THIS PAGE LAST UPDATED : 20 Nov 2011

We've put together this page to give you some general information about your participation in the upcoming ANSMET field season. Some of the questions are information specific to this season; other detail ANSMET policies, how to fill out forms, or are taken directly from questions asked by field team members in regards to previous seasons. This page probably won't answer all of your questions, but it is a start and can help you get ready for the experience of a lifetime. Don't hesitate to call me or email me at any time if you have more questions you'd like an answer to.

First, some acronyms and other definitions:

Click on the following to jump to a specific question, or just browse:

Where are we going?

The goal of the Antarctic Search for Meteorites (ANSMET) program for the 2011−2012 field season is full−scale systematic meteorite recovery from the Miller Range Icefields in the Transantarctic Mountains. Three previous seasons of systematic searching as well as several shorter reconnaissance visits have resulted in the recovery of more than 2000 meteorite specimens from these icefields, including many rare meteorites such as martian and lunar samples. A large region of blue ice remains unsearched, including small icefields on the northern end of the range and a larger icefield on the southern end of the range, and the 2011−12 ANSMET field team will attempt to cover as much of this as possible through overlapping systematic transects.

Shown below is a mosaic of ASTER satellite images maps of the targeted icefields, which lie immediately south of the headwaters of the Nimrod Glacier where it reaches the East Antarctic Plateau. The icefields in the Miller Range come in all sizes and occupy a lot of different settings. For the coming season we intend to put in first at the site called "Proposed Camp 1" below. We'll spend about a week exploring the local icefields, including a few patches along the eastern side of the Nimrod. After about a week we'll move to Camp Site two further south, and we'll focus on recovering specimens from the Southern icefields for the remainder of the season.

In the field, you will be supplied with a copy of the relevant satellite imagery for your own use. For more maps, pictures, and meteorite info, visit the

Antarctic Meteorite Location And Mapping Project (AMLAMP) page.

When?

Here's a preliminary timetable for the season. Be aware this timetable is CERTAIN to change.

Yipes! What's that "survival school" thing?

Don't worry. While we're in McMurdo we go on an overnight shakedown trip as a dry run; a way to test out our equipment before we actually go into the field. One part of that shakedown is some survival and rescue training, conducted by our mountaineers, sometimes with another trained field safety person along as well. You'll learn how to handle yourself in and around crevasses, how to deal with the typical chores of ANSMET life (like setting up a tent, lighting stoves, lashing a sled and avoiding cold injuries), and in general get a chance to ease into life on the polar plateau. Typically Survival School will consist of about 8 hours of discussion and training indoors in McMurdo, followed by an overnight trip 4-8 miles outside of McMurdo. During that overnight trip we'll learn some basic ropecraft suitable for travelling in glacial terrain, do some simulated rescues, and practice many of the more mundane aspects of ANSMET life, like setting up tents, safe operation of stoves and snowmobiles, radio communications and feeding the mountaineer.

Who's going?

The field party will consist of:

G-058 (systematic searching team)

Ralph Harvey*, Case Western Reserve University
Jim Karner*, Case Western Reserve University
John Schutt*, Case Western Reserve University
Tim Swindle*, University of Arizona
Katie Joy, Lunar and Planetary Institute
Christian Schrader, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center
Anne Peslier, NASA Johnson Space Center
Jesper Holst, University of Copenhagen
Jake Maul, Carnegie Institution

Veterans of previous seasons are marked with an asterix (*)

PLEASE NOTE We'll make final assignments to the teams, and pair up tentmates, while in McMurdo.

Are there forms to fill out? Other hoops to jump through?

What kind of a bureaucracy would this be without paperwork? You will get an email that provides......
-a detailed checklist of the forms and medical and dental tests you need to get done, and a link to a page with various packets of forms. There are actually two web pages with forms; one with general deployment forms and another with medical forms. For the most part, the forms page is self-explanatory; however, there are a lot of forms you don't need to complete because you are volunteers with a research group (you aren't employees or grantees, so any form marked for RPS or NANA employees is irrelevant).

Let's start with the Medical / Dental forms. For these, please do the following:

to be completed by Your Doctor:

Polar Physical Examination—Antarctica
Required Laboratory Tests (should already be on the LabCorp test order)
make sure you give your physician the “Dear Doctor” letter to read.

to be completed by Your Dentist:

Polar Dental Examination—Antarctica
make sure to attach the original dental X-rays (have the dentist make two if necessary) and provide your dentist with the letter addressed “Dear Dentist.” (PDF 19 KB)

to be completed byYOU:

Medical History (fill out before your exam and share with doctor)
Medical Screening for Blood-borne Pathogens/Consent for HIV Antibody Blood Test
Important Notice to Those Signing the Medical Screening for Blood-borne Pathogens/HIV Consent Form Medical Risks for NSF-Sponsored Personnel Traveling to Antarctica
Authorization for Treatment of Field-Team Member/Participant Under the Age of 18 Years (if necessary)
Personal Information form (NOT really a medical form, but on this page for some strange reason)
Important Notice for Participants in the United States Antarctic Program
Request for medical records- I strongly recommend you file this so Raytheon sends you back copies of everything they get. Good insurance that they're not actually reviewing the wrong stuff. This PDF is somewhat hidden, at the bottom of the page.

