gbtnews #7 
7 August 31

Call for Proposals -- Green Bank Telescope

The next deadline for GBT observing proposals is October 1, 2001.  This is
a general call for proposals for all basic observing modes and for
frequencies through 26.5 GHz (K-band).  Observing modes include spectral
line, continuum, pulsar, and VLBI/VLBA.  Receivers include PF1, PF2, L, S,
C, X, Ku, and K-bands.  VLBA proposals requesting the GBT should be
submitted to the VLBA and not the GBT.  For frequency ranges and other
observing and equipment descriptions, see the GBT Short Guide at
www.gb.nrao.edu/GBT/GBT.html.  Observations for frequencies above 26.5 GHz
will not be accepted for this call.  Pulsar proposals are restricted to
the Spectral Processor or user-supplied backends.

The GBT is currently undergoing astronomical commissioning.  The announced
proposal call is for the first trimester of 2002.  We expect the proposals
to be scheduled from February through May of 2002, but dates depend on
commissioning progress.  Commissioning will be continuing during that
trimester, but we anticipate that up to one-half the total time will be
available for observing programs.  Because the telescope will still be
undergoing commissioning, observers must expect to share the attendant
risks.  As we expect no more than one-half the time to be available to
observing, fewer proposals will be selected than will be the case in
subsequent trimesters.

All proposals should be submitted electronically using the new version of
the Proposal Submission Tool (PST) which is available from the downloads
page.  Old versions of the tool should be deleted.  We are conducting
final checkouts of the new version of the PST and will not accept proposal
submissions before 1 September.  You may therefore wish to postpone
downloading the PST until after that date.  We have modified the PST so
that the scientific and technical justifications are combined and attached
as a separate file (in text, postscript or pdf format), so you can work on
your science case independently of the PST.  We will send out a further
notice to gbtnews when proposals may be submitted.

Questions about the proposal submission process may be addressed to Carl
Bignell at cbignell@nrao.edu, or at 304-456-2165.  Technical questions
about GBT hardware, software, and observing modes may be addressed to Ron
Maddalena at rmaddale@nrao.edu, or at 304-456-2207.

						Phil Jewell