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We installed the domes at Sites #2 and #3 this morning. Everything went very well. This afternoon we got the dome at Site #2 leveled and powered up. We will do the same for the other two domes tomorrow.Here are the photos from the installation at Site #3.Crane setting up early this morning. Crane with spreader bar. Straps hooked to spreader bar. Completing the rigging. Rigging complete. Ready to start lift. Start of lift. I'm on my way to the top with the socket set... Mauricio relaying instructions via radio from the top of the enclosure to the cra...

The dome at Site #1 was lifted into place yesterday. The lift went well, although it started getting a bit scary at the end since the wind started picking up while we were setting the dome down. The dome fit into place fairly easily, and it was successfully bolted down onto the ring beam. We will level the dome and install the power tomorrow. Here are some photos.Crane setting up at the enclosure site. Installing the boom extension. Getting the cable set up with the boom extension. Boom extension ready. Crane ready for the lift. Spreader bar on the crane. Start of lift....

The large crane arrived at the park entrance today. They will drive it the rest of the way to the observatory early tomorrow morning. Brandon from Ash will arrive here tomorrow afternoon, so with any luck we will get the first dome installed by the end of the day.I spent the week mostly working on the panels for the dome control boxes and installing lights. Not exciting work, but it needs to be done before I finish my trip here. Made quite a bit of progress, so not much left to do after the domes are installed. I should be out if here early next week.I will post photos tomorrow if we make any...

Here is an update on things at SPM.Domes: We are negotiating with a new crane company after the one we were dealing with couldn't commit to a date to bring a sufficiently large crane to SPM for the dome installation. The new company is a bit more expensive, but they are a larger company and they so far seem quite a bit more professional. They will visit the site Saturday to see what needs to be done, and the UNAM crew is pushing to get them to commit to do the installation next week.We finished the installation of the "slit hoists" in the domes today. These are bars that hang from each of the...

As mentioned in the previous post, the crane company sent up a crane that was too small to install the domes. Instead we lifted the scissors lift tables up to the observing floor on all three enclosures. The installation is not complete, since we still need to bolt the tables down and install the hydraulics. This will be done after the domes are installed. Installation at Site #1:Lifting hydraulics. Lifting hydraulics. Beginning to lift scissors lift table. Scissors lift table coming into observing chamber. As mentioned, crane was too small to reach center of enclosure. This is as close as...

The crane company sent up a crane that was too small for the job. It could not extend far enough to get the dome centered on the enclosure. We are working with the company to schedule a larger crane to come to the site. Updates will be posted once I hear anything.

We completed the assembly of the dome at Site #3 early this morning, and the paint crew went to work on it immediately. They finished priming the dome today, and will hopefully get it painted tomorrow. The crane is scheduled to arrive at SPM Monday morning, and we plan to have all three domes installed by the end of the day Monday. Using the forklift to move one of the top shutter sections from the staging area near the control room to Site #3. Installation of the lower shutter. Completed dome after priming.

The painters got the inside of the enclosure at Site #2 primed today. Here is a photo.

We got back to work on the dome at Site #3. We built the roof and got the shutter tracks installed. Tomorrow we will try to get all of the braces installed inside. We had to leave the mountain twice today because of thunderstorms, so hopefully the weather is better tomorrow. Here is a photo of the dome at the end of the day today.

The painters finished painting the first dome today at Site #1. They were working on the dome at Site #2 as well, but I didn't make it there this afternoon to check out the progress. I am heading back to civilization tomorrow morning, back to SPM Monday afternoon to finish up dome #3.Here is the dome at Site #1 after painting.