326 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1964 



over the corrector lens of the camera. These tests did not give very 

 hopeful results. 



Meanwhile, the ID-2 film was proving more than satisfactory, and 

 as the number of satellites increased and the skill of the observers im- 

 proved, it was needed in greater quantities. By early 1959, plans 

 were made to send an additional 20,000 feet of film to each station — 

 enough for 100,000 home snapshots. This amount was based on the 

 assumption that the average weekly use of film was about 1,000 feet. 



In addition, each station had to be shipped various other materials 

 to ensure continuous operation. These included not only the usual 

 nuts-and-bolts necessary to the maintenance of any mechanical equip- 

 ment, but also substantial electronics supplies for the Norrman time 

 standard. 



The kinds of problems encountered at the stations can perhaps best 

 be summarized by noting some of the specific difficulties that occurred 

 during the second quarter of 1959. 



In Argentina four anchor bolts holding the large diesel engine for 

 the auxiliary power supply broke off because of the inferior quality 

 of the metal. New bolts had to be installed in fresh concrete. One of 

 the bearings of the 15-kilowatt generator was badly scored, and a 

 new one had to be obtained and installed, along with new brushes. The 

 pulley was realined and the generator cleaned. The power was then 

 turned off so that the clock could be reset. 



In South Africa the Baker-Nunn mirror seemed loose and the 

 collimation poor. The corrector cell had to be dismantled and sent 

 to the Bureau of Standards in Pretoria for collimation. The mirror 

 was adjusted and cleaned and a new shear-pin unit and clutch were 

 installed. The power amplifier was moved into the camera house and 

 new relays installed. Later the crystal clock ceased to operate and 

 had to be repaired. 



In India the film transport system of the camera jammed when 

 operating at 32 seconds per cycle. Both generators were out of order 

 for a week, and the clock lost time at a high rate. 



In Peru the Norrman clock gained 2.9 seconds and the power am- 

 plifier continued to give trouble. The clock failures during this time 

 were believed to be the result of low-line voltage or earthquakes. 



In Curagao the slave clock stopped because of a failure of a filter 

 condenser in the power amplifier. 



These difficulties were of the sort that could be expected, and each 

 was resolved in turn. x\ll of them were part of the operations of each 

 station as they had originally been conceived. Wlien, however, it 

 became evident that the Smithsonian satellite-tracking program would 

 continue after the IGY and the IGC, plans would develop for overall 

 improvement of the system. These included better dehumidification, 

 sealing the interior of the camera house, various additions to station 



