The operation of the system is described in detail in the UES Manual, which gives a full list of commands. Normally, only minimal setting-up by the user is required. The interface to the instrument is similar to that developed for UCLES at the AAT and, once the user has specified the desired echelle grating and central wavelength, the spectrograph is automatically configured to the optimum setting. Wavelength setting is normally accurate to within 1 CCD pixel. Standard procedures for checking the spectrograph focus are available at the telescope.
The software package ECHWIND, available at the WHT and at most STARLINK nodes, allows the optimum echelle format(s) to be selected prior to an observing run, depending on the detector to be used, spectral features of interest, etc.
Various software packages are available for the reduction of echelle spectra.
Of these, the echelle-related commands within FIGARO, and the stand-alone
package ECHOMOP by D. Mills of UCL, have been developed with the
characteristics of UES (and UCLES) data in mind. A full atlas of the UES
spectrum of the Th-Ar lamp from 3000 to 10000 Å, as produced by the 31.6
grooves/mm echelle grating is available from RGO (La Palma Technical
Note No. 91).
Data can be transferred directly to the data reduction Sparcstation, where FIGARO and IRAF are available.