While the antenna is moving to that position the pointing information box will show the errors in azimuth and elevation which indicate how much farther the antenna has to travel. In addition there is useful information on lots of other parameters that the user has set in the control software. This display provides a check on several user set parameters. Calibration - gives you the status of the calibration information. Data cannot be taken without calibration information.
Current calibration is highly desirable since it affects the data quality.
Once the photons enter the receiver, there will be a voltage measured associated with the intensity of the emission coming from the source. Radio astronomers like to convert this voltage into a temperature which can also be related to the intensity. In this process the antenna will measure a voltage from blank sky. Since the vane is a perfect absorber we know the temperature of the vane. This system temperature also takes into account the contribution from the atmosphere.