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--- chara:operating_procedures [2022/01/10 19:45]
charaobs
+++ chara:operating_procedures [2022/02/01 15:42]
charaobs
@@ Line 97: / Line 97: @@
 Fill both chambers on the NIRO camera. Use the gloves and glasses provided on the shelf with the funnels and the thermos. It will normally take 1 liter of LN2 in the outer chamber and 1/2 liter in the inner chamber. Fill it until the LN2 bubbles out of the top. This camera is normally kept cool all the time, exceptions will be noted.\\
 \\
-Record that you filled the camera in the log book, noting time and camera filled. Note also the vacuum measurement for the MIRCX camera. If you do not observe due to weather, fire or closure, inform someone on the mountain before 2:30 pm so they can fill it for you.
+Record that you filled the camera in the log book, noting time and camera filled. The typical notation for NIRO is to write FF in the NIRO column to show both chambers were filled. Note that there is a morning and evening filling so follow the pattern.  Note also the vacuum measurement for the MIRCX camera. If you do not observe due to weather, fire or closure, inform someone on the mountain before 2:30 pm so they can fill it for you.
 .3 Alignment of the light path to the telescopes\\
@@ Line 118: / Line 118: @@
 Put the rail target onto delay lines (toward back of the room from home sensor) Make sure carts are at back of the rails. Check spot on back side of target. If alignment is bad at the back, follow instructions for BRT adjustments. (Printed sheet on metrology table) Remove rail target and return it to the spare table when done.
-.3.5 IR alignments are below in 2.4\\
+.3.5 Labao wfs camera covers and labao shutters\\
 \\
-.3.6 M10 Alignment
+Put the Covers on gently when doing the following alignment steps in the lab: IR mirror check to CLIMB or MIRC with alignment laser or beam combiner alignments with white light source or tiptilt Zabers alignment with alignment laser.
-Go to a computer anywhere to check the beam remotely at the telescopes. Check Vacuum Monitor that the vacuum is below 20 torr. Open telescope gui from pull down menu. Click TV [ON] to open the camera window and click [M10AL] on the control tab to change view to the M10 alignment view, click [M7 open] to open the M7 mirror cover. Center bright spot in beam on the black reference spot. (Note that S2 has a double spot in the center and a single spot to the lower right. The double spot is the correct one.) You may need to adjust the IRIS or the TV brightness to see the bright spot well. [BEAM] cycles the iris from open to closed and gives a good idea of where the center of the spot is. To adjust the position, use Pico 2 to select, for example, E2M10 → [MOVE] (use large steps ~ 100). Note that the up, down, left, and right buttons do no correspond to the actual directions the spot will move. When the spot is centered, click [M7 close] to close the mirror cover * click TV [OFF] to close the window
-\\
+Covers off after you remove the corner cubes from their bases.\\
-.3.7 Labao wfs camera covers and labao shutters\\
-\\
-**Put the Covers on** gently when doing the following alignment steps in the lab: IR mirror check to CLIMB or MIRC with alignment laser or beam combiner alignments with white light source or tiptilt Zabers alignment with alignment laser.
-**Covers off** after you remove the corner cubes from their bases.\\
 \\
 The labao cameras (just like the tiptilt camera) are safe during pop changes as long as you do not open any labao shutters. You will notice increased counts on the labao cameras (just like in the tiptilt camera) whenever ND=0 alignment laser is going through the system, but this is not harmful as long as the labao shutters are closed. While observing none of the labao shutters need to be or should be opened. As usual, dim the laser after you are done with the pop change to protect any camera in the lab from ghost reflections and scattered laser light.
