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I was at Hallett Station as the ET for the full season in 1968-69 and early the following year to get the station up and running. It’s interesting to meet other people who have actually been there as when I was there we were a crew of only 15 people and the occasional USARP scientist.
I think the highlight of duty there was Thanksgiving 1968 when two LH34’s flew from McMurdo to Hallett bringing numerous people for dinner and a trip out to an Emperor penguin gathering area. I think it was the first time that choppers had ever flown from McMurdo to Hallett.
The other thing I did was run KC4USH for a few months. News of my son, who is now 38 with children ofhis own, came to me by way of a Haam from Newington, CT. The Hams were the greatest people
I try to keep up with what is going on on “The Ice” and there have been some massive changes. Finding out that Hallett Station is now gone except for the GMD dome came as quite a surprise.
Hi Iceman69,
Welcome to the board! Yup, big changes. You should see the new South Pole Station — very amazing.
By the way, what’s a GMD dome?
glenn
Glenn, you got me there, had to look, never really knew WHAT it stood for. GMD stands for Ground Meteorological Direction-finding system, used for tracking radiosondes, or RAWIN sondes (radiosondes that also track wind data). Anyway, all of the IGY stations had these including of course Old Pole. The equipment was moved to the BIT at the domed station and it was still in use when I was there in 1990. When the BIT was torn down the original IGY era dome ended up out on the berms, where you may visit it today.
http://www.southpolestation.com/trivia/90s/bit/bit.html#gmd
I think it got moved again. I’ve got a newer picture around somewhere of where I saw it in 2005, but this is is the only shot of the radome on my web site. I don’t have any pictures of the antenna inside the radome, but here’s a picture of Simon Norman watching the tracking end in the met office.
They used this antenna prior to 1990.
I think in the winter of 1990-91 the SP met started using a much smaller antenna made by the A.I.R. Company. This newer radiotheodolite was much smaller and could be packed and transported in suitcase like cases. I will look for some photos of that newer antenna tomorrow. I do not know what MET is using these days.
SunDog,
That’s it (well, except for the grass 🙂During my last 2 years with ITT there was effort underway to replace the system and put it in a new building that was outside BIT; Kitt Hughes was instrumental in this (wonder where she is now, neat met person who wintered in 1986, 1990 and 1992). And I seem to remember A.I.R. being involved.
The current system is all radio+GPS based, I’ve seen screen shots but don’t have any handy, my photos didn’t include the actual content of the computer screen.
Yes Bill, they installed and used the AIR system. Those GMD systems were big! NWS is finally switching to better antenna and ground systems (GPS) . The old one pictured had problems tracking the signal when the radisondes went overhead (90 degrees elevation). I am sure the newer systems, AIR included, were much easier to work on from a tech’s point of view. Kitt was one dedicated ET, that was for sure. Last I heard, many years ago, she was in Texas.
Two things I remember about Kit. Her wonderful laugh and her knit hat. I never had the pleasure of spending the winter with her but I bet everyone knew were she was on station by just listening for the laugh!
BT
Found this web site and wanted to see if I knew any one. Was with VX 6 DeepFreeze IV and was on the rescue mission to Cape Hallet from McMurdo in Oct 58. C 124 crashed in to a mountain while getting ready for an air drop the the Hallett station. Was on an Otter aircraft as a AD3. Spend 7 days I think at the station.
Also, stupid me, put an axe in my foot…accidently… in Nov.58 and shipped back to NAS Quonset Point, RI.
Vincent F.Splain, ADC, retired in 1975.
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