* Please go to the next step
2. A window titled "Warning - Security" appears, click "Run"
3. It may take some time to load.
4. A window titled "OPS Login" appears.
* Ignore the "Login Information section"
* in the "Project Selection" section, click on the pull down table
next to "Screen" => select "Device Browser" or "VLBA Monitor"
* Click "Login"
5. A new window appears titled "Device Browser (1.6.4)"
* in the box next to "ConnectTo" select "gb*"
6. A module tree will appear .
click on the node to the left of it.
Click on RDBE
You'll see details about the running DBE at GB. You could use the device
to see other rdbe at other sites: la-dbe-1, pt-dbe-1, etc...
Important monitor points
The most important monitor points to look for are:
* Dot_Actual_Time: It is the time reported by the FPGA. It increments
with every 1pps. IF it is not incrementing that means there is a problem
with the 1pps signal or the FPGA is not loaded.
* Dot_ho_Time: it is the translation of the FPGA time into human
readable format YYYYDDDHHMMSS:
- YYYY: year
- DDD: day of the year
- HH: hours
- MM: minutes
- SS: seconds.
* Dot_OS_Time: is the translation of the OS (PowerPC) time into the
YYYYDDDHHMMSS format. It is useful to make sure that the FPGA time is in
sync with the our notion (via NTP) of time.
* Dot_OS_Diff: shows the difference between the FPGA's time and the
OS time. It should be always 0.
* IF{0|1}_rms: shows the rms counts for each IF.
* ALC_pps: Indicates if the 1pps is getting to the ALC. If 0 usually
it means problem => no 1pps signal.
* ALC_sync: internal testing to the 1pps signal inside the
synthesizer. It should be between 5-6.
Sept 23: checked that IF0_rms and IF1_rms change appropriately when input IF power changes.
Changing personality
Hi Frank,
All you need to do is:
(login on vlbamon@gb-cc)
telnet gb-dbe-1 5000
[log in as "roach"]
once connected do: dbe_personality=:RoachVLBI2010_nov22.bin;
Wait till you get a response back usually "!dbe_personality=0;"
Do: dbe_execute=init; // Wait for response
Again: dbe_execute=init; // Wait for response
Do: dbe_dot_set=; //Wait for response
Quit your telnet session.
But Pam found these commands did not work if coming in through telnet --
had to use rdbe_tcp_client (from login on vlbamon@gb-cc)
(but she left off the 5000)
The VLBA GUI
- to run from vlbamon login:
- java -jar ./vlba_gui-0.3.0b.jar GB &> /tmp/gui.`date +%Y%m%d`.log &
- Note that "vlbagui" script is in /opt/local/bin for all users.
Access to difx software:
Right -- I never sent the start of the instructions:
subversion : https://svn.atnf.csiro.au/difx/
mkdir -p v2s/src; cd v2s
difxio:
svn co https://svn.atnf.csiro.au/difx/libraries/difxio/trunk difxio
difxmessage:
svn co https://svn.atnf.csiro.au/difx/libraries/difxmessage/trunk difxmessage
vex2difx:
svn co https://svn.atnf.csiro.au/difx/applications/vex2difx/trunk vex2difx
Set PREFIX env var to point to the desired install root
Set ENV VAR PKG_CONFIG_PATH to $PREFIX/bin/pkgconfig
cd into difxio; cat README; run instructions prefix=
Same for others.-W
--
FrankGhigo - 2010-09-24