COVER INFORMATION Station: VLBA_NL (Code Nl ) Experiment: Image 3C120 at 90cm - calibrator test Exp. Code: bw067b Schedule Version: 1.00 Processed by SCHED version: Release of 02 July 2002 PI: Craig Walker Address: National Radio Astronomy Observatory P. O. Box O Socorro, New Mexico, 87801 U.S.A. Phone: 505 835 7247 EMAIL: cwalker@nrao.edu Fax: 505 835 7027 Phone during observation: 505 835 7247 Observing mode: 6cm 128-4-2 Notes: COVER LETTER: BW067A SUMMARY: This project needs about 100 hours times 45 baselines to meet the sensitivity requirements. This time can be accumulated in many separated sessions. One session should be a full track with all antennas to set the calibration and ensure full uv coverage. The other sessions can involve as little as 2 hours and as few as 6 antennas. The sessions can be run as filler in gaps between other projects. The observing frequency is 327 MHz. Tropospheric weather is not an issue - any conditions are ok. The ionosphere is a potential serious problem. For the next several months, 3C120 is a daytime object. We wish to start with a short test to see if this is a sufficiently serious problem to warrent postponing the start of the main observational sequence. The first session of 2 hours (BW067A) revealed that neither 3C120 nor 3C84 are strongly detected to MK, and to some extent, HN and SC. It was tricky getting delays etc for those sources. -------------------------------------------------------------------- For the second session, please observe for 2 to 4 hours with 6 or more antennas INCLUDING MK. That can be any 2-4 hours schedule. Then allow us to reduce the data to check to check the calibration sources. This is much like session A, except that we are trying different calibrators. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Here is the official dynamic scheduling sheet: ================================================================ Preferred Dynamic Contraints. Alter [defaults] as desired. ================================================================ Equipment constraints: Stations. Below each station code, the "o" indicates an [optional] station that is to be used if it is available. Change "o" to "r" if the station is required or change "o" to "n" if the station is not to be used. SC HN NL FD LA PT KP OV BR MK o o o o o o o o o r Minimum number of stations [6]: May we swap PT for a single VLA antenna? [yes] Consult http://www.aoc.nrao.edu/~gtaylor/y1gotcha.html to decide. If you adopt the default, then both PT and VLA1 must be in the stations list in the keyin file. Bands and polarizations. Below each band code, insert "R" if the righthand polarization is to be used, "L" if the lefthand polarization is to be used, "d" if dual polarizations are to be used, or "o" if the band is in your setups but scheduling should not be constrained by its availability. 90cm 50cm 20cm 13cm 6cm 4cm 2cm 1cm 7mm 3mm d Weather constraints: [appropriate for bands marked "L", "R", or "d" above and for at least the minimum number of stations] Date constraints: Preferred date(s), usually a series start [none]: Excluded dates plus reason [none]: Preferred interval between segments in days [none]: Special conditions (e.g., a series with different spacings in time) [See the comments at the top.]: Schedule for VLBA_NL (Code Nl ) Page 2 Image 3C120 at 90cm - calibrator test UP: D => Below limits; H => Below horizon mask. blank => Up. Early: Seconds between end of slew and start. Dwell: On source seconds. Tapes: Drive, Index, Start footage / Direction, Head Group, End footage. TPStart: Tape motion start time. Frequencies are LO sum (band edge). Automatic tape allocation specified. Tape positions are just estimates. