The CCD is housed in an InfraLabs 5-inch dewar shown here on its test/maintenance stand. The SITe ST002a CCD, which has 2048x4096 15-micron pixels, can be seen here through the front window of the dewar.

Putting the System Together: Unpack all the hardware and the control computer, which should be transported in five large cardboard boxes. (At least they came from SDSU that way.) Since the system is sensitive to static electricity, be careful to attach the electronics box to the dewar with grounding lines. The CCD is protected for shipment with a with grounding plug, which should be reattached whenever the electronics package is removed. To attach the electronics, attach yourself to the dewar with a grounding strap, and remove the grounding plug from the connector on top of the dewar. Next, attach the plug from the electronics box into the dewar and attach the electronics package to the dewar with the two split rings. Attach the high-pressure supply and return lines to the CryoTiger compressor unit, being careful to hook them up to the right fittings on both the dewar and compressor. Connect the power cable between the power supply (gray box) and the electronics package, and attach the line cord to the power supply. Connect the transmit/receive fiber-optic cables between the electronics box and the control computer. You should now be ready to exercise the CCD controller with the computer.

Running GALILTERM: Start the program using the commands shown below. Basically there are three steps in setting up the system: (1) First, you have to establish communications with the controller. (2) Second, you have to set in the PID constants for the two axes, X=azimuth and Y=tilt. (3) Third, you have to send commands to the controller to run the axes. Be careful to check beforehand whether the telescope will hit the enclosure before starting any motions.

   t13b>telnet t13a              --> connect to computer in the telescope
      (logging in etc)               over the ethernet
   t13a>cd /home/eaton/ast/src/galil --> switch to proper directory unless 
                                     program is installed in /usr/bin

               *****  Establish communications with controller  *****

   t13a>galilterm                --> start terminal program on computer
                                     in the telescope

               *****  Set up the PID (etc.) constants  *****
               *****  (This is very important since    *****
               *****  the drives will oscillate with   *****
               *****  the default values.              *****

   KP 5,5                        --> set proportional PID constant for axes X,Y
   KD 35,35                      --> set derivative (velocity) PID constants
   KI 0.01,0.01                  --> set integral PID constants = 0.01

               *****  Turn on the servos and begin tests  *****

   SH X,Y                        --> servo here, X(az), Y (tilt) axes

   JG ,25000                     --> sets jog speed for Y to 25,000 cps
   BG Y                          --> begin motion in Y axis
   TT                            --> tell torque (in volts)
                                      repeat several times
    .
    .
    .

   JG ,-25000                    --> reverses motion
   TT                            --> tell torque (in volts)
                                           repeat
    .
    .
    .

   ST X,Y                        --> stop motion 


   TT                          --> tell torque

Recording Engineering Data: You may write programs to load into the Galil controller that periodically record such useful data as the position (TP) or demand (torque).

Compiling GALILTERM: If the program does not exist on the computer, then you will have to make and install it. First change to directory /home/eaton/ast/src/galil, which should contain the proper source code. Next make the program (make galilterm) and install it or run it out of the source directory (./galilterm). ...