Gene, Danny:

I will not be joining you for the MEX bistatic radar experiment tomorrow.  I
have come down with a bad head cold and it doesn't seem wise to expose you or
my fellow Southwest passengers to this condition.  Also, I'm supposed to fly
on to Baltimore the next day for a week of proposal reviews.  It seems like a
better strategy to get the additional 24 hours of rest at home before
attempting the longer trip.

I will plan to contact you by phone; if 3-0666 is tied up with the voice net,
can I reach you on the alternate line (and is it 3-0665)?  If you need to
reach me, my home number is 650-494-9272.  If I'm not there, you might try
the lab (650-723-0296).

The experiment should be very much like the last one except that the echo is
on the high side of the carrier, drifts slowly upward, and should be stronger
(in all channels) as time moves forward.  I would also expect more short term
variations in signal strength than last time.  I am recommending a single FRO
at the beginning of the surface track for both S- and X-Band; then you can
sit back and relax.


Dick

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

2008/033 (UTC)
- - - - - - -

21:30  Begin Pre-cal at DSS 63
       FGAIN = 65 dB (X-RCP)
               60 dB (all channels)
       FRO_X = 0; FRO_S = 0 (changes later, but only for 25 kHz)
       Start 4-channel 25 kHz recordings after Step 4
       Stop 25 kHz recording after Step 18

23:30  Begin track (spacecraft is S + X, X-telemetry and ranging ON)

       Resume 25 kHz recording (SCHAN 3)

23:36  X-Band telemetry and ranging OFF

2008/034 (UTC)
- - - - - - -

00:05  Begin SLEW #1

00:15  Begin MiniCal #1

00:30  End MiniCal #1 (end of Step 5)

00:32  FRO_X = +18000 Hz (SCHAN 3)
       FRO_S =  +2000 Hz (SCHAN 3)

00:35  End SLEW #1

       Begin 4-channel 100 kHz recordings (SCHAN 4)

       Expect echoes in all channels; RCP and LCP roughly equal

01:37  Begin SLEW #2

       End 100 kHz recording (SCHAN 4)

01:45  Begin Minical #2

02:00  End Minical #2

02:02  FRO_X = 0 (SCHAN 3)

       FRO_S = 0 (SCHAN 3)

02:06  End SLEW #2

02:20  EOT (10 minutes early)

       Begin Post-Cal

03:30  End Post-cal (if not before)

       End 25 kHz recordings

       End of Activity