MDM Trouble Report for 2007 Apr 2

Telescope: 2.4m
Observer(s): Leighly/Dietrich (OSU/OU)
Instrument: TIFCAM

Problem(s) Encountered:
We encountered several problems during our first night using 
TIFCAM.

1. The J+H grism + IHJ order separating filter did not yield
   the wavelength range indicated in the manual.  The advertised
   range was 0.95-1.9 microns.   We found that the the lowest
   wavelength attained was 1.15 microns.  We had to change to 
   J/K grism + J filter in order to get the 1-1.3 micron region (our
   primary science region).  We do not know why we did not get 
   the advertised range with the J+H grism.

2. The detector flats and all images showed very strange, large
   amplitude (up to 50%) features.   They appeared to be curled
   pieces scattered on the detector.  On the edges, there were
   also curls.  It seems as though a layer has come off of the
   detector, and the pieces are lying on the detector.  The 
   spectra would be severely compromised if they intersected
   any of these features because the amplitude is so high.  
   However, we were able to find two positions on the slit 
   where we could place the object so that the spectrum did 
   not intersect any of these features, so we were able to 
   take data.

   If there is an easy solution to this problem, it would be
   great if it could be fixed.  But if not, we have an 
   effective workaround.

3. We couldn't get the garage door open; Kelly gave us a
   combination, but we couldn't get it to work.  We were 
   ambivalent about opening the door anyway because of the
   possibility of invading aliens.

4. Propero  observe  script didn't work; it caused the 
   session to hang in one case and we had to restart it.
   Therefore we entered the observing parameters 
   individually.

5. The telescope tracking was too slow so that we had to 
   constantly correct to the west.  We didn't know how to 
   change the speed, and we were so exhausted from the other
   problems to try to find it in the manual.

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Submitted on 2007 Apr 3 [5:47:26]