Blog from November, 2012

H2O DIAL July
Scott Spuler posted on Nov 06, 2012

23-July

  1. changed online T=21.1 and i=162.6 mA to help locking to the 828.203 nm line at 16:00 MDT

20-July

  1. changed lab AC thermostat to 75 F -- the laser pointing fluctuations have been worse since it was running

18-July

  1. lab air conditioner was repaired during the day and left at 60F.  At 20:45 MDT came in and moved it to 70F and peak up system
  2. iris was completely closed.  Opened it ~1/10 of turn and near field range peaked up considerably

16-July

  1. changed online T=21.6 and i=177.4 mA to help locking to the 828.203 nm line at 15:30 MDT
  2. 200 counts out to 1800 meters range (system was untouched for 4 days)

11-July

  1. **one of the best sonde comparisons was at 11:00 PM last night -- good agreement from 1 km up to 5 km
  2. changed online T=21.7 and i=172.1mA to help locking to the 828.203 nm line
  3. removed code that obtained T, P, and RH from MSU from Labview
  4. installed latest Windows 7 updates and reseated 4GB memory 

6-July:

  1. wavemeter was running intermittently -- having a hard time locking on the 828.203 nm line 
  2. closed down the iris and peak up signal by adjusting the receiver fiber at 10:00 AM MDT

5-July:

  1. online changed to 828.203 nm at 10:00 AM MDT
  2. try to peak up signal with focus of telescope (little change)
  3. peak up signal slightly with adjustment to collimation (~1/2 turn) 

2-July:

  1. AR coated (R~3%) window installed in the roof hatch.  (Would add some angle and wavelength sensitivity -- not sure that it would be much)
  2. online was 828.201 but moved to 828.196 nm
  3. at 5:15 PM MDT adjusted the collimation to peak up the far field signal.  Does not agree with collimation tester.  Sagging mirror in gimbal mount?
  4. 200 counts out to 2500 meters range
H2O DIAL initial setup and ops at NCAR
Scott Spuler posted on Nov 06, 2012

21-June-12

the instrument was running at 6:45 AM but had software updating had stopped.  Restarted Labview and DIAL code could not connect to Newport power meter.  Cycled power on the power meter and restarted Labview.  Working again at 7:00 AM.  Was able to peak up the signal about 50 counts

sonde launch around 9:00 MDT

at 11:30 MDT changed the online wavelength to 828.200 nm (was 828.199 nm) and peaked up the signal (about 50 counts)

20-June-12

at 14:00 MDT changed the offline to 828.287 nm (was 828.295 nm)

was able to process the first two sonde profiles from 18 and 19 June.  Seems to be losing too much signal in the online channel so will change wavelength towards weaker absorption after next sonde launch