fix OOIION-1095

https://jira.oceanobservatories.org/tasks/browse/OOIION-1095

- if endpoint.receive.timeout given to PlatformAgent is less than the value we have been using
successfully, then it uses that larger value (180). A major cause of the failing tests was the use
of the value coming from pyon.yml (30) and not (as it used to be the case) from the patched value in the annotation for the test class. (This particular overall misbehavior is still to be clarified.)
- the three test that were failing here (which were also failing locally) are now passing again
- this PR also fixes some regressions caused by changes in the base class for tests when functionality for OOIION-1077 was added
- other minor adjustments including logging and conveniences for development

I've done reasonably extensive testing. Please __merge as soon as possible to see how it goes on builbot__ before I go on vacation ;).