Gene, Danny:

Here is the time line for the MEX BSR on day 184 (Friday morning PDT).

This one is very similar to what we did on day 177.  In fact the ground track
is also very similar; we come close to the Viking Lander 1 site, but not as
close as last week.

I'll  plan to call in.  If you need to reach me, try 530-426-3536.

Dick


2009/184 (UTC)
- - - - - - -

12:00  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

14:00  Begin track (X-Band should be ON, one-way)

14:15  S-Band ON

14:30  X-Band telemetry OFF

       Resume 25 kHz recording

       Ask station to switch to 'planetary coordinates' at 14:40

14:40  FRO_X = +10000 Hz (SCHAN 3)
       FRO_S = +11000 Hz (SCHAN 3)

       Station switch to 'planetary coordinates'

14:41  Begin MINICAL #1

14:42  Begin SLEW #1 (not visible in 25 kHz)

14:56  End MINICAL #1 (end of step 5)

14:58  End SLEW #1

       FRO_X = +14000 Hz (SCHAN 2)
       FRO_S =  -2000 Hz (SCHAN 3)

       Begin 100 kHz recording (SCHAN 4)

       Begin surface reflections
       Expect S-Band echoes to be much weaker than X-Band
       RCP and LCP should have similar strengths

15:26  Closest approach to Viking Lander 1

15:31  FRO_X = +7000 Hz (SCHAN 3)

15:35  FRO_X =      0 Hz (SCHAN 3)

15:38  FRO_X =  -7000 Hz (SCHAN 3)

15:40  FRO_S =  -9000 Hz (SCHAN 3) (NB: this is an S-Band FRO)

       Periapsis

15:41  FRO_X = -14000 Hz (SCHAN 3)

15:44  FRO_X = -21000 Hz (SCHAN 3)

15:47  FRO_X = -28000 Hz (SCHAN 3)

15:54  FRO_X = -35000 Hz (SCHAN 3)

       Advise station of upcoming MINICAL #2 (16:05) and return
       to spacecraft coordinates for ground antenna pointing at
       end of mini-cal (16:20)

16:05  FRO_X = +10000 Hz (SCHAN 3)
       FRO_S = +11000 Hz (SCHAN 3)

       End 100 kHz recordings

       Begin SLEW #2 (not visible in 25 kHz)

       Begin MINICAL #2

16:17  End SLEW #2 (not visible in 25 kHz)

16:20  End MINICAL #2 (end of step 5)

       FRO_X = 0 (SCHAN 3)
       FRO_S = 0 (SCHAN 3)

       Return to spacecraft coordinates (pointing)

       Carrier returns to center of passband

16:25  X-Band range modulation ON

16:30  Early end of track

       Go to zenith

       Begin post-cal when ready

18:10  End post-cal (or earlier, if post-cal complete)

       End 25 kHz recordings

       End of Activity