7.  Ferrell Station

ID#: 
	8907
Date: 	
	10 December 1980.  Julian day 345.
Time: 	
	Departed McMurdo 0700 Z.  Arrived old White Island site 0730 Z.
	Arrived new site 0900 Z.  Arrived McMurdo 1130 Z.

Background:  
	Old site installed in November 1978 but never operational due to lack of electronics package.  Decision had been made to relocate the station farther out on the Ice Shelf.

Equipment:  
	See section VI for 4-man new RTG installation.

Weather:  
	Only thinly scattered clouds while working at old site, but bank of low clouds approached rapidly from east as we were installing new station.  Low ceiling present by the time we were finished, requiring a hasty departure.

Trip:  
	Smith, Savage, Savage, and Navy enlisted departed McMurdo in helo piloted by Ferrell and arrived at old site after 15 minutes of searching for it.  Finally found it by landing and scanning horizon for tower.  Station was half buried and RTG really frozen solid.  Helo dropped us off and returned to McMurdo.  Took us an hour digging out RTG and tower.

	Helo returned and carried us and gear out to a new site then returned to fetch RTG.  We installed station in great haste due to anxiety over rapidly deteriorating weather.  Site survey hampered by decreasing visibility and should be repeated next visit for verification.  Helo returned with RTG, landed, and shut down.  We finished installation and departed with ceiling down to 500 feet.

Observations:	
	No temperature or pressure observations taken due to time pressure.

	estimated wind speed:  2-5 knots
	estomated wind direction:  South

AWS Output:  
	time		temperature	pressure	wind
	1140 Z		-8.0 C		985.6 mb	205 deg at 7.5 kt
	1130 Z		-8.2 C		985.5 mb
	1120 Z		-6.3 C		985.5 mb
	1110 Z 		-6.2 C		985.5 mb
	1100 Z		-6.4 C		986.9 mb

	mean wind speed:  3.7 knots
	mean wind direction:  189 degrees
	signal strength:  -117 dbm

Recommendations:
	1.  Verify site survey.
	2.  Take calibration readings for temperature and pressure.
	3.  This station is going to be difficult to find and a radio direction finder would be helpful.

How to Find:
	The station is located 52.9 nautical miles from McMurdo on a bearing of 104 degrees true.  As discussed previously, use the McMurdo radar to help guide the helo along the correct bearing, and then begin searching for the station once you have gone out the required distance.