Since November 2005, the telescope runs under a VME and Linux based new control system (NCS). 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. Other ongoing work concerns fine-tuning the tracking and slewing motions of the telescope.
Remote observing is available from the IRAM offices in Granada and Grenoble, and from the MPIfR in Bonn. The remote stations in Madrid and Paris are planned to become available also during this winter semester.
The NCS team maintains a web page (../IRAMES/ncs30m) where the current NCS status is described in detail.
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 requested to send us HERA frequencies in advance.
Like last semester, a bolometer array, preferentially the 117-channel MAMBO-2, will be available. Users should be aware that this instrument has lately shown some performance instabilities. Trouble shooting and maintenance efforts might reduce the available observing time.
A replacement of the current single pixel receivers by a modern more compact receiver is planned for next year. The new receiver will have strongly improved sensitivities and much larger IF bandwidth. However in a first time the frequency range below 83 GHz will not be covered. In view of this fact we encourage astronomers with an interest in frequencies below 83 GHz to propose such observations now.
The full Call for 30m Proposals is available on the IRAM web site.