  JEMX SDAST CHAT MEETING #66  : September 26th 2002
  
  
 Participants: Peter Kretschmar, Carol Anne Oxborrow, Stefan Larsson, 
 		Sami Maisala
 Subjects discussed: OBT string format
 	PVPhase operations: OEM display,
 		Data base version
 		DSRI Workstation at ISDC
 		NRT Access to raw telemetry: an IBAS tool?
 	Open SCREWs/SPRs: OSA trial
 	Lightcurves and Cyg X-1 observation in PVPHASE
 	Background handling, artificial models PVPhase background models plan
 	
 		
 Action Items

AI020926_1	SM,NJW  17/10/02 Make PVPhase plan for making background models
OPEN			using the observations planned for the PVPhase with
			details of how each model will be determined.
 

*** peter (~pkretsch@isdcsf4.unige.ch) has joined channel #jemxadr
<peter> Hi there Carol Anne!
> Hi Peter: Ihaven't heard from the People in the Frozen North, so let's see 
> who turns up. Just a quick question before the system goes down again:
> what are the unit of OBTs in 20 character format, still 2^(-20) secs? END
<peter> Yes, but that assumes that the on-board clock is working prefectly, so 
one has to be a bit careful in using this. END
> And the 20 character format is just a regular decimal integer indicating
> how many 2^(-20)second ticks there have been (assuming the clock's working
> properly etc. etc)? END
*** smaisala (~smaisala@gemini.astro.helsinki.fi) has joined channel #jemxadr
> NJW is sick with a cold, so he won't be joining us. END
<peter> Yes, that's correct. Please note that if stored in tables, these 20 
digits are recorded as strings. END
<smaisala> Hi There ! End
<peter> Hi Sami, nice to have you here - 13:30 seems to work much better than 
the morning :-) END
> Hi Sami - got to `see' you! How's the weather - is it raining like here? END
<peter> I'm sorry to hear NJW is not here. Today he had the honor to be the 
subject of SPR 2000! END
*** larsson (~larsson@tenma.dsri.dk) has joined channel #jemxadr
> `got' should be `good' END
> Hi Stefan - good to see you too!
<smaisala> Absolutely :-) . The weather is cold but it's not raining. END
> I don't think Silvia will be joining us, and NJW's got a cold, so let's get
> started. First PVPhase operations at ISDC. Any thing you want to ask before
<larsson> Hi. (phone call but I am with you now). END
> I start on the list of queries from DSRI? END
<peter> No
> You've got nothing you want to tell us Peter????!!! I'm amazed. Sami and 
Stefan? END
<larsson> About what?
> PVPhase operations.
<larsson> No. END
> I've had a couple of SCREWs rejected by the CCB: one was on OEMs being
> easily readable from IOSM: this still needs to be done though it's really
> the jemx_display settings that need to be changed/updated/whatever, does this
> require a new SCREW, Peter. END
<peter> Well, you could have easily enough seen them by chosing the right button
 on the menu on the left. But I will integrate one display in my standard 
 displays. These are not under CC yet. END
<peter> The correct button, just to be clear, cant remember the name right now.
 END
> We didn't really get to play much with IOSM last week because there was so 
much
> else to do, but no one seemed to be aware that we could view OEMs. We picked
> up quite a few loose ends etc. which gave rise to the flurry of SPRs/SCREWs.
> Next on my list: availabilty of raw HK, ECAL, DUMP and DIAG data, even during
> private time: our hardware guys really need fast access to this through ISDC
> once they leave MOC. Up to last week I wasn't aware that we'd be supporting
> the hardware guys in quite this way, but that's what they say they need
> for routine operations monitoring. I know Soeren and Niels have sent various
> emails: what's happening at your end Peter, and who's in charge of this sort
> of thing? END
<peter> The funny thing about this, is that the hardware people have requested 
it since years. They have been told for years that it was _not_ part of the 
agreed setup and both sides have continued ignoring the issue. END
<peter> Until now, that should be. Here Jurek and Roland are the people to talk
 to. Nami should probably be cc-ed for information. END
> Surely whoever's at ISDC as IR will have access to the raw binary telemetry
> in nearly-NRT just by working on the office network? END
<peter> No, _not_ surely, as we do not copy currently raw TM anywhere. 
<peter> We have a TM archive but that is already FITS wrapped and thus not 
quite what Sren and Niels etc would want. 
<peter> Niels has made a smart proposal in that we have a raw TM redistributor 
that sets up on the IBAS system.
> Yes, for people who claim to be astronomers they're not very fond of FITS!
<peter> This would work (as far as I can tell), but needs to be formally agreed
 by ISDC.
> Yes, perhaps we should push a little harder on that one: we can certainly
> make a filter that takes all the packets with relevant APIDs. END
<peter> And maybe even by the project. ESA's line for several years has been 
that the PV phase should make sure that ISDC can do all monitoring tasks 
routinely and after that now raw TM has to go to instrument teams except in ...
<peter> dramatic circumstances. END
<peter> Personally I like the proposal. But if this now is a little stiff in 
implementation, the reason is that for the last 5 years or so a different 
requirement was put on us. END
> Okay, let's move onto another rejected SCREW: the one on JMXi-CSSW-CNV having
<peter> The worry on our side (and ESA's) is also that if some checks are only 
