On-site personnel:

The AGO team consisted of Dave Zastrow (Camp manager/groomer), with Anna  Stegemoeller and Remy Fourre (AGO technical service team).  Dave Zastrow  was med-evac'ed for frostbite and replaced with J.P. McMullan.  J.P. was  later replaced with Ed Stockard and Jessica Barr.

Station:

The station was cold upon arrival.  There was a large 2 foot ice stack on top of the shroud.  The ice cap started at the base of the stack.  It was shaped in a downwind curve. This site has a teflon sheet around  the shroud. This year, ice accumulation adhered directly to the teflon.  There were ice plugs inside the shroud and the air intake. They were not  loose enough to lift out with fingers, but needed to be prodded out with a screwdriver.  Because of faulty batteries, the fuel shut-off valve did not operate.  These  batteries were acquired in McMurdo and found to be weak.  No propane was left at the site.  New alkaline batteries were installed. A full set of propane tanks were installed. The station is experiencing low snow accumulation each year.  It should not  be necessary to raise the AGO for some time. It is necessary to create a "station start-up kit" to quickly warm the station.  This kit must include a valve opening tool made of a battery, a  switch and a connector. Also, it should include a large hammer for pounding away the ice cap.

Upgrade:

The PSC power supply controller (CAGOPSC Rev. 2) was installed.
The DCU was replaced with the new DCU (CAGODCU Rev. 1).
The DAU was upgraded according to CAGODAUM Rev. 1., which has differential inputs, but no GPS power cycling.
Solar panels were installed.  They were measured to provide 180 W each  when in the sun (40 W each when in the shade on a sunny day).
All power and data cables from the experiment chassis to the DAU and PSC were replaced with shielded cables.  RS232 cables include additional ferrite beads to eliminate ground loops.

TEG:

The TEG was modified:
The propane panel was rebuilt, leaving only one pressure regulator (set at  3.4 psi), and adding a by-pass valve for the easy refilling of 100 lb tanks.
The electrical section was redone, eliminating the adjustable regulator  (which often fails), the diode, and the current measurement resistors.
The TEG "turbo" was added, with its turbo controller and batteries.  It performed well under various wind conditions.  All six burner air valves  were set to 60 degrees of their zero to 90 degree range.  The burner  temperatures were found to depend on the TEG current.  Running at full power, (28 V, 2 A), the burners' temperatures are: 230, 220, 290, 260, 260, 240  C.  They are higher with a lower current.  All six injectors were cleaned. A modification had to be made on the turbo regulator to suppress radio interference.
In addition, burner number 6 was reinstalled.  A short to chassis was  eliminated by the addition of a mica plate. Burner number 3 had its sparkers and thermistors changed.   The freon guage showed full. The building temperature is running at about 16 degrees C.  Freon pressure runs between 3 and 10 psi.
 
PSC:

All functions were normal when turned on.  Settings are as follows:
(PSC, power channel, current limit, priority, experiment name)
  PSC EXP0 300.0 mA 2 FLUXGATE
  PSC EXP1 300.0 mA 2 ULF
  PSC EXP2 500.0 mA 2 ELF
  PSC EXP3 300.0 mA 2 LF
  PSC EXP4 300.0 mA 2 RIOMETER
  PSC EXP5 300.0 mA 2 ALLSKY
  PSC EXP6 800.0 mA 3 ANUBIS
  PSC EXP7 10.0 mA OFF NONE
  PSC EXP8 10.0 mA OFF NONE
  PSC EXP9 10.0 mA OFF NONE
  PSC EXP10 10.0 mA OFF NONE
  PSC EXP11 10.0 mA OFF NONE
  PSC EXP12 10.0 mA OFF NONE
  PSC EXP13 10.0 mA OFF NONE
  PSC DAU 300.0 mA 1 DAU
  PSC DCU 950.0 mA 0 DCU

DCU:

The new DCU was installed. All functions were normal when the unit was turned on.
 
DAU:

