Gene, Danny:

Here is the time line for the MEX BSR on day 246 (local time 2 September,
Wednesday, 4:25 PM to approximately 11:30 PM).

This will be a lot like the experiment on day 234; except for the pre-cal,
minicals, and the post-cal, it could have been scripted.  I have the
spacecraft times but not the DKF, so this is a little vague on details.

From BOT until the beginning of BSR activities, there's 2-1/2 hours and it
may be possible to collect telemetry.  I'll leave it to you and the NOPE
whether you pursue the telemetry.  Note that DSS 63 has not done a bistatic
radar in a while (and probably not from the NOP rather than a briefing
message).  The station should NOT change the microwave configuration to
collect telemetry.

During the 'echo' hour we move through southern cratered terrain -- (61S,
62W) to (56S, 124W) at fairly high incidence angles.  It should all look the
same.  I expect moderate echoes 6-8 kHz above the carrier (no FROs required
to follow the echo).  RCP will be much stronger than LCP.

If you need to reach me, try my wife's cell (650-380-0675) but she doesn't
usually have the phone turned on so the best you can expect is to leave a
message.  You may be able to reach me via e-mail (but only through
hut.coord@yahoo.com) while I am at the MEX/VEX meetings in Port Townsend
(Weds eve through Sat AM, 26-29 August).

Thanks,
Dick


2009/245 (UTC)
- - - - - - -

23:25  Begin Pre-cal at DSS 63
       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

2009/246 (UTC)
- - - - - - -

01:25  Begin track (spacecraft state ??)

03:06  Periapsis (spacecraft lowest, with highest velocity)

03:50  Resume 25 kHz recording (SCHAN 3)

       Ask station to switch to 'planetary' coordinates at 03:55

03:55  Station switch to 'planetary' coordinates

03:56  S-Band should be ON and X-Band modulation OFF by now

03:59  FRO_X = +25000  (SCHAN 3)
       FRO_S = +25000  (SCHAN 3)

       Begin MINICAL #1

04:04  Begin SLEW #1 (not visible in 25 kHz)

04:14  End MINICAL #1 (end of step 5)

       End SLEW #1

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

       Begin 100 kHz recordings (SCHAN 4)

       Begin surface reflections
       Expect S-Band echoes to be much weaker than X-Band
       RCP echoes much stronger than LCP

05:15  Advise station of upcoming MINICAL #2 (starts 05:21)
       Advise station of return to spacecraft coordinates (05:36)

05:21  FRO_X = +25000 Hz (SCHAN 3)
       FRO_S = +25000 Hz (SCHAN 3)

       End 100 kHz recordings (SCHAN 4)

       Begin SLEW #2 (not visible in 25 kHz)

       Begin MINICAL #2

05:26  End SLEW #2 (not visible in 25 kHz)

05:36  End MINICAL #2 (end of step 5)

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

       Return to spacecraft coordinates

       S-Band OFF (?)
       X-Band telemetry ON (?)

05:55  End of track (or earlier if no spacecraft signal)

       Go to zenith

       Begin post-cal when ready

06:55  End post-cal (or earlier, if post-cal complete)

       End 25 kHz recordings

       End of Activity