Gene, Danny:

Here is the time line for the MEX BSR on day 177 (early Friday morning PDT).

There are three landing sites within range of this experiment, an unusual
number considering how random the coverage is.  We pass close to the Viking
Lander 1 site at about 11:02 and near the MSL short list sites of Eberswalde
Crater (about 11:17:30) and Holden Crater (about 11:18).

There's a lot of FRO activity between 11:09 and 11:29; it will be interesting
to see how this works.  I tried to keep the FROs away from the landing sites,
but Eberswalde is less than optimum.  Let's just hope the echoes are solid,
then the science can follow.

I'm scheduled to arrive in Burbank about 9:30 PM PDT.  I'll stop to get
something to eat on the way, drag my feet, and try not to get to JPL before
about midnight.

See you then,
Dick


2009/177 (UTC)
- - - - - - -

08:10  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

10:15  Request station prepare switch to "planetary pointing" at 10:28

10:20  Begin track (X-Band ands S-Band should both be ON)

10:20  Resume 25 kHz recording (SCHAN 3)

10:21  Telemetry modulation OFF

10:28  Ask station to switch to "planetary pointing" (center of Mars)

10:29  Begin SLEW #1

10:30  FRO_X = +22000 Hz (SCHAN 3)
       FRO_S = +23000 Hz (SCHAN 3)
       FRO_X =  -6000 Hz (SCHAN 4)

       Begin MINICAL #1

10:45  FRO_X = +13000 Hz (SCHAN 3)
       FRO_S =  -3000 Hz (SCHAN 3)

       Begin 100 kHz recordings (SCHAN 4)

       End MINICAL #1 (end of Step 5)
       End SLEW #1

       Begin surface reflections

       Expect S-Band echoes to be weaker than X-Band
       Expect RCP and LCP echoes to have similar strengths throughout

11:02  Pass Viking Lander 1 site

11:09  FRO_X =  +6000 Hz (SCHAN 3)

11:13  FRO_X =      0 Hz (SCHAN 3)

11:15  FRO_X =  -4000 Hz (SCHAN 3)

11:17  FRO_X =  -9000 Hz (SCHAN 3)
       FRO_S = -11000 Hz (SCHAN 3)

11:17:30 Pass Eberswalde Crater (MSL site)

11:18  Periapsis
       Pass Holden Crater (MSL site)

11:21  FRO_X = -18000 Hz (SCHAN 3)

11:24  FRO_X = -25000 Hz (SCHAN 3)

11:29  FRO_X = -33000 Hz (SCHAN 3)

11:53  Begin SLEW #2

       End surface reflections
       End 100 kHz recordings (SCHAN 4)

       FRO_X = +22000 Hz (SCHAN 3)
       FRO_S = +23000 Hz (SCHAN 3)

11:54  Begin MINICAL #2

12:04  End SLEW #2 (not visible in 25 kHz passband)

12:09  End MINICAL #2 (end of Step 5)

12:10  FRO_X = 0 Hz (SCHAN 3)
       FRO_S = 0 Hz (SCHAN 3)

12:25:34 X-Band ranging channel ON
         S-Band carrier OFF

12:29:57 X-Band OFF

12:30  EOT
       Move antenna to zenith
       Begin post-cal when ready

13:30  End post-cal (or earlier, if post-cal complete)

       End 25 kHz recordings

       End of Activity