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dorismail               16-May-2011 07:46:38 Message No 0749
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Author: "Lemoine, Frank G. (GSFC-6980)" <frank.g.lemoine@nasa.gov>
Subject: CONT11 Campaign in September 2011


Dear colleagues,

The IVS is organizing another campaign of continuous VLBI sessions
scheduled to be observed in the second half of September 2011. In
addition to the pure VLBI goals, we hope that, as with previous CONT
campaigns, the CONT11 campaign will provide an optimal data set for
combination and comparison studies that use all or a subset of the
four space geodetic techniques of VLBI, SLR, GNSS, and DORIS.

The CONT11 campaign will be observed in UT days in the time period
from 15-SEP-2011 00:00 UT to 29-SEP-2011 24:00 UT. The observational
VLBI network will consist of fourteen stations: Badary, Fortaleza,
Hartebeesthoek, Hobart, Kokee, Ny Alesund, Onsala, TIGO, Tsukuba,
Warkworth, Westford, Wettzell, Yebes, and Zelenchukskaya.

A network plot and further (mostly VLBI) information about the
campaign is compiled on the Web page

   http://ivscc.gsfc.nasa.gov/program/cont11/

For good comparison/combination results, all techniques should
strive for collecting an optimal set of technique and auxiliary
data. The IVS will implement a special station testing procedure
so that all stations are in good operating condition for CONT11.
This may not be necessary with the other space geodetic techniques.
However, it would be good if maintenance periods during the
CONT11 campaign could be avoided. Ideally, all techniques would
use the same (calibrated) meteorological sensors at a given
co-location site.

Looking forward to your cooperation and comments.

Best regards,

Dirk Behrend
IVS Coordinating Center


Please do not reply directly to this message, but send 
comments and suggestions to IDS.central.bureau@cls.fr