Gene, Danny:

This is my recommendation for the MEX bistatic radar operation Saturday
evening (Pacific time).

This is essentially the same experiment as we did Thursday except that
everything is earlier by about an hour.  The spacecraft attitude is fixed, so
there will be a surface echo for no more than 10 minutes.  LCP will be
stronger than RCP; but both will be very weak.  We need to use a FRO for both
S- and X-Band; on X-Band these will be different for 25 and 100 kHz and they
will be entered at different times.  There is an egress occultation around
03:05; if the station is ready, we could begin recording at 03:00 to catch it
(in fact, there's an ingress at 02:57 if they are REALLY early).  The slew
angle from Earth point is 102 deg, so the pace around MiniCal time is
relaxed.

This is the second BSR at DSS 43 since the station went down for its overhaul
last July.  Our next BSR is with VENUS Express on 23 May, also at DSS 43.

I will monitor this one by phone.  I'll plan to call in first after the pre-
cal has started.  If you need to reach me, the number is 530-426-3536; there
is an answering machine in case you want to leave a message before I get in.

Dick

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2006/113
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01:20  Begin Pre-cal at DSS 43
       FGAIN = 60 dB (all channels)
       FRO_X = 0; FRO_S = 0 (changes later)
       Start 4-channel 25 kHz recordings after Step 4
       Stop 25 kHz recording after Step 18

02:50  If the station is ready, begin 25 kHz recording to catch 02:57 ingress
03:00  and/or 03:05 egress (X-Band signal only; S-Band TX not ON yet)

03:20  Official begin of track (DL = X; TLM = ON)

03:24  DL = S+X; TLM = OFF

03:25  Begin 4-channel 25 kHz recordings (SCHAN 3) (if not running already)
       X TLM = OFF

03:50  FRO_X = -19000 Hz (SCHAN 4)
       FRO_S =  -5300 Hz (SCHAN 3 and 4)

03:54  Begin SLEW #1

04:00  FRO_X = -34000 Hz (SCHAN 3)

04:05  Begin Mini-Cal #1

04:20  End Mini-Cal #1 (end of Step 5)

04:23  End Slew #1

04:39  Begin 4-channel 100 kHz recordings (SCHAN 4)

04:54  Maximum echoes (LCP > RCP, but both very weak)

05:09  End 100 kHz recordings (SCHAN 4)

05:24  Begin Slew #2 (back to Earth point)

05:25  Begin Mini-Cal #2

05:40  End Mini-Cal #2 (end of Step 5)

05:45  FRO_X = 0 (SCHAN 3 and 4)
       FRO_S = 0 (SCHAN 3 and 4)

05:54  End Slew #2
       DL = X+S unmodulated

06:05  Begin Post-Cal (15 minutes early)

06:19  S-Tx OFF; X TLM ON (if still tracking)

06:20  Official end of track

07:20  End of activity (if not sooner)
       Stop 25 kHz recordings