This is relevant only at Epping, and use of 9-track tapes has been phased out so this is applicable only to very early ATCA data. You cannot read directly into AIPS from this format, so first you must extract the RPFITS files onto disk outside of AIPS.
for the generic Convex data area, or
You could set your working directory to a workstation data area but you (and everyone else) will pay the network penalty of writing to a remote disk (see § 2.3.2). More effective (except for small files) is to load your data to the Convex disk, and then copy it from the Convex to the workstation using the workstation (i.e., after you log out of the Convex) or read it straight from the Convex's disk into AIPS.