Connection to the world

The protecting plastic bowl of the antenna dish for GOES

We're just back from a short tour on the satellite system that connects SouthPOle to the rest of the world. Here at Pole we have to different systems, one being pretty old but robust and another high-precision younger type. GOES and TDRS they are called. So, James who is a maintenance guy for the dishes was happy to show us around. Since these antennas are about a 10 min walk away from the station, we called the shuttle service. Jumped into the shuttle without giving direction, Stevan the driver took us in direction of the South Pole Telescope which is not even close the ones we wanted to go to! How should he now with all these plates around!

So we finally got there and I was quite fascinated by the simple technique that is used to communicate and to focus the satellite.
We learned how the information is transmitted, via optic fibres and the in a serial data stream to the antenna. Actually, you can not see the dish here itself because it is covered by this white plastic bowl to protect it from wind and snow.

The protecting plastic bowl of the antenna dish for GOES and Stevan in his shuttle van

James who is responsible for maintenance gave us a tour

That's the antenna dish for TDRS satellites and Martin