To: European 3mm Telescope Schedulers Roberto Neri (Plateau de Bure) Clemens Thum (Pico Veleta) Michael Lindquist (Onsala) Ari Mujunen (Metsahovi) Alex Kraus (Effelsberg) From: Richard Porcas, European Global 3mm VLBI Scheduler Date: 13 February 2004 Subject: April 2004 Global 3mm VLBI Observations ---------------------------------------- Gentlemen, Now that agreement has been reached by all observatories on the draft schedule, we can consider this fixed. The Global 3mm VLBI session will start on 16 April at 2000 UT in Europe (17 April 0000h UT in the US) and end on 20 April at 0500 UT in Europe (1000 UT in the US). We can now proceed to the next phase of planning the session, which involves informing the Principal Investigators that they have observing time, constructing observing schedules and taking care of other logistical details. Note that the block schedule (repeated below) is the same as the draft version I sent on 6 February; I have added polarisation and recording bit-rate information. A few additional comments are: 1) Telescopes in Europe are Pico Veleta, Plateau de Bure, Effelsberg, Onsala(20m) and Metsahovi. Telescopes at the VLBA are HN NL FD LA PT KP OV MK. 2) Tape consumption: Each observatory needs a total of 8 thin tapes (or MK5A disk equivalent) to cover the Global 3mm session. 6 tapes will be used for the period covering GK023 - GP040. These projects will be observed using the standard 256 Mb/s mode, using an average tape consumption of no more than 2 tapes per day (or MK5A disk equivalent). 2 tapes (or MK5A disk equivalent) will be used (at 512 Mb/s) for GK024. At the VLBA these must both be empty at the start (UT 2100 on 19 April) since they will be used in parallel. 3) Metsahovi will use their new dual-polarization 3mm/2mm SIS receiver if it is delivered and tested in time; otherwise they will use the old, single (LHC) polarization Schottky RX. MK5 disk recording will almost certainly not be available. 4) Note that GB051 (and possible GK023) request dual polarization (LHC + RHC) observations at those observatories where this is possible (VLBA, Effelsberg, Pico Veleta, possibly Metsahovi). All other observations are single (LHC) polarization. 5) The observing schedules for most of the individual projects will be combined into a single observing schedule file. Thomas Krichbaum at MPIfR is responsible for this process; amongst other things it will allow a smooth transition from observing one source to the next in a staggered way across the global array with optimum use of the tape and disk resources, and inclusion of calibration sources for the general good in gaps. The PIs of the individual projects may wish to make their own initial schedule version, conforming to standard 3mm VLBI observing practice. They will be asked to submit this to Thomas, who will construct the final schedule version, in consultation with the VLBA analyst to plan VLBA tape change times. I imagine it would be wise to have a separate schedule file for GK024. 6) All observations will be correlated at the Bonn correlator. GLOBAL 3mm VLBI SESSION SCHEDULE APRIL 2004 ================================ ========== Code P.I. Project Pol. Mbps DAY UT-START UT-STOP ===== =========== =============== ==== ==== === ======================= GK023 Krichbaum 1633+382 L+R? 256 Eu 107 2000(16/04)-1100(17/04) US 108 0000(17/04)-1330(17/04) GA019 Agudo NRAO150 L 256 Eu 108 1300(17/04)-0100(18/04) US 108 1330(17/04)-0100(18/04) GK025 Klare 3C345 L 256 Eu 109 0100(18/04)-1500(18/04) US 109 0100(18/04)-1500(18/04) GB051 Bach 0716+714 L+R 256 Eu 109 1500(18/04)-0400(19/04) US 109 1500(18/04)-0400(19/04) GP040 Pagels 3C454.3 L 256 Eu 110 0400(19/04)-1430(19/04) US 110 0800(19/04)-2000(19/04) GK024 Krichbaum M87 L 512 Eu 110 1700(19/04)-0500(20/04) US 110 2100(19/04)-1000(20/04) =============================================================================== Regards Richard Porcas