May 2005 EVLA Offline software test 

NAME:   Walter Brisken

Questionnaire on testing experience

1. Please list briefly your background in the following areas:

   A. Radio Interferometry ((sub)millimeter or centimeter)

VLA:   L-band A-array mostly
VLBA:  L-band phase referencing mostly
I consider myself to reasonably well understand the entire data path
from observation to image.

   B. Experience with VLA and/or PdBI data 

Fairly extensive, mostly L-band.

   C. Astronomical Data Reduction packages:
      - AIPS

Quite a bit.  Most of my reduction has ben done with AIPS to date.

      - MIRIAD

None.

      - MMA

Never heard of it.

      - Gildas/Clic

None.

      - AIPS++

A bit of testing, some use for astronomy.  A moderate amount of experience
with glish, some experience at the C++ level.

   D. How much experience have you had with the AIPS++ software
      package before this test? 

A fair amount, mainly as a tester.

2. Please identify which dataset you processed during this test:

   VLA L Band 1046-Shk 116

3. Were you able to complete the imaging on the
   data?  If not, why?   Please comment on specific steps if desired
   (comments can be positive or negative): 

I completed the imaging of the data set with flanking fields removed.  
I started to work on the full data set but other commitments have
stalled that effort at this point.

4. Were you able to analyze the images adequately to determine if the
   results you obtained were scientifically reasonable (e.g. display
   the image, calculate RMS and peak?
   If not, why? 

Yes.  The viewer is a bit clumsy with multiple huge images, but with 
patience seems quite stable and usable.

5. Please summarize the final results of your image(s): 
   - RMS: 2.84 muJy
   - Peak Flux Density: 7.3 mJy

For image made with robust=0.4

6. Did you have adequate support during your test?  If you contacted
   the AIPS++ groups for questions or to fix a bug, please comment on
   the interaction and whether it was helpful.  

Great support was available.

7.If you installed the AIPS++ rpms, was this easy to install?  If not, why?  

Did not test.

8.The Synthesis Reduction Cookbook you used for this test is the
   first version of a comprehensive cookbook for EVLA users.  Please
   evaluate the organization, content, and presentation of the
   cookbook.  It is meant to be the first documentation users will see
   when they want to reduce EVLA data, it provides background on the
   code capabilities, and extensive examples.  The on-line
   documentation provides more details and code descriptions.  With
   this in mind, please answer the questions below.  If you have
   detailed comments, please attach them to the end of this
   questionnaire. 

   - Was the documentation adequate for you to complete your test?

Yes, however the caveats about large images and memory use should be
added to the URM.  I use the URM almost exclusively for my documentation
needs except when learning new concepts.

   - Was the cookbook good?

The section on wide field imaging is direct and to the point and perhaps
lacks a bit of practical explanation such as how to compute number of
w-planes or facets to use or how to chose the clean algorithm for a 
particular purpose.  Also memory usage should be discussed.
   
   - Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the cookbook?

Address the above.

   - Was the on-line documentation good:
      * User Reference Manual?

Yes -- should add the caveats about memory size.
      
      * Supporting documentation?

Not much was needed

9.Roughly how much time did you take to perform the following steps:

   - Imaging: 

6 hours or so of my time + many times that of CPU time.
   
   - Analysis:	   

30 minutes
   
   - Filling out this questionnaire: 

30 minutes
   
   - Evaluating and grading the scientific requirements: 

1 hour

   - Total time: about 8 hours of my time spread over about 2 weeks.

10.Please rate your overall testing experience: 

   * excellent
   - good
   - fair
   - poor
   - horrid

11.Was the test well designed and executed by those in the EVLA
   offline subsystem (e.g. the subsystem scientist and the Offline
   subsystem group).  If not, can you provide any suggestions for
   improving the next test?  

Yes.  This tested a fairly narrow (but very important) aspect of (e)VLA 
data reduction.  I feel fortunate that I did not have to edit the 
entire dataset as that task could have been quite tedious.  

12.Do you have any additional comments that may help improve test of
   the offline software in the future?