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Start UT Source Start / Stop Early Tapes TPStart Stop UT LST EL AZ HA UP ParA Dwell (see above) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --- Sat 2 Aug 2003 Day 214 --- Next scan frequencies: 324.49 324.49 332.49 332.49 Next BBC frequencies: 824.49 824.49 832.49 832.49 Next scan bandwidths: 8.00 8.00 8.00 8.00 12 59 37 3C147 03 36 11 66.7 58.9 -2.1 -98.1 0 1 1 0 12 59 17 13 04 36 --- 03 41 11 67.5 58.5 -2.0 -99.3 299 F 1 2128 13 07 14 3C120 03 43 48 52.0 159.7 -0.8 -15.0 84 1 1 2128 13 06 54 13 27 10 --- 04 03 48 53.0 167.7 -0.5 -9.2 1197 F 1 10239 13 27 46 J0503+0203 04 04 25 48.1 157.6 -1.0 -16.6 20 1 1 10239 13 27 10 13 32 46 =0500+019 04 09 25 48.5 159.4 -0.9 -15.3 299 F 1 12475 13 33 03 J0459+0229 04 09 42 49.1 160.6 -0.8 -14.4 10 1 1 12475 13 32 46 13 38 03 =0457+024 04 14 42 49.4 162.4 -0.8 -13.0 299 F 1 14588 13 38 41 J0423-0120 04 15 21 46.9 177.0 -0.1 -2.2 23 1 1 14588 13 38 03 13 43 40 =0420-014 04 20 21 46.9 178.9 -0.1 -0.8 299 F 1 16838 13 44 48 J0431+2037 04 21 29 68.8 173.7 -0.2 -5.0 18 1 2 16838 13 44 28 13 49 47 =0428+205 04 26 29 68.8 176.9 -0.1 -2.5 299 R 1 16234 13 50 40 3C120 04 27 22 53.6 177.5 -0.1 -1.9 17 1 2 16234 13 50 20 14 10 37 --- 04 47 22 53.5 185.9 0.2 4.4 1197 R 1 8123 14 13 38 3C147 04 50 23 77.8 43.9 -0.9 -126.6 80 1 2 8123 14 13 18 14 18 37 --- 04 55 23 78.5 41.5 -0.8 -130.0 299 R 1 5995 14 21 47 3C120 04 58 34 53.2 190.5 0.4 7.8 84 1 3 5995 14 21 27 14 41 43 --- 05 18 34 52.2 198.6 0.8 13.8 1197 F 1 2117 14 42 17 J0503+0203 05 19 07 50.1 186.1 0.3 4.5 19 1 3 2117 14 41 43 14 47 16 =0500+019 05 24 07 50.0 188.0 0.3 6.0 299 F 1 4334 14 47 33 J0459+0229 05 24 24 50.3 189.6 0.4 7.1 10 1 3 4334 14 47 16 14 52 32 =0457+024 05 29 24 50.2 191.5 0.5 8.6 299 F 1 6443 14 53 13 J0423-0120 05 30 06 44.3 203.6 1.1 17.4 23 1 3 6443 14 52 53 14 58 13 =0420-014 05 35 06 43.9 205.3 1.2 18.6 299 F 1 8571 14 59 34 J0431+2037 05 36 27 64.8 218.1 1.1 29.4 33 1 3 8571 14 59 14 15 04 33 =0428+205 05 41 27 64.2 220.4 1.2 31.1 299 F 1 10699 Schedule for VLBA_NL (Code Nl ) Page 3 Image 3C120 at 90cm - calibrator test UP: D => Below limits; H => Below horizon mask. blank => Up. Early: Seconds between end of slew and start. Dwell: On source seconds. Tapes: Drive, Index, Start footage / Direction, Head Group, End footage. TPStart: Tape motion start time. Frequencies are LO sum (band edge). Automatic tape allocation specified. Tape positions are just estimates. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Start UT Source Start / Stop Early Tapes TPStart Stop UT LST EL AZ HA UP ParA Dwell (see above) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --- Sat 2 Aug 2003 Day 214 --- 15 05 33 3C120 05 42 28 50.5 207.7 1.2 20.4 27 1 4 10699 15 05 13 15 25 30 --- 06 02 28 48.5 214.8 1.5 25.3 1197 R 1 16389 15 30 01 3C147 06 07 00 80.9 334.6 0.4 150.3 185 1 4 16389 15 29 41 15 35 00 --- 06 12 00 80.5 330.4 0.5 145.2 299 R 1 14262 15 39 46 3C120 06 16 46 46.9 219.5 1.7 28.4 205 1 4 14262 15 39 26 15 59 42 --- 06 36 46 44.4 225.6 2.1 32.4 1197 R 1 6150 16 00 20 J0503+0203 06 37 23 45.0 214.3 1.6 24.9 24 1 4 6150 15 59 42 16 05 19 =0500+019 06 42 23 44.5 215.9 1.6 25.9 299 R 1 3905 16 05 37 J0459+0229 06 42 41 44.5 217.3 1.7 26.9 11 1 4 3905 16 05 19 16 10 36 =0457+024 06 47 41 43.9 218.9 1.8 27.9 299 R 1 1792 16 11 12 J0423-0120 06 48 17 35.9 226.8 2.4 32.9 14 1 5 1792 16 10 36 16 16 11 =0420-014 06 53 17 35.2 228.1 2.5 33.7 299 F 1 443 16 17 22 J0431+2037 06 54 28 53.2 246.1 2.4 46.8 29 1 5 443 16 17 02 16 22 22 =0428+205 06 59 28 52.4 247.4 2.5 47.4 299 F 1 2571 16 23 11 3C120 07 00 18 41.1 232.2 2.4 36.3 21 1 5 2571 16 22 51 16 43 08 --- 07 20 18 38.0 237.3 2.8 39.1 1197 F 1 10682 16 46 15 3C147 07 23 25 70.8 303.5 1.7 105.3 115 1 5 10682 16 