9 Field Communications

After initial problems with an intermittent transmitter, communications with the Tait handheld radio and high-gain aerial, using the Mt Newall (Ch. 5) repeater, proved to be reliable from our camp site. High frequency communication was not successful from our location. The Tait radios were also used for communication between team members away from base camp.

In general the transfer of requests and information given over the radio were passed on to the appropriate people at Scott Base. However, on occasion this did not appear to happen. The format of the scheduled radio check-in was at times inconvenient for our event because we were still drilling. On numerous occasions when contacted for the evening check-in we explained our situation and requested leave of the weather and news. This was noted and given approval by the base operator. Then after the reading of the new and weather, we would be repeatedly called until we acknowledged the weather and news. This situation would not have been a problem except that we had to again stop work and go to the closest high point to transmit. A solution to this problem would be for Scott Base to contact all field parties and then pass on the weather and any messages to all parties, get an acknowledgment, and then anyone who wanted to listen to the news could do so. However, I believe the news is an important part of the communications set-up and should be continued.