Skip the following:

-Medical/Dental Expense Reimbursement Form, and the Important Tips pdf that goes with it. You don't need this because you'll be reimbursed by Case instead of Raytheon.
-ALL the "paperwork that you need to read and keep for reference" pdfs. You can read them if you really want to, but much of the information will be irrelevant for you or confusing.

On to the deployment forms..... please do the following:

DON'T FILE ANY OF THESE RIGHT NOW! Later in the year (September) will be more appropriate, when we have a clearer idea of our travel dates.

Work hard to get those exams completed very soon. get them done as quickly as possible. Delays in physically qualifying for Antarctica are a consistent source of headache and delay. If your exams aren't done by August, you run the risk of not getting to Antarctica

Here is some information that is needed to complete the forms-
Organization: check Science Group Member
Event Number: G-058-M (sometimes listed as Science Group Number)
Principal Investigator: Ralph Harvey
Job Title: meteorite hunter
Season: Summer
Work Site: Check McMurdo Station and also check Other: and pencil in Remote Field Camp

What about physicals and dental exams? Do I need one, and who pays?

Yes, you do have to take a physical to go to Antarctica. The rationale is that medical facilities in Antarctica are very limited; therefore chronic medical conditions, or those requiring exceptional care, can be very difficult to adequately respond to. While there is no absolute list of medical conditions that will keep you out of Antarctica, things requiring constant monitoring such as heart conditions or insulin-dependent diabetes will rule you out, and things which could be exacerbated by cold or exertion, like severe asthma or arthritis. To help the US program avoid tragedy, all deploying personnel must pass both a physical and a dental exam. PLEASE don't bluff your way through this as it hurts you, ANSMET and everyone else involved.

The previous section discussed the forms for these examinations. The physical includes a pretty extensive questionnaire and some very specific blood and urine tests. If you have any questions about what you should include on the forms, and what needs to get done, please don't hesitate to contact me. Also, don't hesitate to let your physician know that his report can ultimately determine whether you get to go to Antarctica or not, and you don't want minor physical flaws to get exaggerated. Most physicians are reasonable on this but you need to communicate with them.

In past years RPSC contracted with a medical lab to do the various blood and urine tests for them . No longer, unfortunately. Have your doctor's lab do the tests, and send the results in to RPSC with the forms.

Same goes with the dental exam. One thing that the exam requires is that all wisdom teeth be either in perfect shape or extracted. Don't let the dentist be a victim of the form. If you have wisdom teeth that are not perfect, but cause you no trouble at all, get your dentist to say so. Both the dental and physical forms get reviewed by RPSC physicians, and they'll go by the book unless your physician or dentist helps them.

Another hint: keep copies of all of your forms, and gather the original forms, x-rays and lab results yourself rather than letting the physicians and dentists send them in. I've seen things get lost too many times, and the best way to protect yourself is to take control of the process. Also, as detailed in the previous section, get Raytheon to send copies of all exams back to you.

Who Pays? The ANSMET project will reimburse your cost of the examinations required to become a field party member, including a visit to a physician, and a dentist, and the cost of required x-rays and lab work. Only the costs associated with the examination itself will be covered; the costs incurred for repairs or treatment necessary to meet the standards of the Antarctic Program will not be covered. I have a limited budget to cover these costs; if the examinations exceed $250 US I may not be able to reimburse you and you may have to foot part of the bill yourself. For example, the cost of a dental exam will be covered, but if you need to have a cavity filled or a tooth pulled, that is your own expense and ANSMET will not pay for it. Medication, orthotics or other supplies that you personally need to take to the field are entirely your own expense.

PLEASE NOTE: If you have health insurance or other ways to save my grant some of the examination costs, I will be eternally grateful. When I wrote this grant, the costs of exams were a lot cheaper than they are now, and that makes it rough for me. Also, if you're worried you won't pass the physical for some reason, call me. Some problems are more troublesome than others.

Will I need to buy anything? And a cautionary tale about gear.

That said, there are two things you have to buy (sunglasses and sunscreen) and a few things you'll probably want to buy, such as socks, long undies, booties and gloves. More on sunglasses in the next question below.

Sunscreen: there's not much to worry about here- any old sunscreen can work and you don't need tons; you'll probably only be covering your face, and sometimes only a few parts of that. Another thing to think about is freezing. Many water-based sunscreens turn into hard blocks when frozen; and your sunscreen will be below freezing much of the time. So try out your sunscreen in your freezer before leaving. Personally, I like the alcohol-based sunscreens like Bullfrog- they go on easy in any temperature (but do stink and sting your eyes). The very runny kind you can get in a pump works really well; I transfer it to a little squeeze bottle, and 3-4 oz will last me the full season.

Socks: In previous years, RPSC provided 6 pairs of nice wool socks. No longer. Any good heavy sock will do, but I strongly encourage you to buy wool; it breathes, keeps you warm when wet, and seems to handle the abuse. Cotton doesn't keep its loft for more than 6-8 hours; you want something thick, fluffy and open weave if possible.