The analog inputs were made differential. The NVRAM was replaced, as it was 10 year old. The DAU EPROM was replaced with TICDROM002 Rev. 1. The G1 serial port was not functioning when the unit was turned on.  This input is connected to the riometer.  The RS232 port ICs were replaced and  the port is now functional.  There is only one SIO4 board in the DAU. Settings are as follows:
(DAU0, channel, connector, A/D resolution, OFF/ON, sample rate, experiment name, DAU-memorized channel name)
  DAU0 CH0 K1 8 OFF SYNOP NONE "CH 0"
  DAU0 CH1 A1 8 OFF 1s NONE "CH 1"
  DAU0 CH2 G1 8 ON SYNOP RIOMETER "RIOMETER"
  DAU0 CH3 A2 12 ON .5s ULF "SEARCH COIL X"
  DAU0 CH4 A3 12 ON .5s ULF "SEARCH COIL Y"
  DAU0 CH5 A4 12 ON .5s ULF "SEARCH COIL Z"
  DAU0 CH6 B1 12 ON 1s FLUXGATE "FLUXGATE H"
  DAU0 CH7 B2 12 ON 1s FLUXGATE "FLUXGATE D"
  DAU0 CH8 B3 12 ON 1s FLUXGATE "FLUXGATE Z"
  DAU0 CH9 C1 12 ON .5s ELF "ELF/VLF 0.5-1 KHZ N-S"
  DAU0 CH10 C2 12 ON .5s ELF "ELF/VLF 1-2 KHZ N-S"
  DAU0 CH11 C3 12 ON .5s ELF "ELF/VLF 2-4 KHZ N-S"
  DAU0 CH12 C4 12 ON .5s ELF "ELF/VLF 4-8 KHZ N-S"
  DAU0 CH13 D1 12 ON .5s ELF "ELF/VLF 8-16 KHZ N-S"
  DAU0 CH14 D2 12 ON .5s ELF "ELF/VLF 16-32 KHZ N-S"
  DAU0 CH15 D3 12 ON .5s ELF "ELF/VLF 30-40 KHZ N-S"
  DAU0 CH16 G2 8 ON SYNOP ELF "ELF/VLF SNAPSHOT"
  DAU0 CH17 G4 8 ON SYNOP ALLSKY "ALLSKY"
  DAU0 CH18 G3 8 ON SYNOP LF "LF/HF RECEIVER"
  DAU0 CH19 D4 12 ON .5s ELF "ELF/VLF 2-4 KHZ E-W"
  DAU0 CH20 A1 12 ON .5s ELF "ELF/VLF NAA 24.0 KHZ"
  DAU0 CH21 A1 8 OFF .1s NONE "CH 21"
  DAU0 CH22 A1 8 OFF .1s NONE "CH 22"
  DAU0 CH23 A1 8 OFF .1s NONE "CH 23"
  DAU0 CH24 A1 8 OFF .1s NONE "CH 24"
  DAU0 CH25 A1 8 OFF .1s NONE "CH 25"
  DAU0 CH26 A1 8 OFF .1s NONE "CH 26"
  DAU0 CH27 A1 8 OFF .1s NONE "CH 27"
  DAU0 CH28 A1 8 OFF .1s NONE "CH 28"
  DAU0 CH29 A1 8 OFF .1s NONE "CH 29"
  DAU0 CH30 A1 8 OFF .1s NONE "CH 30"
  DAU0 CH31 K2 8 OFF SYNOP NONE "CH 31"
The GPS EPROM was verified to be Rev. 33.1 (SICDPROM001 Rev. 0).
The GPS was verified to indicate proper time.

Service computer:

The sermai.exe program Rev. 2 was successfully used to configure the PSC, the DCU and the DAU, and to view data collected with the new DCU.   It includes a generic waveform display, and one specific display function for each of the following instruments: LF/HF receiver, Allsky camera, ELF/VLF broadband receiver, riometer and Anubis.  It has been expanded to display 1 Mbyte of data on one screen, which is more than 24 hours for most experiments.

Bell Labs Fluxgate Magnetometer:

The electrical ground was verified to be connected to the chassis. 48 hours of data were collected to re-center the settings.  Diurnal variations were recognizable. It was confirmed that the H axis setting was too high.

Sensitivity Range : 1000 nT
               old setting     new setting
H Offset :      + 0 8 668       + 0 8 750
D Offset :    off 0 0 000     off 0 0 000
Z Offset :      - 2 4 136       - 2 4 000

(Note: all data can be found at ftp://space.augsburg.edu/pub/ago/)
Ch06a.dat and Ch08a.dat represent H and Z with the old settings. Ch06.dat, Ch07.dat and Ch08.dat represent H, D and Z with the new settings.

Tohuku ULF Search Coil:

The chassis was upgraded according to CAGOULFM, Rev. 0. All functions were normal. Ch03.dat, Ch04.dat and Ch05.dat represent X, Y and Z channels.  There is
an excessive amount of interference from the Argos transmitter in spite of the  new input capacitors.  This interference should disappear with the  installation of the new input connectors next year.

