NRAO visit - cool pics

[[Jett]-Dsru]

I am re-doing my online photo album and found all the other NRAO visit pics I took. I supply the FPGA's (Field Programmable Gate Arrays) that control all 27 dishes. We actually climbed up inside the dish to the very top wear they were replacing a correlator. I posted these on the old page but didnt have all the pictures of the boards. The boards showing the Xilinx have 16 on each board, and 12 boards per dish. At 1600 a device(chip), you do the math!:eek:

We than got to take a ride on the mover which LIFTS a dish (230 tons) off the ground and transports it to the maintenance shed at a whole 1.7MPH!

Jodie Foster who?

http://www.jettcommunity.com/photos/thumbnails.php?album=19

A story on the retooling, can you say CHA-CHING for Big D!
http://www.nrao.edu/pr/2008/evlahalf/
:D

[[Jett]-Tracker]

Cool ! What is that facility for? Pretty amazing array.

[[Jett]-Clutch]

D,
That is way cool. I have been up in one of those dishes as well but it was a long time ago. Back in the early 80's I installed a couple of the first VAX 11/780s at NRAO/VLA and took a few calls on their LCG system the KI-10 too. Stood in the center of the Universe where Carl Segan stood when he filmed the series 'Cosmos'. I think I am Delta Tuned after that.

Standing in the dish, on a clear blue sky day, is an amazing visual when being absorbed into total white and blue. Few can experience that view. Driving over the pass outside of Magdalina takes the breath away too. I wonder if anyone has picked up all those beer cans that use to litter the sides of the road there.

You are a lucky man to be involved with some of the worlds finest astro-technology-wizards. Science is really cool!

I also remember that they had some of the best chicken enchiladas in the cafeteria on Thursdays too. Leave it to me to remember food. But hey, it's what I do. If you travel out west of there to Datil, there is a shabby resteraunt that serves a fantastic T-bone steak. Hangs off both ends of the platter they serve it on. Called the BeefEater Special. I call it shabby because they had some mangy old buffalo heads hanging out over the table and counters and the place had a real unique style of 'old west' to it.

Enjoy...

[[Jett]-Dsru]

If you travel out west of there to Datil, there is a shabby resteraunt that serves a fantastic T-bone steak. Hangs off both ends of the platter they serve it on. Called the BeefEater Special. I call it shabby because they had some mangy old buffalo heads hanging out over the table and counters and the place had a real unique style of 'old west' to it.

Enjoy...

Yep, its now a grocery store and gas station too.
I have eaten there many times!

[[Jett]-RB]

-Dsru;3010']Yep, its now a grocery store and gas station too.
I have eaten there many times!

I now have a reason to go to NM :P JK, but if I go visit D, sounds like a good place to get a bite :)

RB :)