MPIfR Correlator Report
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MPIfR/BKG  MKIV  CORRELATOR  
===========================     

GENERAL

   Current correlator capabilities are listed at:
        http://www.mpifr-bonn.mpg.de/EVN/MK4CORstatus
  

CORRELATOR HARDWARE

   > 2 of the 9 tape units have been taken out of operation. 8 Mark 5As
     are operational.

   > 4 Mark 5B units required for the upgrade to 12 stations have been
     procured and have been mounted in 2 new racks. Some remaining
     parts (main boards) plus Correlator Interface Boards are expected
     within weeks to months. 

   > High-speed serial-links are being manufactured for the JIVE
     correlator upgrade.

   > We hope to be able to remove all tape drives towards the end of
     2006. The complete system will then reside in 4 racks.


CORRELATION SOFTWARE

   > A common project to upgrade the correlator software to 12
     stations and Linux has been agreed with Haystack.

OPERATIONS

   > The correlation factor of Mark5-only observations is close to 1.
     Hardly any re-correlation is needed except for modes with 512 or
     1024 Mbits/s (a well known Station Unit problem). 

   > Correlation of lower bitrate recordings (like geodesy) is partly
     done in absentia (without operators being present). This is not
     possible yet for high bitrate recordings (see above).

   > The operating cost of the correlator has been much reduced with
     Mark 5-only operation.

   > MPI currently provides Disks for GMVA (mm) observations at
     VLBA stations.


OTHER

   > A 2nd Mark 5 unit has been procured for Effelsberg. It will most
     likely be setup as a Mark 5B system.

   > 100 TB of disk space have been supplied to the EVN disk pool.

   > MPIfR has agreed to take part in joint exploratory VLBI
     observations with Haystack at 2Gbit/s.


W.Alef