Long Undies: In previous years, RPSC provided a few sets of light or medium-weight long underwear: now you'll get one thin pair if you're lucky. I strongly encourage you to buy 2 or 3 sets of medium weight, comfortable and stretchly long underwear to bring along. Capilene or Polypropylene are great.

Lightweight insulated long underwear (thinsulate or down). insulated long undies have gotten more popular lately with ANSMET folks, since the USAP-provided windpants are uninsulated and the fleece isn't windproof. Fleece and thin goretex isn't enough on some days (and we're going to LaPaz, people). My recommendation is that you have several sets of thin long undies and then wear the insulated stuff on top of it, then put outwear over that. It usually is pretty "sweaty" when you're active, though; fleece breathes a lot better. For an example see this from Cabelas.

Lightweight insulated booties for wearing in the tent and around camp are a very, very popular item, and I wouldn't go to Antarctica without them myself. An example of what has worked well is shown below, but anything well insulated and light will do.

A light nylon wind-suit to wear over your fleece layer makes nice in-camp wear- it keeps snow out of your fleece layer, and also lets you slide around on your sleeping bag more freely. It also adds a surprising amount of warmth by trapping air in the fleece.

Lightweight polypropylene glove liners are very useful, and fingerless gloves or glove/mitten combos have gotten very popular. Thus I put a pair or two of Windstopper fleece glove mitts like those shown below on the "might buy" list.

Another thing that is a "might buy"- some industrial strength kneepads. we spend a lot of time on our knees on the ice working on meteorites, or on our knees riding the snowmobiles. Don't buy the kind you have to slip over your knee- buy the kind that straps on with velcro or buckles, so you can wear them over heavy windpants. I have a few pair of extras in McMurdo.

Many people find a baseball cap is a nice hat to have in the field because of the brim. On nice days, it is often very sunny and keeping from getting sunburned is a constant challenge. Some people wear the baseball cap under a warmer hat, for the extra protection from the sun. Whatever the case, it is nice to have the option and NSF does not issue baseball caps. However, the store in McMurdo does usually have a nice selection of baseball caps for about $15 each, so that is always an option too.

My favorite hat combo is a baseball cap under a Windstopper Balaclava. The balaclava has to be big enough, but if you can make this work you get great protection from sun and wind. USAP doesn't always have windstopper balaclavas, so I'd recommend purchasing one

With regards to buying these things, I'd rather not recommend a specific vendor- do a web search and I'm sure you'll find something. If you really get stuck, give me a call. The places I usually shop for such things on line are (not in any particular order)......

Campmor
Cabelas
REI
Sierra Trading Post

There is no stigma attached to bringing your own outerwear along, with one exception- you will be required to wear the NSF- issued parka, windpants, boots and other gear during the flight from New Zealand to Antarctica, and possibly into the field as well. People that have their own technical outerwear, (parkas, gore-tex shells, etc.) can bring them along as extra stuff, and sometimes its nice to have your own special stuff along. Similarly, if you are a small or otherwise extraordinary-sized person, you probably should bring some of your own gloves, mittens, hats etc. just to make sure the gear fits. More on the clothing issue under "What should I pack?" .

Non clothing items include:
A camera and tons of film-digital cameras are great but you need a place to download the images, and you need lots of batteries. Camcorders can also be great. Music machines, such as a CD, MP3 or iPod are another popular item, second only to lots and lots of good books; expect to trade both music and books with other field party members. Some people bring nifty little chemical warming pads, which can be slipped into a cold sock or mitten. Most people find that it is handy to have some sort of pocket knife in the field as we often have to open boxes or secure items, and Leatherman-style pocket tools frequently prove useful. Small musical instruments are nice, but suffer in the Antarctic environment. If you are an "artsy- craftsy" type, bring down the raw materials you need for your craft. Other recommended items to bring to Antarctica include small decorations for your tent; flags or pennants to leave in the breeze; playing cards; sewing or knitting supplies; and small board games. It is important to note however, that there will be some space and weight restrictions on what you can take to the field, particularly for the smaller recon team. More on that later in the year.

A CAUTIONARY TALE ABOUT GEAR : On a number of occasions, people have gotten fixated on some aspect of their gear to the point that they get in trouble. Here's a mythical example. Your loved one (we'll call that person "boopsie") buys you some 300$ mittens. You feel completely obligated to bring them, and boopsie keeps reminding you to pack them, and when you get to Christchurch you decide to leave all the other mittens behind because you promised boopsie you'd wear the mittens every day. Then you get out in the field and boopsie's mittens suck- they make you sweat, then your sweat freezes, and your hands get really cold and stiff, and the fabric cracks, and........ and you're in trouble.

The moral of this story is not to trust sentiment, salespeople, internet diaries, or even ANSMET veterans if they tell you they've got the ultimate answer to your "boot/glasses/mittens/underwear/hat/you name it" questions. Two things you can trust: we will provide you with time-tested gear that can handle ANSMET work, and that having lots of options on what to wear is the real key to comfort. Look for options, but never commit to them unless you really, really know what you're doing.

What do I need to know about the required sunglasses?

ANSMET will reimburse the cost of one pair of prescription sunglasses and one pair of cheap (less than $50) backup sunglasses for use if your primary pair is lost or broken. Please get Ralph's okay before spending more than $200. ANSMET will not reimburse costs for contact lenses, or for ordinary (non- sunglasses) eyeglasses.