done with your machines on raw TM then there might be soon noone able to do 
them, as people in hardware sites often move to new projects soon. END
> a keyword to indicate the data base version used to do the conversion. The
> data structures has something called DB_VERS as a keyword upto templates 1.5.2
> why was this removed? END
<peter> No idea? I can inquire.
> Thanks, that'd help me alot at this end, Peter. END
> Soeren has proposed we bring a workstation down to ISDC, with us buying
> the monitor and a printer/scanner/copier in Switzerland through your
> supplier (surely you get a rebate somewhere)? Who do we approach to get the
> purchasing done? END
<peter> Alain END
<peter> And yes we usually get decent rebates. END
> Okay we'll try and get this arranged pretty soon. END
> That's all my PV questions, any comments? END
* oxborrow Next on the agenda: outstanding 
<peter> No, except that for all this you better move fast. END
> SPRs: are we almost bug-free? END
<peter> We were, until the OSA trial today ...
<peter> Now we have three new ones: 1999, 2000 and 2001. 2000 is on NJW, the 
other two on me. END
<peter> Roland and me wrote 2000 together (we didn't know it was 2000) and were
 both proud to have hit the magic number :-) END
<peter> Actually it is a severe case of obsolete GTI access,
<peter> END
> You can't imagine how happy I am to hear that there are no new ones on me! END
<peter> Just wait until Roland plays more with your new code ... stuff seems to
 fail for him that works for everyone else.
<peter> He started to wonder if we had put up a branch just for him :-) END
> I still have the sprurious alerts from j_prp_verify to deal with: what about
> Stefan and Sami: are you lists of SPRs down into single digits? END
<larsson> My number should be null (for the momen). END
<larsson> momen = moment. END
<peter> Yes, but I am really waiting for the redelivery of j_src_lc. END
> That's good to hear, Stefan. How's light curves coming along? END
<smaisala> I hope it's still zero :-) END
<larsson> Yes Peter thats bigger than a bunch of screws.... END
<peter> Zero it is for Sami. NJW has still one open, and we three have SCERW 
805 too. END
<peter> Stefan: it would be really useful to have j_src_lc working before the 
Cygnus observations as we may need to assess Cyg X-1's state by timing analysis.
<larsson> Yes Peter, actually I am interested in looking at lightcurves
<larsson> for Cyg X-1 too. So I realy whant to finnish in time for that.
<larsson> END
<peter> You might want to get into contact with Katja Pottschmidt for this 
business. She has done her PhD on Cyg X-1 and will have the task here to 
monitor it. END
<larsson> OK Peter I will. END
> Shall we move on? Sami: background handling. How's it going,both automatically
> and interactively? END
<smaisala> I hope automatically is working fine (How it is working Peter?) and 
I'm just coding the IBH. END
> Is there any particular PHPhase work planned to assess the quality of the
> automatic background handling? END
<peter> There should be. END
<peter> The automatic part is working correctly for the moment, but the used 
models are very artificial still. END
<smaisala> And they will be before actual data! END
> So which actual data is going to be used for the models, during which part of
<peter> I would be very happy to have Niels Jrgen and Sami join forces to have the data used by the JEM-X OSim as model too. END
> PVPhase - do you have any particular observations planned Sami? END
<smaisala> No END
> I think this particular activity should be firmed up a little so that we have
> a clear strategy and plan laid out before launch of what we're going to use
> and how we're going to make models. END
<peter> I fully agree. While he is extremely busy already, I fear Niels Jrgen 
should make a rough plan. END
> Shall we put a joint AI on NJW and SM to get a background handling plan made
> for PHPhase? END
<smaisala> OK. END
> Next, AI list - has anyone done anything on the AI list? END
<peter> Not me, but I don't think there is something for me there. END
> Scarily, most of the AIs are on NJW - so no wonder there's not much response
> here. He must be quite snowed under. Next: Monthly report. This will be the 
last
<peter> Btw, I've just managed for the firts time to get a binned JEM-X 
lightcurve. END
> report before launch, so we'd better make it good. PLEASE let me have 
information
> about anything you've done in September, and even the first week of October.
> Congratulations Peter, that means our pipeline is almost complete. Perhaps we
> should celebrate once j_src_lc is up and running. END
<larsson> I have to go to a meeting. Do you have any question for me first? END
<peter> Nothing from me. END
> No, I think that's everything. Have a good meeting! Have a good weekend! END
<larsson> THANKS Peter! :-) END
<larsson> Fine. "see" you. END
*** Signoff: larsson ()
> I have no other business, what about the rest of you? END
<peter> Nothing here either. More and more people are running succesfully our 
scripts even though we still find bugs (and will continue to do so for a while).
 END
> That's great - Soeren sticks by the idea that a system with no known bugs is
> and untested system - so it's great that our system's being tested and used. 
END
> Have a good weekend everyone: I have to go now. END
<peter> He is right in this point'! END
<peter> Goodbye 
<smaisala> See you. END
*** Signoff: peter (ircII/tkirc)
*** Signoff: smaisala ([x]chat)
