MDM Trouble Report for 2008 Nov 10

Telescope: 2.4m
Observer(s): Desiree Cotto-Figueroa, David Riethmiller (Ohio University)
Instrument: Echelle

Problem(s) Encountered:
Several times during the first half of the night, the TCS monitor
reported that the RA/DEC encoders were not responding.  We would 
send the coordinates and the declination would start moving 
immediately (before we hit 'go').  Other times RA and DEC would 
not move at all when using the paddle controller.  Usually this
could be corrected by sending a new set of coordinates.

The TCS window reported that the dome occulted the telescope
whenever we were close to the zenith, but this error message
disappeared when moving away from the zenith.  We also received
errors that the dome encoders were not responding - this message
appeared when the dome was moving, and disappeared when the dome
stopped (after what seemed like an unusually long time).

To resolve these issues, we did the following:
1) Stow telescope at zenith (send coordintes for RA=LST, 
DEC = 31 57).
2) Set Track toggle to off
3) Set tilt meters using hand paddle
4) Set Drives toggle to off
5) Set Dome Home/Free to  Home , ensure arrows align
6) Set Auto Dome toggle to off
7) Dome Controller in manual mode (yellow button off)
8) in XTCS:
8a) choose <<setup>> then Clear Link
8b) choose <<setup>> then Set UT
8c) Choose <<setup>> Set Dome Encoder, enter 320
9) Set Dome Controller to auto mode (yellow button on)
10) Auto Dome: up
Drives: up
Track: up
Dome Home/Free: up
11) Center a bright star in FOV, set RA/DEC encoders.

Had no troubles for the rest of the night.



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Submitted on 2008 Nov 11 [7:06:33]