Note that RPSC includes a form entitled EYEWEAR POLICY FOR ANTARCTICA in the stuff sent posted online with the medical forms. The information on this page will supplement what that form says. Note you are not an RPSC employee, so I'm the one who pays, not them.

It is important that the sunglasses you purchase have the following properties: First, they should filter out 100% of the UV light in the solar spectrum. Most quality manufacturers clearly label their sunglasses as such, and in fact you'd have to search hard to find sunglasses that don't have this property, given most plastics and glass are UV-absorbers. Second, they should be at least a little scratch resistant, since they will be subjected to dust and dirt continuously for several weeks; glass lenses are better than plastic for this reason. Third, I prefer a flat transmission spectrum (a very neutral grey color) over more colorful lenses. Lenses which have a strong green, purple or amber tint can make identifying meteorites more difficult by making all shades of brown and grey blend together. This is particularly important if you're going somewhere there are abundant terrestrial rocks, as the Recon party will do this season. Don't get sold on the "contrast enhancement" argument, either; when the contrast drops in Antarctica it goes way down, so the coloration doesn't make a big difference. You'll be able to see the meteorites regardless.

Photo-sensitive lenses (photo-grey) work very well outdoors in Antarctica, and thus are suitable for your field sunglasses. However, these lenses are activated by UV light, and thus do not darken in environments where the UV is already filtered out, such as when looking out of an airplane window. You may find that in these circumstances they are uncomfortably bright. Polarizing lenses are great, except when you have a polarizing filter on your camera and you "cross the polars". Also annoying is that many stressed plastics behave as polarizers, so folks with polarized sunglasses often see goofy things looking out airplane windows or through the windshield of the snowmobile.

If you have trouble getting good prescription sunglasses, one nice option is to buy quality non-prescription glacier glasses, and have your optometrist replace the lenses. We have had good success with this over the last few years, and it is also usually fairly cheap.

I do recommend you pick sunglasses that do a good job of blocking the wind, either because of side-shields or because of a "wraparound" fit. My guide is this: If I wear the sunglasses and I can look out around the sides of them in any direction, they don't do the job. they need to fit tight near the nose and temples and cheeks; fitting tight against the eyebrows is okay, but less critical. I also have a good supply of goggle/facemask combos that are really great when the wind is blowing .They aren't all in perfect condition but always very popular, and we make sure they have new lenses every year.

Now, having said all that, let me tell you what I do. I wear hard contact lenses, so my eyes are a little sensitive to dust and wind, and I prefer "wrap-around" style sunglasses. My source? Safety supply companies. It turns out that most of the major sunglass makers sell their models as safety glasses as well, but at a huge discount. They're UV and shatter-proof, have side shields, and cheap, so if I sit on them I won't cry. My favorite right now is Lab Safety Supply; every summer I'll spend $40 to buy 6-7 different pairs, wear them for a few weeks, and then go back and buy duplicates of the style I like best. I end up with lots of good options and it costs less than $100. The point I'm trying to make is this- spending money doesn't guarantee you get something comfortable and useful. Make sure you consider all your options and try things out before you go to Antarctica, since you will be wearing these glasses constantly.

Are there other expenses I should be aware of?

Basically , you are expected to have sufficient money of your own to cover the personal expenses of the physicals and such, and then I will happily reimburse you. Similarly, I expect you to have enough money to cover your living expenses while we are in New Zealand as a part of our trip, and then I will reimburse you on our return. Please note that flight delays may cause us to spend a prolonged time there; two years ago we spent a week in Christchurch, and made 4 aborted attempts to fly to Antarctica. You will want some spending money for souvenirs both in Christchurch and in the small shop at McMurdo. Case Western Reserve University is a stickler for correct reimbursements, so I will ask you to collect all possible receipts for your ANSMET travel expenses, such as lodging, meals, and airport transportation.

How do I get reimbursed?

First, you need to collect receipts for the expenses you incur. CWRU will reimburse people without receipts but not very willingly. And like most organizations, CWRU would like your expenses put together in some nice neat format. So, when you have some receipts write a short letter, addressed to me, stating that these are expenses you incurred while meeting NSFs requirements for physical qualification or expenses for equipment required by me for field participation. With that letter, you should also include CWRU's expense forms, filled out nicely, which can be found here. Don't forget to convert costs are in non-US currency!

CWRU is pretty good at reimbursing you quickly if everything's in order. Two weeks is about average. Also, you can do this a bit at a time or all at once; its up to you. Lately many people simply wait until the end of the season and submit everything all at once. This tends to overwhelm the bureaucrats and cause less questions as to why a government grant is buying you a pair of Ray-Bans.

Should I purchase extra insurance?

This sounds like an "old fogey" question, but it is something you should consider. CWRU takes out a "traveller's aid" policy to help our group cover emergency medical care, but it's extremely limited in scope- it basically gets you to a hospital and pays you a pittance if you are injured so badly that you wish you were dead. Shortly before leaving you will receive a card to be mailed back to us with the name of your designated beneficiary. If you merely become ill, this policy will not cover your care. Nor does this policy cover personal belongings. Some of you may have health insurance that will cover your hospital and other medical expenses anywhere in the world: if you do not, it is your responsibility to arrange for such coverage at your own expense. This is especially important for citizens of countries with socialized medicine; you should ensure you can cover your own emergency medical costs in other countries. Details on CWRU's insurance and what it means to you as an ANSMET team member are at this link:

CWRU's traveller's insurance for ANSMET team members

Will I be able to vacation in New Zealand before or after the season?

