Field Report: Elaine AWS

Date: 29/Jan/2010

Time: Arrived at 11:35 am, departed at 4:35 pm

Team members: Matthew Lazzara, Karl Frei (from RPSC Cargo), Twin Otter Pilots Brian and Phil.


Measurements to the surface (bottom of the following):


Before removal of old station:

Most not made - tape measure not available/other with Lee doing Helo Ops)

After install of new station:

(Made via a proxy measure)

* Acoustic Depth Gauge:       48 inches (1.22 meters)
* Depth of snow temp. probe: ~48 inches (~1.22 meters) (from below the snow surface)


Battery voltages:

* Batteries: ~13+ volts on both
* Jct Box: ~14 volts
* Solar Panel: 22 volts

UNAVCO GPS:  Yes

Work Description:

After arriving, taking an initial before photo and setting up the GPS, I worked to remove the station (sort of out of order), and noticed I never did get a tape measure (left it someplace - but not in my gear).  Anyways, the next oddity was the battery voltages seeming high - or is 13 or 14 volts ok??  Also, on one battery set (the one with the black cable) didn't have any voltage between the A and B pins (there was between the C and D). The yellow cable was fine.  I did recheck this hurriedly at the end - we ran over the 4 hours ground time to 5  and 5 was the limit, we had to leave.

With the removal complete (I hope the old boom survives its return to McMurdo....), I started the install.  I did the wind correctly, but switched around where the antenna and radiation (LiCOR) went - as I didn't recall that discussion.  So the radiation sensor is on the south facing part of the tower and the antenna is on the north - the wind bird is on the remaining.  One issue that I ran into was that the drilled out holes in pipe for the wind bird didn't match the tower - I was only able to use the thinner bolt in the larger hole only.  I didn't take a drill to drill it out - and didn't have the time to file it out.  The pipe didn't set down far enough onto the tower - and there was no way to do that without a bunch of work.  Hopefully the one bolt will hold it.  Otherwise, I'm pretty sure I aligned the RM Young to be like the prior system and followed the advice on how to install it.

As I installed each sensor - I probably didn't have the best placement, but they did go up o.k.  One issue was the number of cables - there are of course way more than the older Wisconsin AWS2B system.  I ended up spooling them together - which will make change out of one sensor create a salad of cable.  Only a few didn't get into that bunch.

One specific problem I had - not realizing this before - was the HMP155 did not fit very well into the radiation shield.  Was there a specific shield for these?  I used tape under the compressing nut to hold it in place...not a great solution, but its in there.  Not sure if the tip of the sensor is touching the shield or not.

One other general issue I am sure isn't optimal is the placement of the equipment around the tower.  I'm concerned the RH sensor/radiation shield is too close to the junction box/electronic box.  In fact, having the electronics box on the same side as the solar panel is all non-optimal.

Snow temperature probe is approximately 3 free perpendicular to electronics box - and down ~48 inches down from the snow surface.

Before we left I got three transmissions on the telonics receiver. (being a 21357 - 5 digit ID, the telonics has the ID incorrect, but still got transmissions)

http://amrc.ssec.wisc.edu/images/aws/elaineLiCORa.jpg
http://amrc.ssec.wisc.edu/images/aws/elaineLiCORb.jpg