Stanford VLF Receiver:

The integrator board was modified according to CAGOELFM, Rev. 1. The batteries were changed.  Integrator number 8 was found to be faulty.  A 1 MOhm resistor was opened on the output opamp. The channel was repaired.  These resistors are of the same type as the ones that failed last year.  Proper 4.99 MOhm and 2.21 MOhm should be  installed.  Ch09.dat, Ch10.dat, Ch11.dat, Ch12.dat, Ch13.dat, Ch14.dat, Ch15.dat,  Ch19.dat and Ch20.dat represent the corresponding DAU channels (See DAU). Note the interference between the broadband receiver and channels 14 and 15. The broadband receiver is connected to channel 16 on the DAU.  Unfortunately, the DAU loses bytes and all the data blocks are a few bytes short.  See  Ch16.dat.  As an experiment, the broadband receiver was connected to  channel 96 on the DCU.  There was no missing byte.  See Ch16a.dat. No calibration was performed.

Gain Levels were left at:
Line Receiver:              N/S                   30dB
                                    E/W                   35dB
Narrowband Filters:    0.5-1 kHz          20dB
                                    1-2 kHz N/S       10dB
                                    2-4 kHz             10dB
                                    4-8 kHz             20dB
                                    8-16 kHz           20dB
                                   16-32 kHz          20dB
                                   30-40 kHz          10dB
                                   1-2 kHz E/W      10dB
TVLF Receiver          24.0 kHz           RF = 20
                                                             IF = 15

Dartmouth LF/HF Receiver:

Unit was functioning at power-on.  Data was collected on ch18.dat. This experiment causes considerable radio interference, but does not seem to affect the other experiments.  We recommend that the unit be modified to eliminate radio interference.  Separating ground and chassis except at one point would certainly help.

University of Maryland Riometer

The RS232 interface with the DAU was not functionning.  The MAX232 IC had to be replaced.  Note that the DAU RS232 port was also broken on the other  side of the cable.  Maybe a static charge caused both failures. Ch02.dat shows collected data. The heating cycle was normal at power-on.

Allsky Camera:

The EPROM was upgraded to Rev 5.15 (TICDROM007 Rev. 1). The battery charge current dropped from 60 mA to 10 mA during the visit, indicating a good battery. The inner dome was installed.  The outer dome was cleaned and new dessicant  packs were installed.  The camera tube was pressurized. The sun sensor was functioning properly. Data was collected by covering the dome with a blanket.  See Ch17.dat. All camera integration cycles seem to be present.  No data loss through the DAU on this sample. The time string is still confused. We still need a proper cover for the dome in order to take meaningful sample pictures.

Anubis Seismic Sensor:

The pit was dug.  It is 9 feet deep, 7 feet long and 3 feet wide.  The ice at AGO 3 is fractured everywhere, so the pit included two cracks, from 1 foot deep to an unknown depth (more than 12 feet).  The 3'x3'x3' alcove  was dug in the East wall, which has no crack. No major problem with the installation.  The foam box in the vault is 2" thick.  Its inner dimensions are 18"x16"x24", which seems to be a good size, minimizing the risk of touching the Guralp when closing the box.  The Guralp cable was attached to the Guralp and buried in the snow before  unlocking the masses, so that the cable could not pull on the sensor or  be bumped by the box. Guralp was aligned in two steps: a ruler was placed at the bottom of the  vault and aligned with the Sun at 10:06 UTC (+/- 1 degree); the Guralp was  then aligned with the ruler (+/- 2 degrees). The Reftek needed complete reprogramming, which was performed according to  the instructions dated 31 Oct 1999. All items were assembled directly at their final location, without preliminary checking in the AGO. The consumed power far exceeds the advertised 5 W (21 W peak), and the power  priority was lowered from 2 to 3 to allow other experiments to survive.   Most likely, Anubis will only run during the summer when the solar panels  provide the extra power.

Power at Guralp: 14.9 V
Initial uncentered voltages (V/NS/EW): -8.8 V, 8.8 V, 8.8 V
Centered voltages: -.55 V, .39 V, .51 V
Guralp S/N: G29
Reftek S/N:   586
GPS clock is OK
Data collected on Ch96u.dat shows two streams, three channels, and a calibration pulse from the 5-day cycle.  Ch96u.dat is a direct copy of the Reftek output, it does not include 11 byte headers.

Flight operations:

The runway was extended to 10000 ft.  Left and right flags were set 150 ft apart, but the groomed section of the runway is only 90 ft wide. A new taxiway was groomed to allow loading/unloading with the nose pointed to the wind.

Propane:

The site cooking stove was modified to use a 100 lb propane cylinder located outside.  This cylinder is almost empty. The TEG auxillary 100 lb propane cylinder is half-full.   In addition, a full 100 lb cylinder and a half-full 100 lb cylinder are  on site.

Also on site:

2 skidoos
2 helium cylinders
1 medical oxygen cylinder (no regulator)