Gene and Danny:

After looking at the 100 kHz data from 2010/051 I decided to add an X-Band
FRO for SCHAN 4 to the time line at 10:05.  This will move the echo away from
the upper edge of the passband.  Everything else is the same as in my
original time line.

Dick

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Gene and Danny:

Here is the time line for the MEX BSR on day 055 (local time 23 February
22:25 to 24 February 05:00) at DSS 14.

The surface observations start at (26S, 27W) and end at (36S, 14W); this is
the same cratered terrain northeast of Argyre Planitia that we have probed in
the last two experiments.  The spacecraft goes through apoapsis 6 minutes
after we start recording surface echoes, so everything happens slowly and
signals are relatively weak; but we have just passed Mars opposition, so the
small Earth-Mars distance makes the weak signals stronger.  Incident angle on
the surface varies from 38 to 49 degrees, meaning LCP should be stronger than
RCP throughout but with RCP making gains toward the end - the same as in the
previous two experiments but with slightly more of a bias toward LCP.

If the S-RCP maser is still down, leave the configuration alone; the S-LCP
echoes should be stronger and we will capture those.

For playback, I recommend the following for the 25 kHz data (no segment
longer than 88 minutes):

       Pre-cal
       Track until start of 100 kHz data
       Surface observations until end of 100 kHz data
       Remaining track plus post-cal

For 100 kHz playback two 22 minute segments and one 20 minutes segment would
be fine; but I can carve these up at Stanford if you give me a 64 minute file
from each RSR.

Feel free to phone if there are problems; you should be able to reach me at
650-494-9272.

Thanks,
Dick


2010/055 (UTC)
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06:25  Begin Pre-cal at DSS 14
       FGAIN = 60 dB (all channels, except X-RCP)
       FGAIN = 63 dB (X-RCP)
       FRO_X = 0; FRO_S = 0 (all SCHAN)
       Start 4-channel 25 kHz recordings after Step 5 (new NOP)
       Stop 25 kHz recording after Step 20 (new NOP)

08:25  Begin track (S- and X-Band should both be OFF)

09:02  X-Band ON, telemetry ON - ignore it

09:30  S-Band ON

09:46  Resume 25 kHz recording

       Advise DSS 14 of switch to planetary coordinates at 10:04

09:58  Begin SLEW #1

10:04  DSS 14 switch to planetary coordinates

10:05  FRO_X = +25000 Hz (SCHAN 3)
       FRO_S =  +5000 Hz (SCHAN 3)

       FRO_X = +17000 Hz (SCHAN 4)

10:06  Begin MINICAL #1

10:21  End of MINICAL #1 (end of step 5)

10:23  End SLEW #1

       Begin 100 kHz recording (SCHAN 4)

10:50  FRO_X = +34000 Hz (SCHAN 3)

11:20  Advise station of MINICAL #2 starting at 11:28 and
       Advise station of return to S/C pointing predictions at 11:43

11:27  End 100 kHz recording (SCHAN 4)

       FRO_X = +25000 Hz

       Begin SLEW #2

11:28  Begin MINICAL #2

11:43  End MINICAL #2 (end of step 5)

       DSS 14 return to spacecraft pointing predicts

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

11:46  End SLEW #2

11:57  X-Band telemetry ON

       S-Band LOS

       Early end of track (scheduled EOT 12:00)

       Go to zenith

       Begin post-cal when ready

13:00  End post-cal (or earlier, if post-cal complete)

       End 25 kHz recordings

       End of Activity