OBSERVING PROCEDURE AT OVSA

Time: observation typically starts at 7:40 CA, 10:40 NJ
but it is good to try earlier enough

Start vnc & login
supposed to see three windows: SCHEDULER, ARCHIVE, WATCHER 

-------------------------------
SCHEDULER
-------------------------------

Schedule the target active region

	left panel: click  [REG.] 
	right panel: select the region (e.g. AR61)
	left panel: select all
	[save]
	[Star] button
	[Go] button

check: 

	if the time in the left panel up 
	matches the right panel
	if not, use command tool box and type
	E:\ephem\Regions.noa

after making changes, should see "waiting" in the staus column in 
Scheduler


Schedule the Calibrator:

	uptime --> check calibrator's rise time
	(set - rise time = 8hr - 6min)
	3c84 is good but it sets at 18:82
	2c273 has structure and be avoided as much as possible
	2c289 is better


Two things important:

1. Support RHESSI

 E>\working>type \ephem\hessi.obs
	do calibration during HESSI nights 
	(OVSA cal=20 min, HESI night >=30min)
	In scheduler, left panel select the calibrator,
	use buttion [Advance+1] or [-1] to advance,
	[save] - overwrite? [yes]
	[go]  

2. Support the VLA solar observation

----------------------------------
ARCHIVE window
----------------------------------
check:
	if wrong the ARCHIVE windows says Blanck items
Need to close:
	start watcher
	if watcher stuck, then close watcher & start again

--------Check daily.arc file
-check yesterday in www.ovsa.njit.edu

E:\working> dir daily.arc
launcher--click daily.arc--Truncate
	(it will rename it) 
If Launcher does not do it,
E:\working> dir i220*
E:\working> del daily.arc (only after i220* file existence is verified)

NB: daily.arc is important until new one is written.

start archive again

------------------
WATCHER
------------------
check watcher to see if something wrong happens

or

-Activity history (if drop below 1, some antenna missing)
>screendump
	if antenna "LOST" --> tell Kjell via email or text
	if "BAD" goto scheduler bottom command line box
	type, e.g. 
	>4 ant-disable (meaning disregard #4, proceed with others) 
	or if later found OK, type
	>4 ant-enable

check:
	in the morning
	console--check hessi time
	[save]
	[go]


-------------------------------
WHEN GOES WRONG
-------------------------------

1. reboot cpc

If CPC hangs up  data stop coming into APC, & need to reboot CPC 

(sometimes this solves ant missing problem)

How do we know? -known from various unexplicable symptoms

To reboot CPC, (power strip at OVSA is controlled via web)

login to the web page
choose [cpc] in the left, --right--action--reboot
apply
logout

whenever rebooting cpc, do
e:\working>cpcinit (just once after every reboot)
screendump will help
e:\working>type startup*

In scheduler
"interrupt request" shows up
new schedule ends
close & start next line after the interpped

2. When some error msg like "config segment not found"

close watcher
close frozen ...
check file
if no --> truncate, and del daily.arc
if yes --> delete daily.arc

3. other tips

-use solaid to monitor observation

-avoid closing archiev during a day

-To reboot apc: try the reboot button in the program menu in 
 the lower-left cornor, use apc power down only if apc unreachable)

-never shutdown web server