Since November 2005, the telescope runs under a VME and Linux based new control system (NCS). While some optimization, mainly related to telescope tracking and timing, is still going on, virtually all functionality of the old control system has been recovered. Notable exceptions are the coordinate system (only J2000 is currently supported) and the RASTER command. OTF, ONOFF or TRACKING (with frequency switching) commands together with SIC loops should be used instead. Observations with the rotated wobbler (non-azimuth wobbling directions) which are of interest mainly for bolometer mapping, are possible again.
Remote observing will be available from our Granada office, and later during the summer semester also from Grenoble and, possibly, Bonn.
The NCS team maintains a detailed web page (../IRAMES/ncs30m) where the current status is in depth.
The dual polarization HERA is operational together with its backends for high (VESPA) and low spectral resolution (WILMA, 4 MHz filters). Although tuning parameters are now available for a large range of frequencies, it is still recommended to send us HERA frequencies in advance.
Like last semester, a bolometer array, preferentially the 117-channel MAMBO II, which should be used for observing time estimates, will be available. HERA and bolometer observations will be organized in observing pools.