AIPS HELP file for VLBAMCAL in 31DEC24
As of Wed Nov 6 23:12:20 2024
VLBAMCAL: Procedure to merge redundant calibration data
INPUTS
INNAME Input file name
INCLASS Input file class
INSEQ Input file sequence number
INDISK Disk number for input file
BADDISK List of disks not to be used
for scratch files.
VLBAMCAL is defined in the VLBAUTIL run file.
HELP SECTION
VLBAMCAL
Type: Procedure
Use: VLBAMCAL is a procedure that removes redundant calibration records from
data from the VLBA correlator. Note that VLBALOAD and VLBAFIX will
do this automatically.
Type RUN VLBAUTIL to make the VLBAMCAL procedure available.
INNAME.....The name of the file to be corrected. Wildcard characters
are allowed.
INCLASS....The class of the file to be corrected. Wildcard characters
are allowed.
INSEQ......The sequence number of the file to be corrected.
0 => highest number matching INNAME, INSEQ, and INDISK.
INDISK.....The disk drive number of the file to be corrected.
0 => any disk.
BADDISK....A list of disk numbers that are not to be used for scratch
files.
EXPLAIN SECTION
VLBAMCAL: Procedure to merge redundant calibration data.
Documentor: Chris Flatters, Amy Mioduszewski
Related Programs: FITLD, VLBALOAD, VLBAUTIL, MERGECAL, VLBAFIX
Note that VLBALOAD and VLBAFIX run VLBAMCAL.
WHEN TO USE VLBAMCAL
Use VLBAMCAL to get rid of redundant records in calibration tables. These
result from the duplication of certain calibration data across FITS file
boundaries in VLBA export tapes and can cause AIPS programs (notably APCAL) to
fail.
You should run VLBAMCAL after you have finished loading the data from tape but
before you either change the polarization structure of the data with FXPOL,
load any calibration data for non-VLBA telescopes, or apply the calibration
data.
VLBAMCAL is intended for all levels of VLBA users and can be used in place of
the older MERGECAL procedure.
WHAT TO DO NEXT
After you have removed the redundant calibration records, you should search
for possible subarraying conditions with VLBASUBS. If you are confident that
there are no subarrays in your data and you have dual polarization data then
you will need to fix the polarization labelling with VLBAFPOL or FXPOL.