CSIRO Australia Telescope National Facility
ATCA Users Guide
Preface
About this Guide
Conventions
(1) The Australia Telescope Compact Array
/1./The Australia Telescope Compact Array
/1.1/The Australia Telescope National Facility
/1.2/Overview of the ATCA
/1.3/Planning a proposal
/1.4/Centimetre Observations (20–3 cm bands)
/1.5/Millimetre-wave observations (12mm–3mm)
/1.6/Choosing an Observing Frequency
/1.7/Choosing Angular and Frequency Resolution
/1.8/Additional Observing Notes and Techniques
/1.9/High Time Resolution, Pulsars, Planets and VLBI
/1.10/Other Things to Consider
/1.11/Submitting a proposal
/1.12/Successful Proposals
(2) Preparing for Observations
/2./Preparing for Observations
/2.1/How to Prepare a Schedule File
/2.2/How to Prepare a Mosaic File
/2.3/Scheduling Strategy
/2.4/Observation Requirements
/2.5/Pre-observation Checklist
(3) Observing
/3./Observing
/3.1/Continuum Observations
/3.2/Zoom Modes
/3.3/Monitoring and Trouble Shooting
/3.4/cm Observing Startup Checklist
/3.5/mm Observing Startup Checklist
(4) After your Observations
/4./After your Observations
/4.1/Archiving Your Data
/4.2/Report Your Experiences
/4.3/Data Analysis
/4.4/Publishing Results
 A. Technical Reference
B. caobs
C. cacor
D. spd
E. vis
F. People to Contact
Index
[Printable Guide] [Printable Chapter]

1.11 Submitting a proposal

The Compact Array usually operates under a semester system with two application deadlines each year: June 15 for observations from October 1 to March 31; and December 15 for observations from April 1 to September 30. During each semester array maintenance, upgrades and array reconfigurations (moving the antennas to different stations) are scheduled in addition to astronomical observations.

Based on previous experience, observing at 3mm usually ends by October 15, restarting in late April. Detection experiments at 7mm and 12mm usually end by October 31, restarting in early March. Observations of bright compact sources, for which self-calibration is possible, may be made throughout the year. Observations at times other than those indicated above require an explicit justification in the proposal.

For information about the current status of the ATNF facilities see:
http://www.atnf.csiro.au/observers/apply/avail.html

Before submitting proposals to observe particular objects, you should check that the observation you are proposing has not already been made. Previous Compact Array proposals and observations can be found in the ATOA (Australia Telescope Online Archive), http://atoa.atnf.csiro.au/. After the proprietary period has expired, the data files from previous observations may be downloaded from ATOA. An archive of older proposals (submitted between 1990 Quarter2 and the 2005 OCTS observing semester) is held in the Projects Database http://www.atnf.csiro.au/observers/search_proj.html.

All ATNF Telescope Applications must be submitted using OPAL http://opal.atnf.csiro.au/

1.11.1 A ’Friend’

First-time observers may wish to request a ‘friend’ who can help them write the schedule file in Sydney prior to coming to the observatory. To request a friend, check the box in your proposal for observing time; or if you decide later to request a friend, email at-enquiries@atnf.csiro.au as soon as possible after observing schedules have been published.

Your ‘friend’ will be an ATNF astronomer in Sydney, who will help you create schedule files and get you started with the data analysis after the observations. The ‘friend’ does not go to the observatory with you.