Set-up Instructions (preliminary version)
 

Initial set-up of the TEMPO files and initial running of the pulsar sync freq calculation utility "TEMPO_CALC" utility are achieved as follows:



1) Copy the unzipped, included tempo folder intact into the top of your C: directory.

2) This step generates a new polyco.dat file that will have data that is current for the present 24 hour period; do this for each new day you 
	intend to collect pulsar data, as the coefficients expire after a 24 hour period. To generate a new polyco.dat file for data acquisition
	use, 
		i) open a Windows command window,
		ii) navigate to "C:/tempo/"  directory (e.g., type "cd.." to go up one diretory; "cd tempo" after reaching the top of C:),
		iii) type "tz" + 2 carriage returns. You may exit the command window and close it at this point as the polyco.dat file has
			now been updated/created for the current day.  

3) Open the TEMP_calc_Release folder and run TEMPO_calc.exe


Note: The default settings in the files in the distribution folder are presently specifically specified for the K5SO observatory (lat/lon/elevation), 
	puslar PSR 0329+54, 436 MHz, etc.  You will need to edit the following text files to make the files specific for your particular observations
	by changing the items in the files that specify: 
 
		i)   your own observatory location (e.g., latitude, longitude, elevation), 
		ii)  name of the pulsar you wish to calculate the sync freq for (e.g., 0329+54), and 
		iii) nominal frequency of operation (e.g., 436 MHz).

The two files to modify to personalize your files are:

	obsys.dat:	contains individual line entries for each "observatory" for lat/lon/elevation, etc.

	tz.in: 		for example, "j" refers to the K5SO entry in the obsys.dat file, "0329+54" refers to the desired pulsar for which to 
				calculate the coefficients. Change the values as necessary to personalize your file.


Caution: These two files are text files and can be modified using any text editor.  Be careful when editing the files however.  Take care not 
	to add any additional spaces or other characters to the files that would change the length of the files or change the information 
	locations within the files, when making changes. Keep the same number of characters per line exactly the same as in the original files. 

The data files in the TEMPO distribution folder contain planetary ephemeris data that is valid for the years 1950-2050 for the roughly 513 
	strongest pulsars known (as of 2007 or so) to properly account for Doppler effects on the apparent repetition rates of the pulsar pulses. 
	The TEMPO program invoked by the "tz" command calculates the polynomial coefficients and other values necessary to then externally calculate 
	the local pulsar sync frequency, valid for the current 24 hour observation period.  A fresh polyco.dat file is needed for each new day of 
	observations as the calculated coefficients are valid only for a 24 hour period.  A new polyco.dat file is created each time the "tz" command 
	is issued in the "C:/tempo/" directory using the Windows command window. The Windows command window need not be open when running the 
	"TEMPO_calc.exe" after a fresh polyco.dat file has been created for the day of observation.  The polyco.dat file is valid for the entire
	24 hour period of observation once it has been created.   
