Gene, Danny:


Here is the time line for the MEX BSR on 25 April.

This experiment looks very much like the one conducted on 19 April.  The
spacecraft is near apoapsis, the echo is narrow, and it barely moves in
frequency.

The downside is that the echoes will be weak, especially at S-Band because of
the high spacecraft altitude; and the X-Band carrier will be outside the 25
kHz window while you are watching the echo.

I'm building this timeline using fairly old predict files; but I doubt the
final files would lead to any significant changes.

Let me know if you notice any problems.

Thanks and good luck,
Dick





2009/115 (UTC)
- - - - - - -

03:45  Begin Pre-cal at DSS 14
       FGAIN = 60 dB (all channels, including X-RCP)
       FRO_X = 0; FRO_S = 0 (all SCHAN)
       Start 4-channel 25 kHz recordings after Step 4
       Stop 25 kHz recording after Step 18

05:45  Begin track (X-Band may be ON; S-Band should be OFF)

06:03  S-Band Tx ON

06:19  Resume 25 kHz recording (SCHAN 3)

       Ask station to prepare for switching to planetary coordinates

06:29  Begin SLEW #1

06:30  Ask station to switch to "planetary pointing" (center of Mars)

06:34  FRO_X = +21000 Hz (SCHAN 3)
       FRO_S =  +3000 Hz (SCHAN 3)

       FRO_X = +11000 Hz (SCHAN 4)

06:35  Begin Minical #1

06:50  End Minical #1 (end of Step 5)

06:59  End SLEW #1

       Begin 4-channel 100 kHz recordings (SCHAN 4)

       Begin surface reflections

       Expect X-RCP and X-LCP to have similar magnitudes
       Expect S-RCP and S-LCP to have similar magnitudes, both weaker than X
       Echoes drift slowly to right during the hour; RCP should get stronger

08:04  End surface reflections

       Begin SLEW #2

       End 100 kHz recordings

08:05  Begin Minical #2

08:20  End Minical #2 (end of step 5)

08:25  FRO_X = 0
       FRO_S = 0

08:34  End SLEW #2

08:44  EOT (16 minutes early)
       Move antenna to zenith
       Begin post-cal when ready

10:00  End post-cal (or earlier, if post-cal complete)

       End 25 kHz recordings

       End of Activity