-.4 Alignment of the IR light toward beam combiners
+.3.6 Alignment of the IR light toward beam combiners
 The IR mirrors on the beam samplers can be adjusted using Pico 2 controller to targets depending on which IR beam combiner is to be used.\\
@@ Line 139: / Line 132: @@
 For CLIMB 1, CLIMB 2 or CLASSIC, the removable 6-beam target should be placed in the clamps on the CLIMB table. This also applies to aligning CLIMB for fringe finding for PAVO.\\
 \\
-For MIRCX, the same target should be placed in the clamps on the MIRCX table. Place the target to the appropriate table, making sure it seats firmly in the clamps. Place the small corner cubes (labeled) on their bases at the BRTs. Make sure they seat firmly and correctly. Open IR shutters, send laser light using VISBEAMS gui to the position you want to check. Use a tablet to bring up Pico 2 gui. Click on icon in the menu or in xterm type: xpico2. Select the appropriate IR mirror for the beam you are about to adjust. For ex: S1IR. The Beam Sampler gui tells you which telescope is in the beam you are aligning. When done for all telescope to be used, remove target and place it above the CLASSIC/CLIMB table and remove corner cubes from their stands and place them to the side of the beam path. Remove the labao camera covers after you remove the corner cubes from their bases.
+For MIRCX, the same target should be placed in the clamps on the MIRCX table. Place the target to the appropriate table, making sure it seats firmly in the clamps. Cover the labao cameras if the labao server is running.  Place the small corner cubes (labeled) on their bases at the BRTs. Make sure they seat firmly and correctly. Open IR shutters, send laser light using VISBEAMS gui to the position you want to check. Use a tablet to bring up Pico 2 gui. Click on icon in the menu or in xterm type: xpico2. Select the appropriate IR mirror for the beam you are about to adjust. For ex: S1IR. The Beam Sampler gui tells you which telescope is in the beam you are aligning. Note that the IR picos move the beam the opposite direction that is labeled.  When done for all telescope to be used, remove target and place it above the CLASSIC/CLIMB table and remove corner cubes from their stands and place them to the side of the beam path. Remove the labao camera covers after you remove the corner cubes from their bases
-.5 Final steps in the lab
+\\
+.3.6 M10 Alignment
-If using CLASSIC or CLIMB, turn on the black box above the NIRO computer, and then turn on the silver box below it on the same cart. Remove cover on camera. Note which filter is reported on the filter wheel. If using MIRCX/MYSTIC, be sure to confirm the correct Prism or Grism is in.
+Go to a computer anywhere to check the beam remotely at the telescopes. Check Vacuum Monitor that the vacuum is below 20 torr. Open telescope gui from pull down menu. Click TV [ON] to open the camera window and click [M10AL] on the control tab to change view to the M10 alignment view, click [M7 open] to open the M7 mirror cover. Center bright spot in beam on the black reference spot. (Note that S2 has a double spot in the center and a single spot to the lower right. The double spot is the correct one.) You may need to adjust the IRIS or the TV brightness to see the bright spot well. [BEAM] cycles the iris from open to closed and gives a good idea of where the center of the spot is. To adjust the position, use Pico 2 to select, for example, E2M10 → [MOVE] (use large steps ~ 100). Note that the up, down, left, and right buttons do no correspond to the actual directions the spot will move. When the spot is centered, click [M7 close] to close the mirror cover * click TV [OFF] to close the window.  These alignments can also be done in the control room or by the observer.  If they are not done with the other alignments, please let the observer know they need to be done before observing.
+\\
+.4 Final steps in the lab
+If using CLASSIC or CLIMB, turn on the black box above the NIRO computer, and then turn on the silver box below it on the same cart. Remove cover on camera. Note which filter is reported on the filter wheel. The NIRO CPU has clock troubles so it might be beneficial to power the computer on using the NIRO CPU button Rack 2 on the POWER gui.  If all 3 LED's on the back of the computer are lit, with the green LED's blinking slowly and quickly, then the clock is likely correct.
+If using MIRCX/MYSTIC, be sure to confirm the correct Prism or Grism is in as requested in the setup request email.
 On the Metrology table inside the lab, turn on two blue amplifiers for metrology laser (on button is labeled "line") The units will hum when on. Turn the key to ON on the laser power box to put metrology laser on standby.
+Make sure all lights are turned off in the ople room and the lab when leaving the inner lab.
 Be sure to inform the MIRCX/MYSTIC PI that you are done in the lab and that it is ok to start any alignments or STS recording that is desired. All further steps will be outside the optical lab.
