Checklist for Beginning Single-Star-Mode Observations at PTI

Items that can be done during daylight hours.

1. Preparing the Infrared Detector

Verify vacuum - should be around 10 microns
Check temperature - should be 77 K. NOTE: do not cool unless evacuated!
Use funnel to fill LN2 in the hole on top of the dewar.
Repeat procedure for secondary dewar.

2. Aligning the White-Light Source with the Boresighting Laser

Unblock boresight laser. Insert an ND4 or ND5 filter.
Put retroreflector in N beam path on table.
Adjust lens in front of microscope to center laser spot on circle on monitor.
Block boresight laser.
Turn White-light source on, at maximum intensity (voltage).
Adjust mirror stage next to WL source until WL spot is also aligned to circle on monitor.
Verify Laser blocked.
Remove ND filter from holder.
Remove retro-reflector from beam path.

3. Aligning the Delay-Line Metrology System

Verify delay lines are in "back" position.
Tweak delay line metrology.

4. Aligning the Detector

Put retro in N beam path.
Verify laser blocked.
Verify chop calibrate retros covered.
Turn WL source on, to ~1V.
On console type following commands:

ftFull
arrayDoWL

Align WL pixel using stage labeled "white-light" (not one near dewar)
Type "arrayDoSpec".
Align vertical part of spectrum using stage labeled "spec".
Place line filter in front of WL source.
Turn up WL source to ~4V.
Align spectral pixel horizontally.
Remove line filter from WL source.

5. Aligning the Single-Mode Fiber

Verify that line filter is not in beam path.
Verify Laser blocked.
Turn lights off in room.
Verify retro reflector in N beam path.
Type "ftABCD" on console.
Power-cycle multimeter.
Turn WL source on, adjusting brightness so multimeter reads ~2.5V.
Tweak (carefully) fiber stage, keeping arm out of WL source beam path.

Items to be done at dusk.

6. Preparing the Huts

Begin at twilight.
Open huts.
Turn air conditioners off.
Remove siderostat covers.
Remove vacuum pipe end cover.
Fold silver wrap out of beam path.
Place retro-reflector in position on table. Primary is to right; primary corner cube is marked.

7. Aligning the Long Stellar Beam Paths

Unblock Boresighting laser.
Use templates on beam-combiner table to align beams. NOTE: the white side of the template should face the delay lines.
Remove templates.
Remove retro-reflectors from beam paths in huts.
Place removable light-pipes in position.
Block boresighting laser.

8. Starting up the Data System and Sending Movable Parts to their "Home" Positions

In /home/pti/bin, type beginNight
Start gui by typing "g &" in /home/pti/bin.
Send N,S siderostats to home position.
Put Act, Psv delay lines in "off" state.
Activate "Fid Set" mode on Act, Psv delay line.
Type 3260 in Act delay line stroke field.
Send stroke.
Once fid set is complete, turn "off", then do "Stroke Set" on Act delay line.

9. Calibrating the Detector

Lights off.
Verify laser blocked
Verify retro out of beam path, WL source off.
Type "ftABCD"
When outside is dark enough that detector counts are ~12-13:
Type "ftCalLow" Wait until console reports cal done.
Put retro in beam path.
Turn WL source on, adjusting level so that detector reads ~1000 cts.
Type "ftCalHigh" wait for completion.
Turn WL off.
Take retro out.
Unblock laser.

10. Preparing the Acquisition System

Verify WL source off.
Verify retro out of beam path.
Unblock laser.
Turn off and then back on acq camera power using the remote buttons next to horatio.
[alternatively: acq off, "Hardware Reset", Click on "Reset" for both systems, wait 1-2 iterations;Turn off systems again.]
Do "Laser Boresight" on N,S systems.
Block laser.

11. Chop Calibrating the Star Tracker

Lights off in room.
Verify Laser blocked.
Verify retro reflector out of beam path.
Turn WL source on, to ~1.8V
DO NOT EXCEED 500,000 counts on star tracker
Uncover chop cal corner cubes.
In gui, do "chop cal" on both systems simultaneously
Do it again.
Turn WL source off.
Cover corner cubes.

12. To Begin Observing

Verify Laser blocked.
Verify retro out of beam path.
Verify WL source off.
Verify corner cubes covered.
Verify humidity, weather.
Sacrifice one small goat, making sure to splash its blood on the beam pipes.
You are ready to begin.
Use "create star list...", "browse catalog" to get to catalog window.
"Load current schedule" loads /home/pti/schedule/current_schedule.cat
Otherwise, type in the full path name [eg. /home/pti/schedule/mySchedule.cat"] and click "load"
Select star by highlighting
enter the observing time in the star list window (typically 30 sec).
Click "copy selected stars to starlist"; can use delete, move star up, move star down to adjust
Click "send list to sequencer"
If updating the list mid-observations, turn primary observe off, first.
Note that go to next star will complete a background before moving on; goto highlighted star moves immediately.

13. Shutting down

Send delay lines to "back" position.
Put siderostats in "stow" mode.
Type endNight to do an automated reduction and summary report.
Go out to huts and remove extension tubes.
Cover end of light pipes.
Put siderostat lids on.
Turn on air conditioning.
Close huts.