AIPS HELP file for VLBAMCAL in 31DEC25

As of Wed Mar 26 8:10:36 2025

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.