2. Manning Station

ID#: 
	8905
Date: 	
	25 Nov. 80  Julian day 330
Time: 	
	Departed McMurdo 2330 Z 24 Nov.  Arrived old site 0000 Z.  
	Arrived new site 0115 Z.  Arrived McMurdo 0500 Z.

Background:  
	Old AWS site established in Nov 79 eleven km north of Minna Bluff, but has never been operational due to lack of electronics package.  Tower had been damaged by torque resulting from wind-loading on tower-mounted box, and was replaced last season.  Decision had been made to relocate site to an area south of Minna Bluff so that it would be situated in an undisturbed airflow for the prevailing southerly winds.  RTG already in place at old site had to be moved to new site.  RTG weighs 2,000 pounds. 

Equipment:  
	See Section VI. for 4-man new RTG installation equipment and weights

Weather:  
	Scattered cirrus 20,000 feet.

Trip:  
	Smith, Evans, Paschal, and Savage departed in 2 helos piloted by Manning and Meeley.  Set down at old site and Evans conducted RTG survey.  Spent 45 minutes digging out RTG which was partially buried and severely iced up.  Heavy ice picks and wrecking bars required.  Snow surface here was sufficiently hard to allow helos to shut off engines and conserve fuel.  Proceeded to new site with 3 passengers and all gear in one helo and 1 passenger and RTG as external load in second helo.  Pilot reported that it took 100% power to lift RTG off the ground.  This should be noted for future RTG moves.  Also note that pilot must have special rating to transport the RTG's.

	Arrived at new site and made survey.  Erected tower and made station operational without difficulty.  Used hand held receiver that station was transmitting.  Time to complete station installation about 3 hours.  In order to prevent damage to tower from wind stress, a wooden frame was constructed around the electronics box and then anchored in the snow.

Observations:  
	The two thermometers used had been calibrated the previous day using ice water.  Thermometer #1 is a -30 C to +50 C mercury-in-glass, and read 0.0 C in ice water.  Thermometer #2 is a -80 C to +20 C alcohol-in-glass, and read 0.6 C in ice water.  Both thermometers were taped to the tower at a height of 2 meters.
	The American Paulin System microbarometer PMB-1 was calibrated on 20 November 1980 against the aneroid barometer located in the McMurdo Weather Office.  The aneroid had been calibrated by the Navy only one week earlier.

	time 	thermometer 1	thermometer 2	pressure
	0322 Z	-8.9 C		-11.0 C		990.5 mb
	0329 Z	-8.8 C		-10.9 C		990.1 mb
	0355 Z	-8.5 C		-10.2 C		989.9 mb
	0419 Z	-9.1 C		-11.1 C		989.9 mb
	0432 Z 	-8.8 C		-10.5 C		989.7 mb
	0442 Z	-8.8 C		-10.9 C		989.7 mb
	0456 Z	-9.1 C		-11.1 C		989.6 mb

	estimated wind speed:  5-8 knots
	estimated wind direction:  West-northwest

AWS Output:
	time		temperature	pressure	wind
	0530 Z		-7.8 C		983.1 mb	309 deg at 6.9 kt
	0520 Z		-8.0 C		983.3 mb	
	0510 Z		-5.9 C		982.9 mb
	0500 Z		-5.8 C		982.6 mb
	0450 Z 		-5.9 C		982.7 mb

	mean wind speed:  6.3 knots
	mean wind direction:  309 degrees true
	signal strength:  -116 dbm

Notes:  
	1. The AWS output temperature is 3 to 5 degrees C warmer than the observed temperature.
	2. The AWS output pressure is 7 mb lower than the observed pressure.

Recommendations:
	1. Careful calibration checks of all parameters should be conducted next season to verify accuracy of sensors.
	2. Procedures for adjusting and/or replacing inaccurate sensors should be studied so that field changes may be made next season.

How to Find:  
	The site is located 11.8 kilometers (54.4 nautical miles) from McMurdo on a bearing of 178 degrees true.  As you fly over Minna Bluff, the site is 11 nautical miles south of the highest part of the Bluff, and on a line connecting Observation Hill and the easternmost edge of Black Island.