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February 2007:
SRC began its tenth Winter-over season for Antarctica.
February 2007:
SRC ICE Team hiring continues.
Ground Electronics Maintenance
SRC employs 17 technicians on the Ice throughout the season in order to maintain Navigational Aids, Communication Equipment and Meteorology Systems for flight operations. Technicians are responsible for the supervision of the maintenance team and all corrective, preventive, and scheduled maintenance for vital systems and equipment.
The mission of SRC's GEM Team is to ensure assigned electronics equipment operates at or exceeds the required performance standards. Essential to the accomplishment of the mission is the effective and efficient ability to perform planned and corrective equipment maintenance, train personnel, compile accurate records, and submit timely reports, along with administering electronics supply and inventory control.
There are three main airfield surrounding McMurdo Station. Our
technicians brave the harsh environment 24 hours a day seven days a week to ensure mission success. Some
equipment is indoors or in shelters to protect it from the cols and wind. However, a good part of the systems
and equipment is out in the environment. All of the meteorology equipment use for reporting the weather is
located in the elements. Some of it is only accessible via helicopter or snowmobile because of the distance
from the station and runways.
Before they are allowed to go to these areas they must attend "Happy Camper" training. This consists of training on survival in the cold harsh areas if they become stranded. The controllers and weather personnel are not required to go through this training. They spend a day with an instructor in a remote area to learn how to build a shelter. Once they build their individual shelters they must remain in them overnight and through the next day. Oh what fun!!! Winds between 35 to 75 miles per hour can come out of nowhere and they must be ready to survive in case they can't be picked up. To date, we have not lost one of our techs in "Happy Camper" training
We are also responsible for the Navaids at the South Pole. The only way there is via LC-130 flight. Due to its high altitude of 8,000 feet and the cold, it is not uncommon for our techs to experience altitude sickness. Again, oh what fun especially if they have to remain overnight working on the equipment
They are dedicated to mission success and our hats are off to their tireless effort.