Beaver Lake GPS Technical Inspection

Beaver Lake GPS, Technical Inspection, Dec 2001 - Jan 2002

Saturday 29th December

1. Servicing equipment and camping gear flown out by S76 at 2100hrs
2. Site area covered in 50cm of snow, pyramid tent assembled and gear stowed
3. 30% less solar power estimated, due to coverage of lower areas of panels by drifted snow
4. antenna area covered in 20cm of snow (3cm above antenna base), antenna radome visible
5. Hydrogen cylinders covered in drifted snow
6. Warm box opened, 3 batteries at 12.65 V
7. PCON ticking OK, GPS light (labelled phone) light on
8. GPS override (labelled phone) found turned on, GPS receiver switch found ON, but not powered up
9. GPS switch was turned off and then on again, GPS would not boot completely
10. GPS would not boot past message "Downloading channel", indicating that an internal reset is required
11. 440MB flash-card was removed from the DSCC and copied onto the laptop
12. Card re-inserted into DSCC but would not boot via the override switch, due to lost BIOS settings
13. Box closed up, departed site by foot at 2240hrs returning back to camp at 0030hrs

Sunday 30th December 2001

1. Flashcard data examined back at Beaver Lake Camp
2. GPS r-files from DOY 38 to 51 2000, and DOY 325 to 332 2000 (20-27th November 2000) found in DSCC\DATA
3. PDUMP files from DOY 320 2000 to 125 2001 (6th May 2001) found in DSCC\DATA
4. System.log file examined, last entry dated DOY 104 2001 (13th April 2001), Voltage 12.99

Wednesday 2nd January 2002 to Thursday 3rd January
1. Departed on foot for GPS site with overnight gear, arriving 0030hrs
2. Internal reset of GPS receiver successful, downloaded, backed up data from January 2001
3. Setup GPS for BVLK site at 30 second epoch
4. Removed old cardframe and flashcard, replaced with new
5. Reset the new PCON in order to initialise it, with new 440MB flash card
6. Installed, earthed and tested Satellite phone, using the override switch
7. Tested DSCC operation
8. Photographed and itemised the system
9. Antenna elevation mask mapped
10. Checked system at alarm time of 0430 UT (1130 local time) next day
11. DSCC downloaded, converted r-file to Hatanaka compressed format, and deleted r-file from Z12
12. DSCC started phone but did not establish connection with RSES
13. PCA modem settings corrected, connection finally established, but unstable, no data transferred
14. PCA modem attempted again, after initial phone firmware failure and reload
15. Connection better though, still no data transferred, possible disturbance from sun
16. Another transfer was attempted at 1830hrs and seemed promising, with logoff.bat running for the first time
17. The barometer was levelled ftom the antenna ground plane
18. The LED enable override was disconnected (so that the LEDs don't run all the time)
19. Photo taken inside the box

Monday 7th January 2002
1. System.fil file corrected to remove PCA serial override
2. Barometer correctly installed, and plugged into AIB
3. GPS Data for DOY 3,4 and 5 downloaded, manually and archived
4. NOWRUN.BAT and other files updated at RSES
5. System rechecked, performing well
6. Camp dismantled, ready for Dalton Corner

Tuesday 8th January 2002
1. System did not activate at alarm time.
2. DSCC was found to be working well
3. Heater positions altered, Temp probe 2 moved
4. More insulation provided

Wednesday 9th January 2002
1. System still didn't activate at alrm time
2. DSCC responds to PU command
3. Data downloaded from GPS receiver
4. Alarm time tested via PCON monitor port, but no activity

Thursday 10th January 2002
1. GPS Data downloaded
2. GPS receiver set to 60 second epoch

Friday 11th January 2002
1. PCON PU command booted the DSCC and performed correctly
2. Data sent by PU to Canberra correctly
3. PCON was cold reset by removal from cardframe for 20 seconds
4. Alarm time would still not activate, with "Real-Time clock Unknown interrupt???" msg.
5. Lithium battery was temporarily disconnected
6. Error message repeats itself, suggesting replacement of either PCON or board

Saturday 12th January 2002
1. New PCON chip was inserted onto card
2. Alarm time tested and PCON finally powered up the DSCC
3. System fully operational, data sent to Canberra
4. PCON alarm time reset to 0430 UT
5. Receiver set to 30 second epoch
6. System sealed and new lashings tied down

BVLK Diagnostics plot

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