A Hitch-Hiker's Guide to VLA Observing Strategies	Alan H. Bridle National Radio Astronomy Observatory Charlottesville Virginia, U.S.A.
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• Contents
• Introduction
• The Continuum Observer's Decision Tree
• Resolution, Baseline Range and Observing Frequency
  • Angular resolution: how much is enough?
  • Largest Structure
  • Choice of frequency at given resolution
    • Interference
    • Imaging at more than one frequency
• Field of View Restrictions
  • Continuum: IF bandwidth
  • Visibility averaging time
• Total Integration Time
• Confusing Sources
• The Spectroscopist's Decision Tree
  • Observing frequency
  • Spectroscopy: IF bandwidth
  • Averaging time
  • Sensitivity and total integration time
  • Time of day
• Calibration Strategy
  • Instrumental calibration
  • Atmospheric calibration
    • External calibration
    • Self-calibration
  • Position calibration
  • Flux density calibration
  • Polarization calibration
  • Bandpass calibration
• Stormy Weather-Dynamic Scheduling
• Appendix: Considerations Specific to the VLA
  • Choosing a VLA Configuration
    • Standard configurations
    • Combinations of standard configurations
    • Hybrid configurations
    • Sub-arrays
    • ``Scaled" configurations
  • Frequency Selection
  • VLA Bandwidth Selection
  • VLA Averaging Times
  • The Primary Beam
  • Sensitivity
  • ``Snapshot'' Mode
    • Limitations of ``snapshot'' mode
    • Multiple snapshots versus extended snapshots
  • Constraints on Spectral Line Observing
  • Confusion
  • Calibration Details
    • Instrumental and atmospheric monitoring
    • VLA flux density calibration
    • VLA polarization calibration
    • Self-calibration criteria
    • Extreme Games I: P Band
    • Extreme Games II: Q Band
  • Observing Proposals
  • PC Software
    • VLASORS
    • VLAPLAN and VLAUVPL
  • OBSERVE
• Acknowledgments
• References
• Index
• About this document ...