Bandpass table size incorrect - Error in mfboot
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Bandpass table size incorrect - Error in mfboot
Hi Miriad experts!
I am reducing 7 mm ATCA data taken in November 2010. I have a problem with the flux density bootstrapping in mfboot. When I want to scale the gain of the phase calibrator using the observations of Uranus, I get the following error:
### Fatal error: Bandpass table size incorrect. This happens when the inputs for mfcal and gpcal are inconsistent.
I use the following sequence for calibration after flagging
-- mfcal on bandpass calibrator (which interval to take?)
-- copy bandpass solution to gain calibrator and flux calibrator (with options = nocal)
-- mfcal on gain calibrator (with options = nopassol)
-- mfboot on uranus and gain calibrator (this is where I get the above error). I get a solution for the scaling and spectral slope of uranus.
I would be happy for any input on this. In some reductions with certain flagging the mfboot step worked, but I cannot see a major difference between them...
Thanks,
Daniel
I am reducing 7 mm ATCA data taken in November 2010. I have a problem with the flux density bootstrapping in mfboot. When I want to scale the gain of the phase calibrator using the observations of Uranus, I get the following error:
### Fatal error: Bandpass table size incorrect. This happens when the inputs for mfcal and gpcal are inconsistent.
I use the following sequence for calibration after flagging
-- mfcal on bandpass calibrator (which interval to take?)
-- copy bandpass solution to gain calibrator and flux calibrator (with options = nocal)
-- mfcal on gain calibrator (with options = nopassol)
-- mfboot on uranus and gain calibrator (this is where I get the above error). I get a solution for the scaling and spectral slope of uranus.
I would be happy for any input on this. In some reductions with certain flagging the mfboot step worked, but I cannot see a major difference between them...
Thanks,
Daniel
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Re: Bandpass table size incorrect - Error in mfboot
Hi Daniel,
The problem here is not that the bandpass table size is incorrect (technically), but rather that there is no gain table on your flux calibrator, since you've used 'options=nocal' when copying from your bandpass calibrator to your flux calibrator.
In the case you've described above, you should do the following:
The problem here is not that the bandpass table size is incorrect (technically), but rather that there is no gain table on your flux calibrator, since you've used 'options=nocal' when copying from your bandpass calibrator to your flux calibrator.
In the case you've described above, you should do the following:
- mfcal on bandpass calibrator (you can leave the interval option unset if you like, it shouldn't make a difference in this procedure)
- copy bandpass solution to the gain calibrator with gpcopy, and no options
- gpcal on gain calibrator (with options=xyvary,qusolve), or if you prefer, mfcal on gain calibrator (with options=nopassol, and a short interval=0.1)
- copy calibration solution from your gain calibrator to the flux calibrator with gpcopy, and no options
- mfboot on Uranus and gain calibrator, which should now work as expected
cheers
Jamie Stevens
ATCA Senior System Scientist
Jamie Stevens
ATCA Senior System Scientist
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Re: Bandpass table size incorrect - Error in mfboot
Thanks Jamie, that worked very well. Also explains why this problem seemed to come and go; I was probably not using the options = nocal with gpcopy every time... Thanks a lot for your quick answer.
Re: Bandpass table size incorrect - Error in mfboot
I just ran into this problem and couldn't solve it using the tips listed above. My calibration steps are as follows:
Applying bandpass corrections to neptune.88910
Applying gain corrections to neptune.88910
Found data for source neptune
Applying bandpass corrections to j1326-5256.88910
Applying gain corrections to j1326-5256.88910
Scaling the data by 0.701
Adjusting spectral slope by -0.675
### Fatal Error [mfboot]: Bandpass table size is incorrect. This happens when the inputs for mfcal and gpcal are inconsistent
The flux of the phase calibrator seems to have been scaled by the scaling factor shown but it doesn't appear to be correct. I have also tried the method suggested above where the bandpass and gain tables are copied from the gain calibrator to the flux calibrator but the result was the same.
Can anyone offer any help?
