Phase 2 of the McMath-Pierce main spectrograph upgrade is ongoing. A portion of the software user interface is in place and functioning. The spectrograph is now able to rock the grating between two specified wavelengths -- an important feature, used during flat-fielding of the NIM InSb array. Previously, the grating had to be rocked manually for several minutes while flat integrations were taken. This was a tedious process for the user, and difficult to perform accurately. A standard command language to allow users to control the grating over a RS232 serial port, an ethernet port, or remotely via a Web GUI interface is still under develpment. The serial/ethernet access was implemented to allow users who bring their own computers and instrumentation to directly control the spectrograph. The GUI will allow users in the main observation room to run the grating without the handpaddle, as well as provide support personnel with a means to remotely trouble shoot the spectrograph operation. The goal is to have phase 2 of this upgrade completed by the end of the current calendar year.
Lonnie Cole, Dave Jaksha, Carole Leiker,
Jan Schwitters, Ed Stover