A day in the life of the … IT engineer / radio operator
Morning!
Today I’ll be taking you along with me on an average day for the IT engineer / radio operator here at the Neumayer Station.
We’ve got plenty to do, so let’s get started with a visit to the radio room.
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That’s my “headquarters”: it’s home to our radios, various computers for different purposes – and also a wine crate from the Palatinate / Rhine Hesse, Germany (unfortunately empty 😉).
The first item on today’s agenda: radio contact with a school using the amateur radio satellite QO-100. That’s always very interesting – the students can ask us questions about what it’s like to live and work at the station, which we’re happy to answer. Depending on the nature of the questions, my scientific and engineering colleagues help me answer them.
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Today Anja and Amelie are pitching in. Johann is making a hasty exit, before he has to get “on the mike” too.
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So, that was a pleasure as usual. We really enjoy these sessions, as the questions are quite varied and sometimes surprising. Plus, it’s a lot of fun for the kids, who always thank us.
After a short follow-up discussion, it’s time for the next task on the list.
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The batteries for the penguin observatory SPOT are running low, so we need to hook up a generator to recharge them. The SPOT is roughly ca. 8 km northeast of the station.
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During the trip with the snowcat, I can use the opportunity to plough (level) the track. It’s a nice ride, with the lights from the station glowing in the distance.
Having arrived back at the station, I’m just in time to go up to the roof and enjoy the sunrise.
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… and it looks like I wasn’t the only one with this idea; two of my colleagues are enjoying the view from the ramp.
The next stop is the PALAOA, which is ca. 17 km north of the station, in the direction of the ice-shelf edge. There, we have installed three hydrophones, which extend through the ice and into the water; one of them is used to record the sounds made by the marine life that lives there or passes by.
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Here’s what the PALAOA looks like when we arrive.
Once the snow has been cleared away from the IT box …
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… we can replace the recording unit.
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Thankfully, I don’t have to do the work on my own: Laura, our cook, brought along a picnic and plenty of good vibes!
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… and now we’re done and ready to head back home … needless to say, we observe the local traffic signs …
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… not to mention the signs that show how far we are from home (in my case, “Derkem” = Bad Dürkheim, Palatinate) and a range of other destinations.
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Oh boy … looks like there was a storm during our lunch break … so it’s time to go back to the SPOT and shovel some snow.
Before:
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And after:
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Once back at the station, there’s another pleasant task waiting: time to check one of the cables on the QO-100 satellite antenna – a wonderful opportunity to enjoy the sun and the panoramic view from the station’s roof.
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Beautiful … and no risk of getting a sunburn 😉
And at the end of the working day, it’s time for an aperitif in the sun with my colleagues 😊
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As some attentive readers most likely already noticed, here I’ve described (too) many tasks for a single day (unless it was the Polar Day 😉). In reality, I put together bits and pieces from different parts of our overwintering: the first trip to the SPOT during the Polar Night; the first sunrise after the Polar Night; the trip to the PALAOA, which in reality shows pictures from at least two trips; and the second trip to the SPOT and cable check on the station’s roof, both of which happened just a few days ago.
In real life, our day-to-day work also includes plenty of routine tasks, but they’re not what makes living here so unique, so I “pimped up” the day a bit for you.
Warm wishes,
Jörg
Readers comments (1)
Melanie
Thanks for taking is with you ☺️ !