Absolutely, but not at the project's expense. By the fall, our dates for the field season will be a lot firmer, and at that time I will ask you for your travel plans (where in the US you want to depart from, and when you want to return, etc.). RPSC will provide round-trip tickets from continental US locations to Christchurch, New Zealand on American Airlines, and they are usually very happy to have you arrive early in NZ or leave late, and there's no cost to you. However, RPSC gets very cranky if you try to change your original flight schedule once it has been set, and I don't have the money to pay for any changes or upgrades. Another common difficulty is people who want to fly to NZ from one location in November, but fly somewhere else on their return in January. These things can be accommodated but are handled in Jan. when returning from the field. My recommendation is to treat the ANSMET trip as a free round-tripper to NZ and make any side trips self-contained.

What should I pack?

During your tenure as an ANSMET field party member you will spend:

-about 3 days each way travelling;
-anything from hours to weeks in temperate New Zealand:
-around 2 weeks in McMurdo Station;
-around 6 weeks camping on the Antarctic Icesheet.

Needless to say, each of these environments will constrain your choices of what to bring. For travelling, be comfortable: its a long flight from LA to New Zealand and if you are lucky you will sleep in your clothes. In New Zealand, expect springtime weather, anything from wet and cold to warm and sunny. McMurdo will remind you of a farmtown in winter; warm workclothes and a pair of sturdy boots will serve you well. While you can wear the RPSC issued clothing in McMurdo, most people wear jeans and flannel shirts and such. In the field, you will probably wear the OPP supplied gear for the most part.
Most essential for you to bring are those things you need on a day-to-day basis that RPSC does not supply or that you personally cannot live without. Toiletries, towels and washcloths, chap-stik, writing supplies, batteries, safety pins and name-brand compulsories (like chewing gum) are best brought by the individual. You will not need laundry soap, flashlights, ice-axes, crampons, backpacks or bedsheets; you will need your own soap, shampoo, sunscreen and towels. You are not allowed to bring alcoholic beverages to the ice.

NOTE it is strongly recommended that you keep your personal belongings to a minimum. If you cannot comfortably carry the sum of your baggage over extended distances (and believe me, you will have to on several occasions), you have too much stuff. There will be weight and size limits on what you can bring to Antarctica, and into the deep field. Be aware that some things are damaged by freezing (check your sunscreen, contact lens solution, etc) and that vibrations can also be a problem.

Will I be able to receive mail in the field? Make phone calls? What about E- mail?

While in McMurdo you will be very well connected. You can.....
.......Call the outside world with a calling card: if you have a card by ATT, MCI, or anyone with an 800 access number, you can call from McMurdo and the charge is similar to calling within the US. So get a calling card, its worth it.
......Mail will be delivered to you via the ANSMET project, and takes at least 2 weeks to get delivered. Packages can take much longer because they are considered a lower priority. Also note that all mail can be inspected by New Zealand customs and contraband will be siezed (ask Harold Connolly about his $300 bottle of cognac). McMurdo has its own post office, and you can purchase stamps or send packages home. Sending letters and packages to and from McMurdo uses the same postal rates as the US, which really is a considerable bargain! Your address in McMurdo is given at the back of the guidebook.
.......E-mail can be exchanged easily in most web-based formats. Computers and cyber-cafes are available in Christchurch and McMurdo to check mail through the web or smtp methods.

While we are in the field, communications get much more limited. We often receive mail in the field if aircraft visit us during the season, to assist with camp moves or provide any re- supply. If this happens, we can usually send some out at that time as well. Daily two-way communications are limited to shortwave radio, usually in contact with either McMurdo or South Pole Station.

ANSMET does have an Iridium satellite phone. The phone is easy to use, though at about $1.50/minute and with heavy associated fees, calls can get pricey fast. Sound quality and getting a good connection can also leave something to be desired. ANSMET business gets priority on the phone, but that won't take more than an hour or so a night, so you will have access for private calls. Note, however, that all costs will have to be covered by you, not by ANSMET-- So if you want to call home by this route you'll have to get your own Iridium account for the duration of the season.

This isn't as difficult as it may sound- it's essentially just like getting cellphone service. You'll have to decide on a provider, pay the associated fees, and get a SIM card which is your unique way to activate the phone for your usage. Note that "pay in advance" service costs $2.50 per minute but you avoid a lot of other fees. If you need a recommendation,    WCC was the choice of a few people last year.  You can almost certainly get similar deals from a lot of vendors.

You might find that the cards have a minimum number of minutes that is greater than the number of minutes you personally want. It might make sense to get together with some other people on the same field team to share a card; you physically need the card to make a call. Also, if you do decide you want to get an Iridium SIM card, it's probably not something you want to wait until the night before you leave to do.

ALSO NOTE that rumors suggesting the store in McMurdo sometimes sells some Iridium cards (called "Morale Cards") are probably untrue.

