Preparing REAL for M2HATS:
March 23, 2023: After 14 years at the University Farm, the laboratory shipping container roof accumulated a layer of mold or algae. Today I started scrubbing it off with a battery powered scrubber and dish soap and got perhaps 25% of it done. More importantly however, Bruce got the Nd:YAG pump beam through the Raman cell at low power.
March 22, 2023: We found a female BNC jack connector, used for the shot single button, had separated from the control board on the power and cooling unit of the Nd:YAG laser. We ordered a new one with overnight shipping through Digikey. Bruce Morley repaired the board.
March 9, 2023: Bruce Morley from the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) visited us and started working on preparing the instrument for M2HATS. Thanks to Bruce, we installed the system control and data acquisition computer and Nd:YAG laser, calibrated the scanner for pointing, and got subsystems like UPSs and PDUs communicating on the local network. Bruce is scheduled to return to Chico on March 20.
February 22, 2023: Paul Lugenbeel recharging the laboratory container's Fujitsu Halcyon (Model AOU36RML) 36,000 BTU heat pump.
February 21, 2023: The REAL uses 5 APC rack-mounted smart-UPSs (uninterruptible power supplies) (4x120V and 1x240V) to keep the lidar running during brief power outages. Today 48 lead-acid batteries (12V 5Ah) were changed. Each 120V UPS has 8 batteries and the 240V UPS has 16.
February 10, 2023: Electrical power connected and turned on. Still missing some fuses, but electricians by-passed them given there are fuses elsewhere in the circuit.
February 9, 2023: Installed beam steering unit (BSU) on roof of container. Link to exciting Youtube movie.
February 2, 2023: Ufer pit was filled in today and one electrical disconnect installed.
January 19, 2023: Concrete poured into Ufer pit and posts set for electrical panel.
December 23, 2022: A Ufer pit was dug today for an electrical ground that adheres to the National Electrical Code (NEC)
October 14, 2022: REAL moved to a spot on campus near the tennis courts and greenhouses. Unfortunately, no electrical power. Paperwork signed to install power in late November of 2022.
As of early October 2022, parked near the Irrigation Training Facility at the farm waiting to be moved to campus. All new tires and air brake chambers.
September 17, 2022: Mike's Crane Service removing the old container and installing the new one:
September 17: 2022: Day Enterprises moving the trailer off the berm:
September 15, 2022: Removal of the infamous jib crane:
October 26, 2019: (Below) A new shipping container from Container Solutions is delivered to replace the rear container on the REAL trailer. It is a finished container with insulated walls, a powerful air conditioning system, personnel door, interior lightning, etc. Unfortunately, we ran out of funding soon after it was delivered and were not able to replace the old wasp and mold infested container on the trailer until 2022.
Below: The shipping container on the rear of the trailer (the one over the wheels) had a very long and good life, but its days as a lidar container came to an end at Chico State. With a leaky roof and shag carpet walls, and countless holes and cracks in the walls, it became infested with mold and wasps.
