SCHED input files can be simple for simple situations. The following file is about as simple as a SCHED file can get. It is set up for exploring the u-v and sky coverage, and times of availability, of a list of sources using the plotting abilities of SCHED and using the UPTIME optimization mode to give overlapping 24 hour schedules for each source.
!---------------------------------------------------------------------- ! Example of very simple SCHED file - for making uv etc plots. !---------------------------------------------------------------------- overwrit ! Allow writing over old output files. expcode = UVCOV ! Needed for name of summary file. obstype = NONE ! No tape recording. nosetup ! No setup file. optmode = uptime ! Planning mode. opdur = 24:00:00 ! Look at a whole day. opminant = 4 ! Minimum number of antennas that must be up. opminel = 15 ! Don't include scans below this elevation. year = 1996 day = 1 ! Year and day. start = 00:00:00 ! Start time for plots. dur = 10:00 ! Ten minute scans. stations = SC, HN, NL, FD, LA, PT, KP, OV, BR, MK source = DA193 / source = 3C120 / !---------------------------------------------------------------------- ! End of example. !----------------------------------------------------------------------
If the above file were named uvcov.key, it could be run with the commands:
sched plot sch=uvcov.key /When the plot section is reached, a graphical interface will appear that is reasonably obvious how to use.