- mfcal vis=bandpass refant=2 interval=0.2 select="time(good time)"
gpcopy vis=bandpass out=gain
gpcopy vis=bandpass out=flux
gpcal vis=gain options=xyvary,qusolve
gpcal vis=flux options=xyvary
mfboot vis=neptune.88910(flux),j1326-5256.88910(gain) select="source(neptune)"
Applying bandpass corrections to neptune.88910
Applying gain corrections to neptune.88910
Found data for source neptune
Applying bandpass corrections to j1326-5256.88910
Applying gain corrections to j1326-5256.88910
Scaling the data by 0.701
Adjusting spectral slope by -0.675
### Fatal Error [mfboot]: Bandpass table size is incorrect. This happens when the inputs for mfcal and gpcal are inconsistent
The flux of the phase calibrator seems to have been scaled by the scaling factor shown but it doesn't appear to be correct. I have also tried the method suggested above where the bandpass and gain tables are copied from the gain calibrator to the flux calibrator but the result was the same.
Can anyone offer any help?
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Re: Bandpass table size incorrect - Error in mfboot
You definitely shouldn't be doing gpcal on the flux calibrator when the flux calibrator is a planet. Does this make any difference?
cheers
Jamie Stevens
ATCA Senior System Scientist
Jamie Stevens
ATCA Senior System Scientist
Re: Bandpass table size incorrect - Error in mfboot
Thanks for the quick reply.
Went through the steps again without using gpcal on Neptune and got the same error message, again the flux scale has been applied so is it possible that the step has worked and just produced the error message for no reason?
Went through the steps again without using gpcal on Neptune and got the same error message, again the flux scale has been applied so is it possible that the step has worked and just produced the error message for no reason?
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Re: Bandpass table size incorrect - Error in mfboot
Can you try just the following please and report what happens.
rm */bandpass */gains */leakage
mfcal vis=bandpass refant=2 interval=0.2 select="time(good time)"
gpcopy vis=bandpass out=flux
mfboot vis=flux,bandpass select="source(neptune)"
rm */bandpass */gains */leakage
mfcal vis=bandpass refant=2 interval=0.2 select="time(good time)"
gpcopy vis=bandpass out=flux
mfboot vis=flux,bandpass select="source(neptune)"
cheers
Jamie Stevens
ATCA Senior System Scientist
Jamie Stevens
ATCA Senior System Scientist
Re: Bandpass table size incorrect - Error in mfboot
I just input those commands and the result was the same error message as before.
Really not sure what to make of this.
Really not sure what to make of this.
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Re: Bandpass table size incorrect - Error in mfboot
I think we'll need to see your data to debug this further. Could you make it available to us please?
cheers
Jamie Stevens
ATCA Senior System Scientist
Jamie Stevens
ATCA Senior System Scientist
Re: Bandpass table size incorrect - Error in mfboot
did this ever get sorted out? I'm having the same issue as Daniel was having and I followed your directions carefully and it's still producing the error. I did everything you suggested:
--mfcal on bandpass calibrator (you can leave the interval option unset if you like, it shouldn't make a difference in this procedure)
--copy bandpass solution to the gain calibrator with gpcopy, and no options
-- mfcal on gain calibrator (with options=nopassol, and a short interval=0.1)
--copy calibration solution from your gain calibrator to the flux calibrator with gpcopy, and no options
--mfboot on Uranus and gain calibrator, which should now work as expected
Is there something I'm missing since I"m working with 3mm data?
Cheers,
Crystal
--mfcal on bandpass calibrator (you can leave the interval option unset if you like, it shouldn't make a difference in this procedure)
--copy bandpass solution to the gain calibrator with gpcopy, and no options
-- mfcal on gain calibrator (with options=nopassol, and a short interval=0.1)
--copy calibration solution from your gain calibrator to the flux calibrator with gpcopy, and no options
--mfboot on Uranus and gain calibrator, which should now work as expected
Is there something I'm missing since I"m working with 3mm data?
Cheers,
Crystal