MDM Trouble Report for 2012 Mar 20

Telescope: 1.3m
Observer(s): Grier & Beatty (OSU)
Instrument: CCDS

Problem(s) Encountered:
When I started up to do afternoon calibrations (about 5:30pm local time), I tried to turn on 
a lamp and got an error (forgot to write it down) basically telling 
me it couldn't turn the lamps on because XMIS wasn't working. I restarted the XMIS window
but it wouldn't intialize-- it just hung up and crashed. I called Bob and he had 
me restart the XMIS controller in the computer room, and that worked fine. I didn't have any other trouble 
with it. 

At about 7:55 UTC I had the hand paddle issue that is becoming commonly reported-- it stopped 
responding to any of my N-S commands. I had just pointed at NGC4151, which was at airmass 1.01, so it wasn't 
an extreme position for the telescope or anything. I had been trying to move it only 10 arcseconds, so I upped the movement to 60 arcsec (
previous observers said this worked for them) and it started to 
move, although not nearly 60 arcseconds-- maybe half that at most. Once I got it to move a couple of times 
it seemed to get back on track and work again. It took me like 2 minutes to get this to work, so I didn't lose much time.

Other than those two minor hiccups, everything went smoothly. Anyway, I gave a description of the plumbing problem on my Observing Summary, 
so hopefully a plumber can get out here soon. Also, I hope this is coherent. I'm very tired.

------------------------------

Submitted on 2012 Mar 21 [4:59:35]