Not So Quick Start
In general, transportation and installation of Gemini on the 3-m telescope will be supported by the Lick Observatory staff and the IR Lab staff, but users are expected to be familiar with the safe operation of the instrument.
Gemini is a complex instrument with a large thermal mass and therefore a long cooldown period is required before it achieves a stable operating condition - usually 48 hours. After unloading at Lick, the instrument is fully assembled and cooled down in the instrument preparation room on the same level as the dome floor. Usually, but not always, the detectors are checked before the cooling begins; this required a slightly modified procedure than that given below. A Packing Check List is provided. All cables and connectors have labels. There are separate technical documents for commercial units (e.g. Lakeshore 330 temperature servo), there is an Instrument Assembly Document and there are Engineering Manuals.
PLEASE follow the steps summarized below:
NB: Steps that are in brown are done by the Lick Observatory staff and observers only need to make sure they have been done.
- make sure transputers and motor drivers are turned off
- connect Penning gauge (red) and check pressure; if < 1x10-2 torr then OK, otherwise pumping is required
- rotate instrument to vertical position (from horizontal "transit" position) and lock in place
- install Transputer box, Lakeshore meters, Motor Controller and Power
Supplies in handling frame and connect up all matching cables;
DO NOT SWITCH ON YET
- connect CCR high pressure lines following recommended procedures; check helium pressure gauge compressor, if < 250 psi then a refill with pure He gas is required; the upper limit is approximately 275 psi
- mount compressor on yellow flat-bed trolley
- connect compressor to 220 V mains - DO NOT SWITCH ON YET
- connect temperature meters to camera
- USING A GROUNDED WRIST STRAP, connect detector cables to preamp inputs and preamp output cables to Transputer unit; exercise care when handling small connectors (SMA's)
- connect Bias, Level Shifter and Preamp units to the linear power supplies (19 inch rack)
- switch ON power to both temperature meters (small blue multi-input meter and the 330)
- activate the servo setting on the 330 to control the SBRC temperature
- if already set to 28 K, press HEATER button once to turn on control
- to check Set Point: press SETPOINT once, read display, press CONTROL once to cancel
- to change Set Point: press SETPOINT twice, use numeric keys to enter new temperature (e.g. 28 K), press ENTER
- switch ON CCR (220 V socket is in the dome; long cable provided); two
switches, both labeled - Head goes ON last, OFF first
- begin LN2 transfer - replenish frequently over next 10 hours
- monitor and log temperatures and pressure for next 48 hours
- connect up the PC system (486 computer, Sony Trinitron monitor and keyboard, the large NEC monitor, mouse); cables are labeled or unique
- connect up grey cable between PC and transputer system
- connect up the ethernet cable and shane_serial cable
- this step is for the control room set up and is not required for the prep
room
- switch ON monitors and the PC
- at C:\ prompt type GEMINI /NOTRANS - this runs the system without the transputers being switched on - both monitors will initialize
- use File Menu to check amount of free disk space
- use Menu bar to Quit from the GEMINI program
- switch ON the linear power supplies in the 19-inch rack
- switch ON the transputer crate
- switch ON the motor controller unit BUT DO NOT switch on the motor power
supplies unless you plan to run the GEMINI program immediately afterwards;
the motors are powered up and need to be de-powered by the program
- at the C:\ prompt on the Sony terminal type GEMINI and press RETURN
- take single sampling frames to check detectors; use F1 and F2 to set the parameters and then press F4
- NOTE: delaying start of cooldown until this point allows detectors to be tested warm
- select Quit to exit the program
- power down; computer, transputer system and motors
- transfer computer system to control room whenever possible
- move instrument from prep room to dome floor
- REMOVE THE WINDOW COVER (beige cap, push fit) before mounting on telescope
- blow off dust on the window and the halfwave plate with dry nitrogen gas
- install Polarimeter Module in recess at front of camera
- connect Polarimeter Module cables
- attach mounting flange to telescope triangle
- attach compressor mount to telescope base
- attach platform and ramp to the large (electric) forklift vehicle in the dome
- roll instrument on to lifting platform; secure with wood blocks and clamps
- keep compressor powered up - transfer compressor to (red) hydraulic lift in dome
- raise forklift and compressor at the same time towards telescope
- line up instrument with plumb lines (strings) hanging from flange
- raise instrument slowly and bolt to telescope
- release from trolley and lower trolley away
- replace the guard rails on the forklift
- transfer CCR from hydraulic lift to rising platform
- raise and attach CCR bungy cables to shackle at end of steel beam
- support the high pressure lines with a cord so that they are "horizontal"
- loop the grey signal cable through the eye-bolt in the center of the fork (need electric forklift to reach it); run the cable behind the old telescope console (west side), through the "cable entry hole" in the wall (about 7 feet up) and into the control room
- leave lots of slack on the dome floor
- connect the grey signal cable to the Transputer crate at one end and to the PC at the other end
- strain relieve the grey signal cable and the 220 V CCR cable to the same point at the base of the instrument with cable ties
- strain relieve all other cables
- install the 19-inch linear power supplies in the SE rack on the telescope
- connect the power cords to the telescope power sockets
- DOUBLE CHECK ALL BOLTS
- DOUBLE CHECK ALL CABLES
- switch ON the linear power supplies in the 19-inch rack
- switch ON the transputer crate
- start Gemini version of POCO
- start shane_serial on shard as user
- start Gemini guider software on redeye1
- switch ON the motor controller unit and the motor power supplies
- GO IMMEDIATELY to the PC and type GEMINI /LICKTCS at the C:\ prompt
- the system will initialize fully (and the motors will de-power)
- the graphical user interface and Start-Up screen will appear -- press Esc key
- press the control (Ctrl) key and the F4 key together to take and display a TESTFRAME
- After a telescope slew, do a PC-T Reset (Engineering Menu) to prevent noise pickup from the slew motors from disrupting communication between the instrument and computer.
- Refer to the Graphical User Interface document for information on running the camera during observing, and other options.
At the end of the run, exit the program and switch off the computer system, switch off the Transputers and the Motor Controller, power-down the CCR and do not re-fill the liquid nitrogen. Set the temperature on the Lakeshore to 295 K and switch on the heater; this is only possible while the unit still has power from the telescope or has been transferred to the prep room again.
Last modified: Mon Dec 23 11:59:05 PST 2013 by Elinor Gates