PLEASE NOTE that we will not have email while in the field . We understand how much people love these, both in the field and at home. Unfortunately, with the amazingly low bandwidth and difficult equipment, the overhead in terms of time spent maintaining the system is too high. Hopefully you will find, as I have, that a 5 minute voice conversation every few days carries a LOT more information than an email can.

I hope we will maintain a "weblog" during the coming season- and I'll be asking you all to contribute. It'll be a chance for a little outgoing communication on an occasional basis. But it'll be one-way communication; webpages and pictures out, nothing back in.

HOWEVER, there is something kind of nifty you can do. When you have a SIM card for the Iridium phone, make sure you leave your phone number with your loved ones back home. they can send you 160 character text messages FOR FREE through the Iridium website (http://www.iridium.com/). It's very cool and costs nothing and works in the field.

Should I bring my laptop? What about rechargeable batteries?

My first question is, "Why"? Experience has shown that meteorite hunting and the daily survival chores of ANSMET won't leave you with much time or energy to do work, and there are other solutions, much easier to carry, for music or downloading digital photos. Having a laptop in McMurdo is useful, but with hundreds of public computers around it's not really needed, and keeping it secure and safe while travelling is hard work. You probably will have access to a limited supply of electrical power when we're in the field; we plan to set up a few solar panel-based power supplies around camp for project use, such as downloading and storing digital images and GPS location information about the recovered meteorites. But providing this service for one or two computers is hard enough that we're not willing to provide this service outside of specific ANSMET needs.

In a nutshell, you are welcome to bring your laptop or other electronic gear, but think carefully about it- the fewer things you need to keep charged, the less of a burden it'll be for you.

What special conditions are there for non-US citizens?

Participants from outside the US should be aware that there are several possible situations that can be a financial burden to you. ANSMET funding is limited and we often cannot cover the full cost of the required physicals in countries where medical care is expensive. In addition, RPSC will not pay for airline flights originating outside the continental US. As a result, European and other non-US participants must pay for their flights to and from a US point of departure.

NOTE it is your responsibility to ensure that you have the appropriate passport and visa allowing you to travel to Antarctica via both the United States and New Zealand.

I'm a scientist; Can I do any research of my own while in Antarctica?

By volunteering for the ANSMET field party, you are in effect agreeing to put ANSMET science goals ahead of any personal goals. Therefore you should not necessarily plan any non-ANSMET related research for execution in the field. During the field season, ANSMET goals will always take priority over any other activities.

However, I am usually receptive to projects initiated by field party members as long as they don't interfere with the goals of the ANSMET project (investigating the nature of meteorite concentrations, improving the quality of the field work, or noting interesting related phenomena, etc.). However, you must clear any such project with me far in advance. Should you discover something interesting while in the field, often time can be found for small investigations during weather inappropriate for meteorite searching and recovery. Just remember, I'm competing for the limited logistical support RPSC provides, so I can't arbitrarily ship down a big instrument, scrounge up helicopter time, or those sorts of things.

Just how tough is life in the field?

In my opinion, as long as you are ready for the cold, and familiar with living in a tent, life in the field with ANSMET can be more pleasant than camping in the States. No noisy Winnebagos, no trash at the campsite, no bugs or snakes, no rain - it's ideal! In general, living conditions will be spartan, but comfortable. We'll be living in Scott tents, which are double-walled to insulate and about 9 ft on a side, and we'll sleep in down bags. Toilet facilities will be the most limited consideration. This will be the way for around 45 days. We cook with small propane stoves, which also warm the tent. Radio contact with McMurdo is maintained daily for emergencies. Usual weather conditions call for temperatures between -10 and -20 °C with steady winds around 20 kph. It can be a lot nicer than that, but it also can be a lot worse; it's not unusual to be stuck inside your tent for a week or more as the wind howls at 60 kph or faster. We tent and cook in groups of two, but often gather sociably. Workdays usually are spent on snowmobile (you'll have one of your very own) or on foot (you'll have two of those) looking for meteorites or surveying. With 24 hours of daylight, we may work irregular hours as the job-at-hand demands.

Should I wear my contacts? My bifocals?

A: The choice of contacts over glasses, or vice versa, is a personal one. Personally I can't see worth a darn with my glasses, but with my contacts I can see like a hawk. It does mean that I'm more sensitive to the wind or dust or snow, but I wear good wraparound sunglasses or goggles to compensate. If you do chose contacts, you have to deal with this sensitivity, as well as frozen solutions and difficulty staying sterile. On the other hand, contacts don't fog up when you enter a warm tent or exert yourself.

If you are a bifocal wearer, things are a little tougher. Various members of past field parties have tried a lot of different things; wearing one pair of sunglasses for searching, and another for close-up work like collecting is not very suitable, nor is the choice of taking your sunglasses off for close-up work. Some have tried wearing distance-vision contacts, and carrying reading-style glasses for the close up work. There is no good solution, unfortunately, and if you wear bifocals at home you probably need them in the field as well.

Boots. There is some mention of "mickey mouse" boots. Are these things really comfortable enough to be worn all the time? You mention other boots for McMurdo, would you recommend hiking boots, or would Sorrels work here as well?