-.6 Starting up the new OPLE system and Metrology (Added 08/10/21 - Chris)
+.5 Starting up the new OPLE system and Metrology (Added 08/10/21 - Chris)
 Go out to the computer area, turn the metrology laser on, and go back to the control room to complete alignment for 30 minutes while the laser warms up.
@@ Line 177: / Line 180: @@
 === Setting up Computer in the Control Room ===
-Updated 04 NOV 2021 by Norm
+Updated JAN 2022 by Norm
 .1 General Overview of Control Room computer setup
@@ Line 187: / Line 190: @@
 The first thing to start is the Ople server so you can let the MIRCX and MYSTIC observers know it is running. Some will start the STS data recording before Ople is started, but others may want it running.
-Turn on the following from the POWER GUI: To change the setting on the power GUI, unclick LOCK, make change, re-click LOCK. Under RACK_2, turn on [METSCOPE] (button will turn green when ON). If observing with CLASSIC or CLIMB2, turn on [NIRO CPU] and [CLS-DITH] on RACK_2. If observing with CLIMB1, turn on [NIRO CPU] on RACK_2 and [CLM-DITH] on RACK_3. For each telescope using lab tiptilt, turn on [TIP/TILT].
+The following windows should be opened on computer screen 1 (these are usually kept open all the time): Telescope monitor, Beam Samplers and PoPs, Visbeams, Shutters and Laser Filter Wheel, Iris, Metrology Laser and Metrology Monitor, Sockman, Pico 2, Power, Weather, and a terminal for opening popperigtk.
+Turn on the following from the POWER GUI: To change the setting on the power GUI, unclick LOCK, make change, re-click LOCK. Under RACK_2, turn on [METSCOPE] (button will turn green when ON). If observing with CLASSIC or CLIMB2, turn on [NIRO CPU] and [CLS-DITH] on RACK_2. If observing with CLIMB1, turn on [NIRO CPU] on RACK_2 and [CLM-DITH] on RACK_3. For each telescope, turn on [TIP/TILT].
 .3 Servers required for observing
-Servers can be opened from the pop up menu at bottom of screen 1, using the black platter icon or using the Observation Setup icon which opens them all automatically. The GPS server and the METROL server should always stay on and remain on screen 1. Close and re-open all Telescope servers after UT 0h, (because of tiptilt connection issues) in screen 2. Open Primary OPLE gui, Open Classic, Climb1, or Climb2 if needed, Open Tiptilt Server if needed, Open Metrology Monitor (METROL) gui, (upper right of screen 1), this gui usually remains open. Open Metrology Laser (METLAS) gui, (upper right of screen 1), this gui usually remains open.
+Servers can be opened from the pop up menu at bottom of screen 1, using the black platter icon or using the Observation Setup icon which opens them all automatically. The GPS server and the METROL server should always stay on and remain on screen 1. Close and re-open all Telescope servers after UT 0h, (because of tiptilt connection issues) in screen 2. Open Primary OPLE gui, Open Classic, Climb1, or Climb2 if needed, Open Tiptilt Server if needed, open Labao servers as needed, Open Metrology Monitor (METROL) gui, (upper right of screen 1), this gui usually remains open. Open Metrology Laser (METLAS) gui, (upper right of screen 1), this gui usually remains open.
 .4 Open Telescope guis, or obsgtks from icons on desktop
@@ Line 209: / Line 214: @@
 If using the CHAPMtoMet feature, once the OPLE server has fully started, please check sockman for CHAMPtoMet. If it is running, then MIRC is ok to start. If it is not running, log into the ople computer and run the command : CHAMPtoMet This is case sensitive. This is not the usual mode of controlling the carts.
