Installing the New Relay Antenna at Vesthaugen Nunatak
IPF engineers and technicians spent two days at Vesthaugen Nunatak, halfway between the Princess Elisabeth Antarctica Research Station and the new Perseus Intercontinental Airstrip, installing a new wireless relay. The new relay allows the station to communicate directly and cost-effectively with the new airstrip 60, km away.
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Testing the relay at the station before heading to Vesthaugen Nunatak.
© International Polar Foundation
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It's time to bring the solar panel up the nunatak to power the relay.
© International Polar Foundation
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We had to carry the solar panels up the nunatak on our backs!
© International Polar Foundation
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It's a long hike up to the top of the nunatak...
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And the terrain in difficult!
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We've made it to the top with the solar panels!
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What a dizzying view from up here!
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The battery box is heavy! We have to bring it all the way up to the top of the nunatak, too!
© International Polar Foundation
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And we can't forget to bring the antenna to the top of the nunatak!
© International Polar Foundation
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Securing the relay antenna.
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We're pretty high up here!
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Now to hook up the battery box.
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The vast Antarctic Ice Sheet can be seen in the background behind the top of the nunatak.
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What an adventure!
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A beautiful view in all directions from the top of Vesthaugen Nunatak.
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Here's a view with the different parts of the relay indicated.
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Location of the new relay on Vesthaugen Nunatak, about halfway between the Princess Elisabeth Antarctica and the new Perseus Intercontinental Airstrip. From the elevation profile, one can see that the top of the nunatak provides a clear line of sight between the station and the airstrip, despite the great difference in elevation from one to the other.
© International Polar Foundation
