dynamo-iss2: Other Messages: 11 Entries..

This is your weekly update on supplies, conditions of equipment and the general well-being of the wonderful ISS/Revelle gear.  Please read with care.

I did a measurement on the profiler (between the 'x') and came up with 20.25".  This seems to be were it's the most happiest.  I think if I were a profiler, I would want to be in a position of around 20" from center.  Its smart.  But it looks great inside.  Did not have to tell it to clean or organize any of its things and I would definitely not tell it that it's a pigsty.  Everyone sounded happy in inside but not too much fun since everything seemed dry.

Doing my walk-a-bout I checked on the gps receiver for the GAUS system and it look great.  I like how this is the one antenna that I can actually see looking down on it.  The other antenna that I can pretty much get a real up-and-personal relationship with is the GAUS antenna.  I see that there is a similarity here on instrumentation that is at 'Chris' Height'.  GAUS'!  But the antenna looked happy as a clam, if a clam were to be outside without food or water, rusting and strapped to a pole in the sun with no shade.  I did clean the window of the camera, but that first attempt was rather shotty.  So a second attempt was in order and that one definitely got the gold.  Our little camera was very please and thanked me and I was on my way.  The two remaining instruments located 02 Deck were seeming to have a little oddness to them.  I asked, "Are you getting tired up there?"  No response, but I am going to bet that they will be happy that they will be removed in five days.  Give them a nice cleaning and put them to bed.  They did well and they deserve a good months rest.  I did notice when looking over the WXT that it's wind orientation was not a true parallel to the boat, but it told me that they really didn't care about it's allignment and said just over look it and don't ask questions.  So here I am, just not going to mention it.
The wonderful walk towards the bow of the boat was a journey in itself.  I will not bore you with the details but let's just say it had to do with the blistering sun, the motion of the ocean in combination with looking up.  At the time of achieving all these elements, at once, I noticed the sunshine sensor.  Gave it a salute and said, "good job", then shuffled off to 01 Deck to inspect the temperature with a great colored, handheld meteorological data system.  Holding it up to make sure I can get as close as I can to the sensor I am trying to compare this too and took a reading.  What a great day it was on the bow of the boat.
I did walk back to the stern of the boat via the port-side, 01 deck to the quarter deck stairs.  I was there in a flash.  Did another reading with the handheld precision and took it's numbers into my memory.
At this time I walked to the helium (He) container to count the bottle in which I will not be using this trip.  I counted 26 bottles.

In summary:

GAUS things (GPS, antenna): Good
Camera:  Good
WXT and GPS Water Vapor:  Okay
Sunshine Sensor:  Good
He Bottle Count:  26
Sonde Count:  38
Balloon Count:  91
Profiler Position: 20 1/4"


I was bored and did label all the tools with "Integrated Sounding System, National Center for Atmospheric Science".

Cheers! 

Helium Supply = 28 tanks
Balloon Supply = 4 balloons + lg box.
Sonde count = 42
Extra sonde batteries = six
Crap sondes = 10
Facial tissues = 23
Kimwipes = 88

Printer ink cartridge is okay.

Profiler looks great.  Some water underneath but it's raining so I would expect that.  The distance of x's are 15 1/4"  Seas are normal (2m height) so interesting to see if this is where it will stay.

WXT looks great.  GPS water vapor antenna looks happy as a clam.  Camera is on and running but I didn't clean since it's raining.  Will try to remember to do that after a day or so.  We are in the cloud/rain band now.  GAUS antenna looks a little crooked but not too shabby.  I will straighten it when the weather is better.  Iridium phone and GPS look great.

Sunshine sensor is in place and wet.

Back DVD has been started.

Tool wise, everything chest but did notice that a screwdriver was place 180 from what it was orginally.  I did flip it back 180 degrees and now the tool box looks neat and orderally.

Weekly check of ISS items on the Revelle.  Extremely calm waters.  Almost glass-like.  

Profiler looked great.  Measured Bill's distance (19").  It came in a couple of inches, but I'm wondering since we are not rocking.  

Sunshine sensor is still on top of front mast.  It should see a lot of sunshine today.  Not a cloud in the sky.

WXT/GPS H2O, Camera, GAUS, GPS atennas look great.  Mounts are getting rusted but that was also noted in previous weekly logs.

Inventory
Bottles = 32
Balloons = 23 + large box
Sondes = 29 + 40 = 69

Backing up on DVD now.

Epson printer has a good amount of ink left.  

We have gotten the string of instruments that have been resting on the bottom of the ocean for a few days.  The final trolling seemed to have nudged it enough to surface this morning.  Morning launch went off an hour late, but got in on time.  Still waiting on how much of the line we have left on this buoy anchor to see if afternoon launch is a go.