-.7 Using the Cosmic Debris job sequencer
+.7 Setting up the Cosmic Debris job sequencer
 Open Cosmic Debris, CD for short, from the desktop icon. On the CONFIGURE tab, check to make sure the PoPs and telescope beam assignments agree with the white board or the setup email. If the POPs are wrong on CD, then open the "PoPs" gui, click on the [Overview] button on the PoPs gui. If nonsense comes up in the overview, then click [FLUSH] and then [REOPEN] on the PoPs gui, then click [UPDATE] on the PoPs Overview. If the PoPs Overview is now correct, then click the [GET] button on the CD Control Tab, this should update the PoPs. If the beams are not assigned correctly, move the beams accordingly to the proper telescope using the BeamSampler GUI and click [GET] on CD to update. These values can all be set manually if the GET function does not set them correctly. Select the active telescopes on the tab labeled "Configure", choose a suitable reference cart, using the same one from the night before to make fringe finding easier. After everything is set correctly, then click [SEND] on Cosmic Debris to send the active scope information to Ople.\\
@@ Line 218: / Line 223: @@
 Synchronizing the clocks is very important for positional calculations of the telescopes and ople carts. All clocks are synchronized with the [SYNC CLOCKS] button on Cosmic Debris. Push the button, and after 17 seconds, a series of messages will display on CD to indicate that the various systems and servers are sync'ed. Check the OPLE server to confirm that the OPLE Tm clock is the same as CHARA time and that the error in the parentheses is (0) or (1). A reading of (0) and (-1) may cause problems as the clock is synced one second off from usual. Use [SYNC CLOCKS] again to get the OPLE errors to (0) or (1). A reading of a different time with (!!) behind it means the clocks have not been synced.
-.9
+.9. Beacon Alignments
-The following windows should be opened on computer screen 1 (these are usually kept open all the time): Telescope monitor, Beam Samplers and PoPs, Visbeams, Shutters and Laser Filter Wheel, Iris, Metrology Laser and Metrology Monitor, Sockman, Pico 2, Power, Weather, and a terminal for opening popperigtk.
+The beacons wil<font 14px/Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;;inherit;;inherit>l need to be aligned before g</font>oing on sky and are usually done after the lab is aligned and before sunset. It consists of opening the proper mirror, beacon and fiber covers, turning on the LED's and tel WFS cameras and labao displays, and aligning and focusing the red and blue LED's to the respective boxes on the tel WFS and labao.
-.10
+In the WFS tab of the telescope GUI or the CONTROL tab of the obsgtk, turn on the red and blue LED’s, open the fiber covers, then beacon flat covers. The CAMERALINK and WFS server are now part of Bootlaunch script and the ANDOR camera power should always be on in the POWER gui. Open M5 and M7 covers.
+In the WFS GUI or obsgtk, turn the cooler on (COOL ON) and open the camera shutter (SOPEN) or SHUTTER (OPEN/CLOSE), then CameraLink on (CL ON) if it is off, Camera on (CAM ON), and start TWFS display (MOVIE). For the scopes with DMs, use the POWER ON button on the WFS GUI (WFS/AO tab) to power the DM on, make sure that the DM current and temperature are displaying numbers. Press LAST FLAT to make sure that the last sky flat is loaded. If for some reason that flat is not good, going back to DEF FLAT will load the original default flat from the lab
+Turn on the ACQ camera in the obsgtk. Make sure that the red beacon is going through the hole in the acquisition display. If not, use Beacon UP/DOWN etc buttons on a HUT gui or WFS tab on the obsgtk to move it into the hole. Look for spots to be in boxes on the WFS display. Turn on the boxes on the obsgtk (NOBOX) to see how the alignment is. The boxes may be in the default position or may be moved to a position that worked better when observing. Align to whichever gives a more even illumination of spots in the boxes. As the red beacon is bright, use low gains, ie. 30-50 for the BARE dichroic or 200 for the IR dichroic, to make these alignments. If the red beacon spots on the WFS display are in the boxes, press (ALIGN BEACON) on the ALIGN tab on the TWFS GUI or (ALIGN) TELWFS: on the obsgtk, wait for completion. The default maximum number of tries is 10 so if it is not aligned before it ends, repeat the step if needed.
+Turn labao camera (ON) and (START) the display. Make a dark with the MKDRK button in the LABAO section of the obsgtk. Turn on the blue beacon. The blue beacon should show spots on the LABAO display. Adjust the FPS lower if they are dim. If the spots are not in the boxes, set the M7 mirror to the default position, then use the DICHROIC buttons on the WFS tab of the telescope gui, obsgtk or HUT gtk to get them in the boxes before using the auto align of the labao. If the spots are inside the boxes, then press (SCOPE DICH) button in the ALIGN tab on the LABAO GUI or the (ALIGN) LABAO: on the obsgtk to align the spots.
