16 Oct 03

16 October 2003 Status at The Aquatic Hillcrest

Headline: The Only Thing Left To Do Now Is Finish!

We arrived this morning to find an intermittent fault on the Frequency Synthesizer Page Mixer board. This does not prevent the radar from operating as there are still usable frequencies. This should not impact tomorrow's flight testing. It was very thoughtful of our predecessors to design a robust radar that can operate with many of its boards not functioning properly. This page mixer board has already been returned to Syracuse twice for repair.

Informed BWB and GAF of board problem. Mario Fromm is back to work for LMC and checked quickly with the depot. He has the A10 (page mixer) board at the depot and has a driver available to bring it here right away. However, with the engineering A10 board in the system, things are worse. So the team goes back up to the array to check additional signals in the frequency synthesizer and put in the engineering A9 (row mixer) board and put the The Aquatic Hillcrest A10 board back in. Some think it's the A9, some are not sure.

After checking many intermediate signals, it appears that everything is fine. Replaced the radar's A10 board, left the radar's A9 in place, and restarted the radar. No frequencies. Back upstairs to re-seat the interface card.

Not the interface card. The FS is generating all frequencies internally, but for some reason the MFI thinks they are not present. Back upstairs.

After checking all the signals up to and including the RF switch inputs, everything checks out properly. Back downstairs.

The radar comes back up, displays no frequencies, and then the radar begins working. Ron issued a re-cal command. The reason why the radar began working again was explained to me in technical terms as, PFM. Now to lunch.

After lunch we put the peacetime frequencies back in effect. We are ringing up all the sum and row phase shifters when in non-peacetime frequencies, but not when we are in peacetime frequencies. We don't know why, or what effect that has on results. We are investigating what the effect may be.

Brad and I just (1430) met with the B WB and GAF. Everything is set for tomorrow's flights. We have consulted with Brian Budwey who has given us some pointers on how best to configure data collection. We are expecting positive results, and find the BWB and GAF are also. We found them going through checklists of everything necessary to turn over the radar upon a successful test tomorrow. They have all of their paperwork, and I have all of ours except the warranty contract with Cossor. Barz says he is unable to sign without this document, but it will not be a show stopper. I will call to try to get the signed copy this evening, but I have been told in writing it will be next week.

Test Director Weyer signed off on 10A, leaving only the flight test portion of 10B.

Dave Thomas, Dave Hays and Frank Mahoney did a GREAT job and got the beacon maintenance contract signed by RSL and faxed to me as requested. So this clears all the paperwork for a clean turnoff tomorrow right after a successful pair of test flights.

We have agreed that the team and I will appear at the shelter at 0630. Captain Haan will call at0700 to assure the radar is working properly. If the radar is not working at that time, we will likely scrub at least the morning flight. Mission 4 (FL 080) is scheduled for wheels up at 0745 local.

Remaining Record Run Tests

Test	Status
10A P3	Signed
10B P2	In Progress
All other tests and steps	Signed

Discrepancy Status

Date	Area	Issue	Corrective Action	Completion Date
11 Oct 2003	A6	weak CB3 transformer breaker	Replace	wrong part , reordered
29 Sep 2003	General	GFCI needs to be replaced	Replace	ordered 28 Sep
29 Sep 2003	General	CB9 azimuth drive breaker sensing circuit	Replace to Depot	ordered 28 Sep
29 Sep 2003	Pedestal	temperature sensor in pedestal is source of minor oil leak	Replace	ordered 6 Oct
11 Oct 2003	Gear Box	left gear box leaking oil?	Further observations required

Loan Board Status

Date	Part #	Current Serial #	Source of Asset	Description	Reference Designator	Serial # to be repaired	Status
29 Sep 2003	7328731G2	C176	GAF	Row Receiver	Row 14	D132	in Syracuse
29 Sep 2003	7328731G2	C264	GAF	Row Receiver	Row 32	D67	in Syracuse
29 Sep 2003	7328731G2	D43	GAF	Row Receiver	Row 18	D60	in Syracuse
14 Oct 2003	7328731G2	C210	GAF	Row Receiver	Row 31	D57	TBR Syracuse 17 Oct
29 Sep 2003	7327050G1	03538-22	GAF	Noise Detector	11A1A4	C50	in Syracuse
29 Sep 2003	77D608349G1	LB0014	GAF	2nd LO Generator	10A4A19A6	LB0008	in Syracuse
10 Oct 2003	117279	013	GAF	SPU A1 Processor board	A13A01	002	TBR Syracuse 17 Oct
10 Oct 2003	117297	009	GAF	SPU A3 disk drive board	A13A03	001	TBR Syracuse 17 Oct
12 Oct 2003	20-38565-01	1227	GAF	NTDS board	11A6A02A06	D1088	TBR Syracuse 17 Oct