PROPERTY OF CCc2*aA THE U.S. GOVERNMENT

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA VLA/VLBA THERSTAS 847" (3rd&4'h) 320 (9'th)

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UllI I II l l l II I II IUlllII I II II IIII I I II~l I Ii AROUND THE VLA learning, under their own initiative, the skill of no problems or difficulties reported. The Stainless Steel Welding and washing the 4/10 schedule has been the normal "summer" Congratulations! Carl Oler has been added to internal convolution of flexible metal tubing. schedule for many and is considered a the Track Crew as a regular full time member. A special technique is required in the welding more efficient work schedule for work crews Facio Gomez was hired to fill, a vacancy in the of flexible metal tubing in order to achieve a at the VLA. The 4/10 schedule also affords Warehouse. The term of employment for Jay 10-7 vacuum and helium tight hoses. Previous time for employees who work at the VLA to Apachito has been extended for two. months to this it was necessary to order each line' conduct personal business in town one day and for Gerald O'Connell, three months. fabricated to length at anraverage cost of about during the week. Leave time is charged at Employment has been extended for one month $30 per foot.. In a 3- period around 10 hours per day, except during holiday for Antenna Painters James Trujillo and $19,000 was spent on flexible lines. To date weeks. With the new permanent schedule Carlos Soto. NRAO has realized a savings of $20,000.00-in buses will arrive at the VLA at 0630 and will fabrication/repairs Congratulations to those who just passed their of flexible helium hoses and depart the VLA at 1630. Holiday weeks another $2,000 final tests for their Commercial Driver's in cleaning. Congratulations! revert.to 8 hour days and buses will arrive at L. Serna Licenses: Frank Broaddus, Antenna the VLA at 0830 and depart at 1630. Mechanic; Adrian Zamora, Antenna L. Serna. Mechanic; Gerald O'Connell, Carpenter's HR ANNOUNCES NEW Helper; Jay Apachito, Track Crew; Ken BENEFIT SITE & WYE NEWS Lakies, Servo Technician; and Brian Olney, The Track Crew has completed replacement .NRAO has introduced Rio Grand Conservancy. the Employee of the SR52 crossing. They are at present Assistance. Program (EAP). It is a free, extending the "on-off'. ramp.at SR52 to voluntary, confidential service, providing provide space for track vehicles to get on or ST'AR AWARD employees with assessments, consultations, and off the track at that point without having to referrals. It is designed to assist RECIPIENTS employees and use the highway in the process. Parts should household members in dealing with a variety of Two NRAO soon be. in for the Jackson tamper and as Awards were presented by personal concerns such as depression, marital Mark McKinnon during soon as Servo has time to install and test the "End of Summer" difficulties, concerns with children, alcoholism, lunch ceremony on them, it should be operational. Paul Savedra Thursday, September 27. and financial issues. Through the Employee Tommy and Jimmy Rexrode are looking at a used Montoya and Michael Zamora from Assistance Program, you can find productive the VLA Nordberg spiker in Oklahoma and if it is in Cryo Shop received Star Awards for solutions to personal problems and improve good shape, we will probably buy it.. your health and well-being. The Carpentry Shop has completed the An EAP counselor, a licensed mental health kitchen at the Control Building. Doors for professional, will listen to your concerns and the remodel job at the AOC are on order. identify key issues of your particular situation The Control Building stairway will be and assist you in devising a plan of action.. repainted very soon. The Haz-Mat storage You and all household members are welcome containment is done. to call for appointments by simply calling (877) 622-4327. The Grounds Crew has completed the "long A. Lewis line potential" measurements. They have cut down some dead trees and pruned the >:"' .r"NEWi PERMANENT juniper bushes at the Visitor Center. Soon, with the help of iWORK one person from Cryo and SCHEDULE AT one Track Crew member, they will replace a THE VLA manhole on the east arm. H.. Over the last eight months the VLA has been Richard Murillo and John Wall returned . SYon a trial schedule of four, ten-hour, workdays from Tucson with the crane Dale Webb Tommy Montoya and Michael Zamora per week (4/10's) where special attention was acquired for us. A HUGE THANK YOU to with their Star Awards given to safety and array support. There were Bosque del Apache (in particular Gary Montoya) for all their help in getting a trailer possibly this; "We've got lightning over the array to haul the crane. It is in great condition! and I can't let anybody on the antennas right OCTOBER SKIES Jimmy completed the engine overhaul stand now." A whole day or at least several hours Walking to work recently, in the early and now the engine from the yellow MC-9 is wasted...right? Not necessarily. By following a morning, I was struck by being able to see being rebuilt. And wouldn't you know it, the few simple steps, and using a little creative Venus, Jupiter and Saturn in the pre dawn MC-5 (Jurassic) had to be dead-lined. Oh thinking you can make the most of the time you sky. But, Saturn and Jupiter are about to well, here we go again!! spend working on problems on the array. become evening objects. By the end of the P. Lewis month, Saturn will rise not