Field Preparations

For IMEEMS, field preparations begin with servicing the recording equipment at S.B., because the field telemetry equipment cannot be serviced reliably if signals cannot be recorded. In view of our delayed arrival in Antarctica, it was fortunate that Dr Bill McIntosh of S-081 was already on the mountain, and had serviced our TV camera, and shifted the telemetry station from Terror to a new site (MACZ) on the ESE rim of the Erebus plateau before our put-in. Also technicians Nicholson and McGregor had left little undone in the Science Lab. With remaining problems on Erebus identified, and only a high false trigger problem at Scott Base, we succeeded in doing the survival course (Ray only one day) and preparing for put-in within 4 days of arriving. Gerry had already checked Grizzly G5 on steep slopes near the ski field.