MDM Trouble Report for 2006 Sep 3

Telescope: 2.4m
Observer(s): John Thorstensen (Dartmouth)
Instrument: modspec + echelle CCD

Problem(s) Encountered:
Two items:

1) I had the tracking fail at -2h 01m hour angle, dec = +39.
   At the time I was waiting for a clear hole to appear, so
   I lost no time.  I'm noting it here to help the staff with
   diagnostics.

2) For the record, on the previous day I did a lightning shutdown
   and had a problem early in the night with no light reaching
   the CCD.  I traced this to the shutter not opening in the 
   modspec.  To cure it, I traced the cable back to the Uniblitz
   shutter controller box, pressed the reset switch on the box,
   and operated the shutter manually once or twice with the 
   other switch -- then I could hear it opening and closing,
   and it operated normally after that.  Moral: the shutter is
   among the components that should be checked after coming
   back up from a lightning shutdown.  Lost only 20 minutes
   during non-photometric twilight.

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Submitted on 2006 Sep 4 [3:06:13]