1) Prepare the shell on lofarx with a running ssh-agent:
- log in on lofarx with "ssh observer@lofarx" from a machine in the mpifr LDAP network (e.g. your desktop or portal or so.)
- if it asks for a password, don't bother, it won't work. You can try running "kinit" on you local machine before doing the ssh.
- ssh-agent /bin/tcsh -l
- ssh-add
2) Boot up the station:
- log into the LCU with "ssh de601c"
- swlevel 2
- RSPDriver and TBBDriver need to be running
- tail -f /log/RSPDriver.log
- wait till no more lines: "port ??? has not yet completed sync or had errors, trying to continue..." show up for several seconds
- If anything strange appears, write it down in the observing logbook and tell the station team: lofar-ops@mpifr-bonn.mpg.de
- swlevel 3
- In addition to RSPDriver and TBBDriver also BeamServer needs to be running
- beamctl --antennaset=HBA_JOINED --rcus=0:191 --rcumode=5 --beamlets=0:243 --subbands=100:343 --anadir=0,1.5708,J2000 --digdir=0,1.5708,J2000&
- This should reach "All pointings sent and accepted" pretty fast.
- hit <enter> to get a clean commandline
- Wait several seconds for all tiles to start up
- rspctl --rcu
- all 192 RCUs should be "ON" and in "mode:5"
- if some are "OFF", wait a few seconds and try again
- if some don't become "ON" then go bach to swlevel 1 and try again
- rspctl --stati --int=3
- check if the spectrum of all antennas look O.K.
- killpointing
- hit <enter> to get the confirmation that beamctl terminated
3) Observe pulsars:
- Go back to lofarx.
- The script psr-observe.py should do nearly everything. Call it with "-h" to get possible options.
4) Finish up:
- check with "at -l" if there are lingering at-jobs on th lofarN machines, if there are, kill them with "atrm"
- shut down the hardware of the station with "swlevel 0"
Comments:
- If at any time RSPDriver, TBBDriver, or BeamServer crash ("swlevel" show them as "DOWN") you need to go back to swlevel 1 and boot the station up again. (And note the fact in the logbook.)
- If nothing fails there is no need to change the swlevel on the station when observing multiple pulsars. Just leave it in "swlevel 3"