+If the spots do not show at all in the labao, the scope dichroic is likely out of alignment. Turn on the lab laser and set it to ND 4.0. Use the Dichroic controls to make the laser spots match the blue beacon spots on the ACQ camera view. If they are way off or not visible in the ACQ, you can hit the button for the appropriate dichroic in the HUT gui and it will set the dichroic to its last saved default position.
+Note the focus term on both the TWFS and LABAO GUIs or obsgtks. The next steps will minimize both focus terms. Start with the (BEACON FOC) button on the ALIGN tab of the LABAO GUI or (FOCUS) LABAO: on obsgtk, wait until the procedure finishes. Then use the (FOCUS WFS) button on the ALIGN tab of the TWFS GUI or (FOCUS) TELWFS: on the obsgtk and wait for completion. Note that focusing the beacons does not work when the spots are not reasonably centered. Always get the spots well into the boxes first before focusing. Sometimes it helps to repeat the scope dichroic alignment and focus as each needs the other to be close to align well.
 See the instruments page for information about starting different instruments at the beginning of the night:\\
@@ Line 240: / Line 255: @@
 .2 Humidity
-Only open the telescopes if the humidity is steady or dropping, at 75% or below. If the roofs outside the control room are ever dripping, then the telescopes should not be opened or should be closed immediately. If when starting out, the RH is above 80%, do not open unless it drops to below 75% and stays there for at least 30 minutes. Be aware that if the RH is at 100% for many hours, things will be very wet, even if the RH drops dramatically below 75%.  If you do open after that, be wary and watch the RH, and if it starts rising, be prepared to close. Closing up takes about 5 minutes, so be ready for that. The array operator is in charge of protecting the telescopes and makes the final decision on whether the conditions are safe to open. If the RH is low at the beginning of the night, and rises after you are already open, the array operator should inform the PI around 70-75%, and start closing between 80-85%. Other humidity warning signs are: 1) water dripping oﬀ the OPLE building (or wet spots on the asphalt straight down from the eaves); 2) cold, clammy feel to metal objects such as railings; and 3) dew forming on the parked cars. It is important to note that the humidity can rise from 50% to 80% in as little as 10 minutes, so please keep a close eye on the rate of change of the humidity plots. It can also rain or hail from small, passing clouds when the humidity is quite low, even 40% RH or lower. Operators have been surprised before by small puffy clouds in unsettled air with low humidity. If in doubt, stay closed. The HPWREN webcams are a good resource to view the bottoms of clouds. If there is any virga, the clouds are holding moisture and try to rain out. Stay closed if you see anything streaming below the clouds.
+Only open the telescopes if the humidity is steady or dropping, at 75% or below. If the roofs outside the control room are ever dripping, then the telescopes should not be opened or should be closed immediately. If when starting out, the RH is above 80%, do not open unless it drops to below 75% and stays there for at least 30 minutes. Be aware that if the RH is at 100% for many hours, things will be very wet, even if the RH drops dramatically below 75%. If you do open after that, be wary and watch the RH, and if it starts rising, be prepared to close. Closing up takes about 5 minutes, so be ready for that. The array operator is in charge of protecting the telescopes and makes the final decision on whether the conditions are safe to open. If the RH is low at the beginning of the night, and rises after you are already open, the array operator should inform the PI around 70-75%, and start closing between 80-85%. Other humidity warning signs are: 1) water dripping oﬀ the OPLE building (or wet spots on the asphalt straight down from the eaves); 2) cold, clammy feel to metal objects such as railings; and 3) dew forming on the parked cars. It is important to note that the humidity can rise from 50% to 80% in as little as 10 minutes, so please keep a close eye on the rate of change of the humidity plots. It can also rain or hail from small, passing clouds when the humidity is quite low, even 40% RH or lower. Operators have been surprised before by small puffy clouds in unsettled air with low humidity. If in doubt, stay closed. The HPWREN webcams are a good resource to view the bottoms of clouds. If there is any virga, the clouds are holding moisture and try to rain out. Stay closed if you see anything streaming below the clouds.
