At Gran Sasso this week:
Fabrizio Cei, Maurizio Goretti, Erik Katsavounidis,
Sophia Kyriazopoulou, Colin Okada, Paolo Saggese, Stefano Stalio
Paolo modified a Kinetics 1500 CAMAC crate so that it could supply
enough current for the attico TOHM modules. In a week long test, the
crate worked. It did not break down. It did not catch on fire. It
did not explode. This is means that we can be fairly confident that the
modification is acceptable, and further crates can be modified. The
plan for this week is to modify enough for one microVAX.
With the CAMAC crates modified, Sophia could install the attico TOHM
modules. As said before, one microVAX was modified, an modules for
SM1 and SM2 were installed. The cables were plugged into the fanouts
and the readout of the TOHM was added to the CAMAC list. Triggers
from these modules are being formed, but they are not yet used to read
out the waveform digitizers.
Earlier in the week a HV channel (4C13-0) started reading low. Apparently
this channel has had the same problem in the past. The card was replaced.
A PHRASE channel (5B05) was exibiting a high trigger rate on Sunday.
There was nothing in the other scintillator triggers that corresponded
to this anomalous rate. Its input was disconnected. Luckily Fabrizio
was here on shift and could change the module.
The PMTs from 4B07-1 were removed. This tank had caused MACRO to die
two weeks ago. Upon removing the tubes, it was seen that one of them
had lost its vacuum, burned off its photocathode, and had oil within
the tube. The other was removed as a precaution. It will be subjected
to testing in the darkbox.
A new technician has arrived from Trieste via Pisa. Everyone say hello
to Stefano Stalio. He arrived just in time to experience the joy of
PMT replacement.