45 55 16 51 14 --- 07 28 25 70.0 302.9 1.8 103.8 299 F 1 12810 SETUP FILE INFORMATION: NOTE: If DOPPLER, FREQ, or BW were used, see the individual scans for the final BBC settings. Setup file: bw051.set Matches group v5090n in /home/filehost/cwalker/sched/catalogs/freq.dat Setup group: 1 Station: VLBA Total bit rate: 128 Format: VLBA1:4 Bits per sample: 2 Sample rate: 16.000 Number of channels: 4 Passes/head pos: 1 Speedup factor: 2.00 Tape speeds: Low density - 133.330 ips, High density - 80.00 ips Time per pass for 17600 ft, High density tapes is: 00:44:00 1st LO= -500.00 -500.00 -500.00 -500.00 Net SB= U U U U Pol. = RCP LCP RCP LCP BBC = 1 2 3 4 BBC SB= U U U U IF = B D B D VLBA FE= omit 90cm omit 90cm VLBA Synth= 15.4 15.4 15.4 The following frequency sets based on this setup were used. Frequency Set: 1 Setup file default. Used pcal sets: 1 LO sum= 324.49 324.49 332.49 332.49 BBC fr= 824.49 824.49 832.49 832.49 Bandwd= 8.000 8.000 8.000 8.000 The following pulse cal sets were used with this setup: Pulse cal detection set: 1 PCAL = 1MHZ PCALXB1= S1 S3 S1 S3 S1 S2 S3 S4 PCALXB2= S2 S4 S2 S4 M1 M2 M3 M4 PCALFR1= 510 510 6510 6510 0 0 0 0 PCALFR2= 510 510 6510 6510 0 0 0 0 Track assignments are: track1= 2, 18, 3, 19 barrel=roll_auto SOURCE LIST -- Image 3C120 at 90cm - calibrator test Catalog positions marked with *. Precession of date coordinates is based on stop time of first scan. Names used in schedule marked with *. Short names used in VLA and SNAP files marked with +. Observation date used in B1950/J2000 coordinate conversion (PRECDATE): 1979.900 No adjustments are made for rates (DRA, DDEC). Source Source position (RA/Dec) (B1950) (J2000) (Date) * J0423-0120 04 20 43.539850 * 04 23 15.800727 04 23 25.332364 0420-014 -01 27 28.70002 *-01 20 33.06531 -01 19 55.38684 J0423-01 /home/filehost/cwalker/sched/catalogs/sources.vlba ICRF - Ext.1 Source - 1998 IERS Annual Report * J0431+2037 04 28 06.860997 * 04 31 03.755600 04 31 14.796086 0428+205 20 31 09.13027 * 20 37 34.25300 20 38 03.21541 J0431+20 /home/filehost/cwalker/sched/catalogs/sources.vlba VLA Calibrator Source List J0433+0521 04 30 31.602066 * 04 33 11.095535 04 33 21.042247 0430+052 05 14 59.61664 * 05 21 15.61942 05 21 48.72940 * 3C120 /home/filehost/cwalker/sched/catalogs/sources.vlba J0433+05 ICRF - Ext.1 Source - 1998 IERS Annual Report * J0459+0229 04 57 15.543484 * 04 59 52.050663 05 00 01.681291 0457+024 02 25 05.71848 * 02 29 31.17631 02 29 58.02112 J0459+02 /home/filehost/cwalker/sched/catalogs/sources.vlba ICRF - Ext.1 Source - 1998 IERS Annual Report * J0503+0203 05 00 45.174887 * 05 03 21.197178 05 03 30.780723 0500+019 01 58 53.96205 * 02 03 04.67638 02 03 30.68689 J0503+02 /home/filehost/cwalker/sched/catalogs/sources.vlba ICRF - Ext.1 Source - 1998 IERS Annual Report J0542+4951 05 38 43.517539 * 05 42 36.137917 05 42 50.102437 0538+498 49 49 42.83693 * 49 51 07.23356 49 51 10.80482 * 3C147 /home/filehost/cwalker/sched/catalogs/sources.vlba J0542+49 ICRF - Ext.1 Source - 1998 IERS Annual Report The solar corona can cause unstable phases for sources too close to the Sun. SCHED provides warnings at individual scans for distances less than 10 degrees. The distance from the Sun to each source in this schedule is: Source Sun distance (deg) J0423-0120 68.1 J0431+2037 60.6 3C120 63.7 J0459+0229 58.2 J0503+0203 57.6 3C147 49.1 Barry Clark estimates from predictions by Ketan Desai of IPM scattering sizes that the Sun will cause amplitude reductions on the longest VLBA baselines at a solar distance of 60deg F^(-0.6) where F is in GHz. For common VLBI bands, this is: 327 MHz 117. deg 610 MHz 81. deg 1.6 GHz 45. deg 2.3 GHz 36. deg 5.0 GHz 23. deg 8.4 GHz 17. deg 15.0 GHz 12. deg 22.0 GHz 9. deg 43.0 GHz 6. deg