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Victoria University Antarctic Research Expedition Science and Logistics Reports 2000-01: VUWAE 45

11) FIELD EQUIPMENT

11) FIELD EQUIPMENT

The event was issued with new folding Polar Tents that performed well and made packaging the helicopter significantly easier. Some care has to be taken when connecting the internal poles to prevent catching the surrounding fabric sleeve. This is more difficult in the cold when the internal bungie chord has lost its spring but this recovers when the tent is erected and warmed up.

The Polar Haven tent was used for messing up to 8 people as well as the warming and maintenance of equipment. These tents are a valuable resource for the NZ field operation and can provide quality lab space as well as a general messing and warm work area. The performance of the tent improves greatly with a rigid insulated floor but the canvas floor also helps and is more suitable for our mobile operation.

VUW has purchased a Sigma fuel heater that has been set up as a portable unit for use with the Polar Haven. However Antarctica NZ could consider the purchase of more of these heaters, set up for portable operation as well as other equipment specifically for Polar Haven use. The standard kitchen box, for example, is designed for use in the 2 man Polar Tent and is unsatisfactory in the warm Polar Haven Tent environment. A plastic space case based kitchen unit with small sink; pizo propane double burner, utensil and cookware storage could be developed to mess up to 6 people. Connection to a sigma heater with heat exchanger for ice melting would also be possible. Other camping page break accessories such as lightweight folding aluminium tables are also required for the Polar Haven tents.