 .3 Dust
@@ Line 285: / Line 300: @@
 You can begin opening the telescope domes and enclosures at least two hours before sunset. The white board has times written down that the domes can be fully opened. This happens when the sun is below 35º. Before this time, the domes can be vented by partially opening them. This will help air out the domes and improve seeing at the start of the night. Hot days benefit from an earlier opening to allow the scopes to cool. Before opening the domes make sure to check the current weather conditions and the forecast to make sure conditions are safe to open and are likely to be stable as you wait for it to get dark. Also confirm that Robert or Narsi have finished the alignments in the lab or the control room as opening the domes may interupt their alignments. Call the computer room at #424 if you do not see either of them. Monitor the progress of opening the domes by turning the televisions [ON] using the telescope GUIs. Click [SPY1] to view the dome slit. In the summer, when the sun is higher overhead, use the Dome GUI for each telescope to position the domes in the anti-sun position using the RA/DEC tab and the ANTI-SUN setting for AUTODOME. This will position the dome slit opposite the sun so that you can vent or open the slit well before sunset. You may also go to the Dome Tab on the Dome GUI, manually enter an anti-sun azimuth value from 70º-110º in the text box on the right, and press [GOTO]. This will move the dome slit to the east and opposite the sun. When the domes are facing east (and all lab alignments, dichroic changes or coude alignments are finished), click [UNL SL] and [SLIT] on the Control Tab of the obsgtk GUI to open the dome slit fully. If opening very early, use [UNL SL] and [VENT] to open it halfway. Be sure to open them fully when the sun has reached 35º for maximum cooling.
-Opening the M5 mirror cover also helps to cool the AO box by allowing the warm air to rise out of the box and cooler air to flow in from below the telescope.  It can be opened early while doing the alignments in the lab.
+Opening the M5 mirror cover also helps to cool the AO box by allowing the warm air to rise out of the box and cooler air to flow in from below the telescope. It can be opened early while doing the alignments in the lab.
 [NOT YET OPERATIONAL] On the enclosure GUI, click the [OBSERVE] button to open the lower cylinders to the observe position. Wait for the slit and enclosures to open to .300 and then wait for the sun to go down.
@@ Line 313: / Line 328: @@
 Make sure all carts are tracking to values between 0 and 44m. You might have to click [TRACK] for the reference cart on the OPLE Control Tab. The [OL] buttons should be depressed gray for ALL active scopes (including the reference cart). The [MAN] buttons should be depressed gray for the moving carts to allow the beam combiners to send manual offsets to the carts. (The [MAN] button for the reference cart should be green.)
-When the telescope slew finishes, check the SPY 1 to make sure that the domes are aligned with the telescope if no star shows up in the ACQ or Finder cameras.
+When the telescope slew finishes, check the SPY 1 to make sure that the domes are aligned with the telescope if no star shows up in the ACQ or Finder cameras. If the star is not in the ACQ window, go to the FIND window and do the same, then return to the ACQ window and repeat.
+Locking Tiptilt using the telescope WFS
-For instructions on using the Telescope Tiptilt with beacon alignments, refer to the document [[http://docs.google.com/document/d/1TnLxWaAw42DZwh7l6_wPfe_CpIfT935_aShK0ymBX1o|WFS TT Alignment and Usage]].
+Before locking the star, align the twfs to the red beacon, align the blue beacon to the labao, focus the labao and then focus the twfs. Turn off the red LED and you are ready to lock the star.
-To lock the star, hit [MOVE] on the Main Tab of the Telescope GUI and then click the right star to bring the star to the ACQ hole. If the star is not in the ACQ window, go to the FIND window and do the same, then return to the ACQ window and repeat.
+To lock the star, hit [MOVE] on the Main Tab of the Telescope GUI and then click the right star to bring the star to the ACQ hole. Turn on the TWFS tiptilt and DM servo on scopes that have it. Make sure the twfs tiptilt spots window show green dots that show the servo is tracking. Turn on the labao servo and auto M7 on all scopes.
 .6 Locking Tiptilt (when using lab tiptilt)

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