long after the Maintenance Day - Logically, this is the best final light of twilight followed by Jupiter HWY 52 RAILROAD time to schedule any work requiring the about two hours later. Right now Saturn's parking of an antenna. The time allotted for rings are nothing short of spectacular in a CROSSING weekly maintenance is generally Tuesdays small telescope. Jupiter, at magnitude -2.4, If you have ridden the bus to the VLA you and/or Wednesdays from 8:48 AM to 3:17 PM. is very bright and should be easily viewed probably remember being subjected to a During those times, you can generally have with a modest pair of binoculars. spine-jarring jolt as the bus crossed the VLA unrestricted access to all antennas. Of course rails on Highway 52. On September 18' the not all work can be deferred until maintenance Venus will continue to shine brilliantly in Track crew reconstructed the section of track day, but scheduling technicians for major tasks the early morning sky. During the final crossing the highway. Traffic was detoured during these times will practically guarantee week of the month Venus can be found west of the highway where the Track Crew work without interruptions. keeping company with the planet Mercury had previously removed the rails and prepared about 40 minutes before sunrise. a temporary roadbed. The Track Crew then Call the Operator - For those times when you Mars continues to shine, but not quite so removed the rails and ties that crossed the must work on antennas on days other than brilliantly as the Earth begins to pull highway and replaced them with new ones. Maintenance Day, call the operator at extension away 7180 to see if there is a "best" time to perform and put more distance between the "Red the work. The Operator is your information Planet" and us. This will add some source for these types of questions. challenge to finding surface features such as the polar ice caps. Thunderstorm Season - From late spring to early fall, thunderstorms are a common If you're really into planet hunting, find a occurrence in New Mexico in general, and at good sky chart and locate the the VLA in particular. Again, the operator is a (the Sea Goat). Both Uranus good source of information for planning and Neptune will spend most of the month in purposes. this constellation. Neptune, at magnitude 7.9, can be found between the Omicron Safety - This should always be the prime and Upsilon Capricorni. Uranus, much consideration for any job. The operators are brighter at magnitude 5.7, can be found just The VLA Track Crew Working on the responsible for maintaining traffic flow and west of the star Delta Capriconi, the Highway #52 Rail Crossing clearing antennas during potentially unsafe brightest star in the Sea Goat. conditions. Constant After they leveled, aligned and tamped the contact with the operator t new rails in place, they placed the crossing before, during, and after completion of work on October also is the month for the 8d annual the antennas Enchanted Skies Star Party (ESSP) which planks and spiked them in place. The Track is a must. If you don't get an h Crew then spread cold mix that was delivered immediate answer to your radio or telephone takes place from the 18 through the 21". from Truth or Consequences. The next day, call, please be patient and try again in a couple This year's keynote speaker is Dr. Alan the State Highway Department oiled and of minutes. The operator will respond as soon Hirshfeld from the Univ. of Massachusetts. rolled the cold mix in place. Soon the Track as possible. When the operator tells you to His recent book, Parallax: The Race to Crew will do all this again on the Durfee clear an antenna due to lightning, high winds, Measure the Cosmos, has resulted in his Canyon Road rail crossing. or operational requirements, stop your work appearance on more than a dozen TV and J. Thunborg and assume a safe posture. radio programs. EFFICIENCY/ Flexibility - Using creative scheduling can Dr. Hirshfeld will give his lecture, which is also help you get the most out of allotted open to the general public, on Friday evening, the 1 th, at 7 p.m. EFFECTIVENESS TIPS maintenance times. If you have several people 9 in Macey Center. Following the lecture, there will How many times has it happened? You pack in your shop, you can stagger lunch times so be an open house at the Etscorn Campus Observatory. your tools, spare modules, and co-workers into that half of your people are working while the The public is also cordially invited join star your vehicle and head out from the AOC or your other half are eating. That way, there is no party participants work center to close out a work order and you "dead" time when nothing is getting done. at the Campus Observatory that evening. This will make the call to the Array Operator; "Can you Shifting your hours slightly on maintenance be a great opportunity to see a lot of great amateur park Antenna 3 so we can change out a days to coincide with allotted times will also telescopes and get in some module?" A few seconds later you get the bad help you make the most of the available time. deep sky observing in the bargain. For more ESSP news. "Sorry, I already have 2 antennas down These, and other steps can help you utilize your information check: www.socorro-nm.com/ and won't be able to release another until one of people resources effectively, work safely, and starparty.html. the other antennas comes back in service." Or reduce your work order backlogs. J. Campbell J.Spargo