Lucky Break?
Ginger is missing her starboard channel data, but at least this meshes with her previous mission missing her port side data…
THURSDAY, 05.04.09
0908: Update To WID Employees
Last night, Ginger came back with another missing channel of data. Fortunately, this time it was the starboard channel so it meshed well with the data from the previous mission that was missing the port side data. You’ll recall we switched out the last 75/410 for a 120/410. One of the team’s concerns arguing toward troubleshooting the last 75 was that the new set might have the same issues. I told them I would rather face the issues sooner rather than later, and to switch them out. Guess I got what I asked for there. Fortunately, the right channel worked. The problem was tracked to be a transmit/receive switch (T/R switch) and we put in a spare (our last, we did not get a full complement of 120 spares due to the ad hoc nature of pulling those systems in at the last minute). She’s down working now after a five and a half hour turnaround. Not too bad. Mary Ann just came up, and we’re gonna be looking at her data soon. We’ll need to buy some more TR switches but they’re $600 for the 120s.
Greg Packard is working up a list of recommended maintenance on the girls for me, prioritized by must do, should do (wish list), developmental concerns and issues we have discovered with the system that need further fleshing out (float release design flaw, et al). I should have that list in a day or so.
The sonar analysts work 12 hours a day or more. As we approach the end of our expedition, their hours are increasing dramatically as they organize the data to produce mosaics.
We’re also putting our priorities together for finalizing the data. I’ll get you more on that soon. I’m doing my best to get everyone off the clock when we hit the beach. My plan is to keep them on shifts during the transit back to get all inventory done, gear stored and all the data cleaned up and sorted.
