NRAO AIPS++ Users Group Meeting - DRAFT MINUTES

Date: 2005-04-27 (Wednesday)
Time: 1300 MDT
Video Hub: SOC-conf (CV should call in to Socorro)
Rooms: SOC317/CV311

Send additions and corrections to smyers

1. NAUG News

   o general news (Steve)

     - there is an AIPS++ developers workshop scheduled for June 2005
       here at the AOC

2. AIPS++/ISD Status Report

   o stable SS11 status (Joe)

     - because SS10.5 is "stable" for ALMA tests, SS11 is "stable2b"

     - Joe still needs to update the SS11 testing targets on the web page

   o defect status (Joe)

     - mostly supporting tests (plus vacations) this month, next "defect day"
       probably late May

     - some viewer defects have been resolved, talk to Dave King about 
       testing

   o SS12 (and beyond) development targets (Joe)

     - the major ones here will be for supporting the EVLA development, and
       the ALMA commissioning

3. ALMA

   o ALMA Test 3 (A2005.1/TST2.0) testing status (Joe, Steve)

     - 1 out of the 8 testers has finished, 3 are testing now, rest will
       start later

     - problems encountered were some feathering problems (traced to some
       scaling issues for GBT image provided) and CD permissions (should 
       stick to using the DVD-RW)

   o ALMA Test 4 (A2005.2/TST2.1) deliverables (Joe, Steve)

     - Joe is busy preparing the documentation for ALMA CDR3, after that is
       cleared we will have a much better idea of next set of targets

4. EVLA

   o EVLA Test 1 (E2005.1) testing status (Joe, Steve, Sanjay)

     - We have comparison images from Frazer (both through AIPS and AIPS++
       from Tim Cornwell's earlier tests), still need comparison images
       for Ed's dataset.

   o EVLA Test 2 (E2005.2) targets (Joe, Steve, Sanjay)

   o development plan & requirements (Steve, Sanjay)

     - The need for a revisit of the EVLA Post-processing Requirements
       was reiterated, and the EVLA SSR should task some people soon to
       start looking at this.  Note that Joe now has a complete
       cross-referenced spreadsheet of the current ALMA and EVLA requirements,
       so any V2 of the EVLA-PPR doc should try to avoid changing numbering
       and concentrate on completeness (add new ones, maybe delete some) and
       prioritization & timescales.

     - One issue that came up recently was the mechanism in obs prep (e.g. 
       schedule writing) and in the data model for dealing with doppler
       tracking issues (like frequency tolerances and what to set calibrators
       to).  This should be covered in the EVLA-e2eR doc (I think it is,
       but should be checked).  Someone asked what the right forum for these
       discussion is (maybe evlassr mailing list?).

5. Main Event - Presentations and Discussion Items

   o Testing status and pre-testing progress for ALMA & EVLA 2005.1 tests

   o Planning and targets discussion

     - There was a lively discussion about the priorities (long-term) for
       the EVLA.  The scope and pace of the wide-band development was
       on contentious issue.  Sanjay offered to present our current thoughts
       on an EVLA development "roadmap" at the next NAWG (11 May) or NAUG
       (25 May) or possibly a face-to-face when Ed is in town at the end of
       May.

     - The need for a fall EVLA test was also discussed.  One worry is that
       this might slow development for other items (like wideband).  The
       target we had assigned to this test was pointing correction, and it was
       thought by the AIPS++ team that this was an important item to test as
       it serves as the prototype for more complicated direction-depending
       calibration terms, and also will be a limiting error for high dynamic
       range wide-field imaging cases (which will also presumably want
       wideband if in continuum mode).  The current plan is to go ahead with
       test E2005.2 as planned.

   Deferred until next time:

   o Tasking interface status and demonstration (Joe)

6. AIPS++ Developments - see latest targets and info at Project Office:
     http://projectoffice.aips2.nrao.edu/

7. Upcoming meetings and deadlines:
   o 2005 Apr 4          External ALMA TST2.0 begins
   o 2005 May 12-13      NRAO Users Committee (GB)
   o 2005 May 15         Internal NAUG EVLA test E2005.1 begins
   o 2005 May or June?   ALMA CDR3
   o 2005 Fall           EVLA Software PDR (followed by CDRs)
   o 2005 Oct 15         External ALMA TST2.1
   o 2005 Nov 15         EVLA Test E2005.2

   The agendas for past NAUG meetings are archived at:
   http://www.aoc.nrao.edu/~smyers/aips++/agenda/

   The minutes for past NAUG meetings are archived at:
   http://www.aoc.nrao.edu/~smyers/aips++/minutes/