COMMUNICATIONS

10.1. Three communications facilities were available to CRP2. They were telephone links utilising 'Country' sets, HF radio and VHF radio. HF and VHF radio provided only voice communication, while the telephone system provided voice, data and facsimile transmission. There were three distinct communication phases during CRP2 - Winfly (September), drill operations (October-November), and close down/maintenance (December and January). The operational phase was the only one which had all communication facilities functioning. The total communications suit was only just adequate during the main operational-science phase of CRP2. At times, because of unserviceability, interference and overload the communication system was variously criticized as limited, cheap, ill-conceived, user-unfriendly and stress inducing.

10.2. HF radio, using 5400kHz, was only used on the Winfly traverses to and from Cape Roberts when the vehicles lost comms on VHF. Thereafter it was there as a radio of 'last resort' in an emergency.

10.3. VHF radio was the workhorse of the communications system, particularly between CR Camp and the Drill Site and between vehicles and the two camps and Scott Base. The majority of the VHF sets (some 15 including vehicle radios) were supplied from Scott Base stock. The base stations at both camp sites are CRP-owned. Performance during the Winfly period was excellent once the Piedmont VHF repeater (behind Cape Roberts) had been installed. However, it did deteriorate as the season progressed and at various times Channels 3 and 5 were being constantly interchanged in search of better performance.

10.4. The telephone system consisted of two lines - line 1 was set up once the Piedmont repeater was activated at Winfly and provided a reliable if static voice line to Scott Base and the world. The second line was transmitted through an intermediary repeater on Hoopers Shoulder, Mt Erebus. This could only be activated in early October once helicopter flying began. The quality of this line for most of the time was suitable for voice, data and facsimile transmission. It was, therefore, in high demand. Not only was the demand on it too much, data and facsimile transmission could easily and inadvertently be cut because of the way the system was configured at CR Camp.

10.5. As drilling progressed one of the most serious limitations of the communications system became increasingly apparent - there was no 'private' link, namely a telephone or scrambled radio link, between the Camp and the Drill Site. CRPSSM and the Drill Manager grew increasingly reluctant to discuss drilling issues and decisions on 'public' VHF radio and this adversely affected the working relationships in the on-site management team.