A: If you have a lot of experience with winter boots, then you can be your own judge. However, I'm a big fan of the "mickey mouse" or "bunny" boots. I have sweaty feet, but what I found was that felt-pac boots would just soak up that sweat, and then freeze, and I'd be in real trouble. The vapor-barrier action of the bunny boots prevented that freezing and kept my feet 10-20 degrees warmer. They do keep your feet moist, but with good wicking socks (RPSC provides wool ones) I don't ever get that squishy feeling. Other factors in favor of the bunny boots is that they are fairly supportive, the rubber they are made of is the stickiest we've found on the blue ice, and of course they are exceptionally large and attractive.
There are other options. RPSC can provide a variety of styles, including foam- or felt-lined mukluk-style boots, which some people have preferred. Other field party members have brought their own Sorel-style pac boots. You can add vapor- barrier action to these with neoprene or gore-tex socks, too. However, if you're not experienced in wearing cold-weather boots for days at a time, I would never commit to just one style; If you want to bring your own boots, bring the bunny boots too, just in case. When your feet go bad, the party is over.

I do NOT recommend hard-soled mountaineering boots- they can be warm but brutally slippery on the blue ice, and wearing crampons gets pretty old after the tenth time you've caught it on your snowmobile and fallen over (not to mention the holes in your thermarest).

In McMurdo you'll be doing a lot of walking around, loading, painting and carrying boxes, that sort of thing. Cheap hiking boots or work boots are the best answer, but some people get by with just tennis shoes. There are opportunities to go running or work out in McMurdo so something athletic is also not a bad idea.

Long Underwear. It is stated that we will be provided with everything. I assume that this also includes long johns. Are these issued to us in limited supply? How bundled up do you have to be in the tent?

RPSC will provide you with a couple of lightweight sets and one heavyweight set of long undies. However, in recent years the supply of good stuff has been drying up, so as mentioned above, I recommend you bring some of your own. I typically bring down three sets of my own and then can change about every week and a half or so, sometimes washing out the old ones. Again, I am a sweaty guy, but the air is so dry that its hard to stay wet very long at all.

The tent is a weird thermal environment. Typically the snow we're camped on is a cold-sink at about -40, but with the stoves going, the top of the tent can easily be 90 deg. F, so you have a huge gradient. Typically I hang around in my long undies and a light fleece layer, with a wind layer on top of that, and fluffy booties on my feet. That's plenty to keep me warm indoors and even for 10-15 minutes outdoors- and without the wind layer the fleece has limited insulation value. I also usually sleep in those same clothes, just because I'm lazy. When it's work time, I throw a parka and bibs over that stuff, and I'm ready to go.

Sleeping pads. My back begins to ache after lying on a sleeping pad for several days during bad weather. One of those ThermaRest chairs that you stuff a pad into works great for a change of position. Do we get these (pad and chair kits)? Would there be an opportunity to use one if I brought one along (they are small and light without the pad inserted).

Typically we will each have two thick ensolite pads AND a therma- rest pad to sleep on, and we have Crazy-Creek-style chairs for everyone too. It is a problem to find comfort in the confines of a tent, but when you spend as much time in there as we have, we tend to find some creative solutions.

Field Gear. You mention that it is possible to get binoculars issued. What about a GPS? Will this be part of our standard issue? I have my own Brunton compass, GPS and such- Should I bring it?

A: Everyone will be issued a small backpack with climbing gear, two thermoses (thermii?), rock hammer, some tools, binoculars, bungee cords, and kitchen sinks. Bruntons are also available, and actually tuned for the southern hemisphere. We will be using GPS to establish the position of meteorites and survey stations routinely, and we have a very nice set of hand-held units. I'm happy to see folks bring their own equipment, but ask me about it specifically, just so you don't waste time carrying something we already have 5 of.

Tell me more about cameras. Film, or digital? Is the cold going to be a big problem?

The classic film camera still shows up in the field, but more and more people are going digital. And the cold can be a problem. Some cameras work fine with zero changes; if it has worked for you in the cold before, chances are it will this time. However, many cameras are very heavily lubed, particularly fully automatic cameras, and when that lube starts to stiffen the camera can quit altogether. I have found a couple of camera shops that could de-grease my film cameras, but they are rare, and a factory visit is sometimes required. Do a test- stick your camera in a freezer for a few days and see if it will work. Bring lots of batteries, and be prepared to warm the camera up if needed. Finally, many hardware stores sell a spray "de- greaser" which is basically ether, which dissolves the lubrication. That's a last resort, since you don't want to remove all the lubrication, just most of it.

We've had generally good luck with digital cameras in the field- some seem to hack it well, but a few have frozen and died. It's usually a power problem; the more modern digital cameras do more and more power-intensive stuff with smaller and smaller batteries, battery efficiency drops in the cold and lubrication, so useful in the temperate world, turns to gum in Antarctica. What seems to work most consistently is a medium- to large-sized camera (something with decent internal volume, not the teeny ones) with big or multiple batteries. I like those that work on AA's, because I can buy disposable lithium batteries that seem to do really well in the cold. Cameras needing 4AA's seem to work better than the 2AA versions. Bring lots of batteries, and lots of cheap memory cards, and you can go home with thousands of images.