All 4500m of line was hauled onto the boat this morning.  No instruments attached.  So we will begin doing SEA-SOAR operations which does not hinder my launch schedule.  While ops goes on we move North to the rest of the buoys.

Trolling is over.

So trolling operations were halted through night time hours.  I was able to launch my 00Z sonde but I may not be able to launch the 12Z.  I will asses the situation on when trolling with begin and end for today (1/18).  We will be trolling today and letting out 10000m of cable to capture these instruments on the ocean floor.  Since 10000m of cable will take some time to deploy and I'm allowed on the deck at that point, I will try to get close to my 12Z launch.  All weekly checks were done this morning before operations began.  Until next time...

...it's official that my 12Z launch is canceled.  I may be able to launch one at 10Z but that may be too close to trolling time.  This operation will probably go up to my morning launch.  


Update:  The 12Z launch was good.  Since the line is still being placed out into the ocean I had a chance to launch a balloon...well two.  
 

The 00Z for 1/19/12 will be canceled due to trolling if we do not catch anything.  I will try to launch as close to 00Z that I can.

Checked the alignment on profiler and it definitely moved from orginal position a week ago.  Measuring the gap that Bill showed me on his orginal measurement spot I got a length of 21".  That means it moved around 4" so this cruise.  I did NOT move it back.  I want to see if this is were it's happy and won't move from now on.  I may do this check twice a week to keep an eye on it.  But it looked great inside the clutter fence.  No water, no sounds no cords just hanging there.  Just the orientation was off.
Cleaned the lens of the camera and it was pretty dirty.  They have been scraping paint off decks and blasting and painting since we took off from Phuket.  The 02 Deck is one that has been getting the most repair.  WXT and GPS look great.  A little rust is happing to both antennas but that is to be expected.  GAUS antenna looks great but it's pipe mount is really rusted.  I'm not worried about it.

Top of profiler is okay.  It seems to have some caulk coming up but nothing more than when at port of Phuket.  Side bars are still secure and look good.  All ratchet straps are tight and nothing looks out of place.

Sunshine sensor looks happy as a clam up on the mast.  

Helium tanks = 35
Balloons = 18 + small box + big box
Sondes = 46

Back up completed.  

I have been shut down from the aft decks till all trolling operations are completed.  This operation started before my 00Z launch, but since the line was just being released into the ocean I was aloud on port-aft.  Since 7am-ish all decks were closed due to wired being pulled along the bottom of the ocean floor and a good chance of the trolling line to break.  The 12Z launch was shut down and I am to remain in lab while this next trolling ops is underway.  This is our second attempt and I was not told on how many attempts will be tried until we give up.  I guess the ocean-o's are hoping to catch the line so this decision will not have to be made.  The last discussion I heard is this could be days.
Until I am told I will remain in lab and do what I can from here (monitor profiler, camera and GPS/water vapor).
I will write an email when I am given the okay from the bridge.  

Just got on board and doing a checklist on what I can.

Profiler is not running, but platform is pulling 2.27A.
GAUS is off.
Balloons - 60(+big box)
Sondes - 107 

Ship is re-fueling, ETA Phucket 0100 01/05/12 UTC.
DM back up complete and tested.
WXT and Water Vaper instruments look fine.
GAUS and GPS antennas look fine.
Radome looks fine.
Profiler looks level and aligned.
(No Profiler currents as we shut down at 1800 UTC 01/02/12 and are heading to 
port.)
Webcam has been cleaned, looks secure and level.
Sounding Inventory:
Sondes:  107
Balloons:  160
Helium:  Partial tank:  ~1200 PSI
         Full Tanks:  40
Spare parts stashed and secured.

Stabilizer platform looks good, aligned.
GUAS and GPS antennas look good.
Radome looks fine.
Water vapor, GPS and WXT look fine from deck.
DM backup complete and tested.

Profiler Positions and Currents:
Position  60M    200M
21        1.722  2.099
38        1.722  2.099
37        1.722  2.099
22        1.719

After 12-28-2011 18z launch inventories are as follows:
Sondes:  131
Helium:  45 full tanks
Balloons:  167

     

Profiler stabilizer platform looks good, ~level and aligned.
Radome looks fine.
GAUS and GPS antenna look fine.
Wecam needs cleaning, will do when stairs are returned.  
(Painting in progress.)
From 03 deck water vapor and WXT look O.K.

Profiler Currents and Antenna Positions:

Position     60m       200m
21           1.728     2.108
38           1.728     2.108
37           1.728     2.108
22           1.726

DM back up complete.       
50 full helium cylinders not including the one currently in use
with 2400psi.
174 sondes.
2 and 1/2 boxes of balloons.