What about Film? What do you recommend in terms of speed (ASA)?

Old timers used to take 64 ASA exclusively, but it makes sense to take a few rolls of 200 or even 400 as well. Antarctica is big country, hard to portray in a 35 mm camera scene. A lot of the best pictures are telephoto, with a very high f-stop, and even though the scenery is bright, faster film gives you more options. Also, you'll want some fast film for pictures in buildings and airplanes. In a nutshell, we recommend a variety of speeds and smaller rolls of film. By the way, the record, if I remember correctly, is about 60 rolls! And in that case, the person's shutter was frozen, so they had about 2000 half pictures. Only to a mathematician is that the same as 1000 whole pictures.

Do you have a list of actual gear that you bring for us to consult?

Why yes, I do. Here is a copy of Ralph's Packing list from a few years ago.

However, keep in mind that I've been doing this for many years and have accumulated a lot of stuff that will be provided to you by RPSC. Also, keep in mind that I am a pretty sturdy guy and may not be the best model for you if you are a petite woman, for example.

What contact numbers can we leave with loved ones at home?

A: If there's an emergency at home, the best way for someone to contact you in the field is to go through proper channels; call RPSC at 303-790-8606 and clearly telling them that there is a need to make emergency contact with a member of a field party. That's important, because if its something extremely serious (demanding you come home, or something), NSF will be more accommodating. The guidebook has numbers at the back.

That said, we have enough contacts in McMurdo that we can be more direct if we need to. It would be possible for someone in the states to call or fax someone in McMurdo directly, who could then talk to us by radio. However, this is a lot of work for McMurdo folks and is only appropriate for emergencies, since it clogs up radio traffic that might be needed for a "real" emergency. Also, it is decidedly not private; anybody else listening to the radio will hear the conversation. I advise that you give your loved ones the NSF phone number; then promise to call them from McMurdo (as mentioned, that's very easy with a calling card) and/or the field with the Iridium phone (and your SIM card).

Anybody ever bring a video camera?

A: Yep, camcorders are getting more common and have, for the most part, worked fine, even given all the problems listed for cameras and electronic equipment in general. You might want some foam of some sort over the microphone, since the constant wind will be playing a soundtrack for you otherwise. I am a big fan of video- it portrays the Antarctic experience as few other medias can. It's worth the effort if you're willing to play mother hen, keeping a bunch of batteries warm.

What is this Cow Salve stuff on your packing list?

A: The Cow Salve I mention in my packing list is similar to "bag balm", the stuff that you put on cow udders to keep them from getting chapped. It is mostly lanolin, but my "cow salve" is a little nastier, containing a mercury-based antibiotic. This stuff is right up there with Duct Tape on my list of necessities. I do recommend some form of skin balm, vaseline, moisturizer, whatever- the air is very drying and split fingers are common. Personally I have found I have less problems in Antarctica than in the US, since I wash my hands less in the field. But if you are someone troubled by cracking, drying skin, better safe than sorry. Split fingers and toes can be irritating. And don't forget a few band-aids, skin glue, etc. for those knuckle-scraping Skidoo repairs.

Can I buy things like film/batteries/toiletries/sunblock etc. at McMurdo, or is it advisable to bring these from the States-NZ?

A. Bring this stuff from the states if possible. You can certainly get everything you need in NZ, like film and batteries, and we'll be staying in an area with some good camera and outdoor equipment stores, but they will cost more. McMurdo has a small store, as does Scott Base (about 2 miles away), but they typically never have what you want. If you want film, they have pantyhose. If you want Preparation H they have hair gel. They do have souvenirs but these will be completely picked over by the time we are there. Shopping is not an exciting experience in McMurdo and you can't count on getting essentials there.

Can I use a credit card or have access to an ATM at McMurdo if I need to buy anything? Will I have problems getting money in NZ if I show up with an American credit card and ATM card?

A. Scott base and the US base will take a credit card. There's even two ATM's in McMurdo. You shouldn't have a problem getting money in NZ if you carefully check the network of the ATM machine- I've used the method many, many times. ATM machines also give a nice exchange rate. I usually recommend a mix of ATM cards and credit cards and so you have as many options as possible. At the store at South Pole Station, you will need cash.

Do you suggest bringing a pillow (either for McMurdo or the field)?

A: That's up to you. You can get one issued to you when we're in mcmurdo, no problem. I usually have a fleece stuffsack that I stuff with clothes for the same effect. The dorms in McMurdo will have pillows, bedsheets, etc, but pillows there are often crappy government surplus feather ones (hmmm. Penguin feathers?).

Will we celebrate the holidays?

A: Usually we do, and I recommend people bring down small gifts they can give to their field party members. My preferences generally run toward real estate, impressionist paintings, and small subsidiary companies, while John has always wanted his own ski- and float- equipped Twin Otter. We tend not to make too big of a deal of the holidays, but we do use the season as an excuse to get together, relax over a steaming mug or two, and swap presents and stories.

Can one truly know the future, great swami?

Ah, little grasshopper, The future is known to those who live there. Perhaps your future has already been written, to be read by those who can.

Any other Questions?

I'm sure there are. Call or write anytime,but read the crap that preceded this to make sure you didn't just skip the answer.