Palmer Station SitRep for Period Ending 10 Jan 79

1. Fuel Consumption: 1383/Tank one 94,765/Tank two 120,931/Total DFM on hand (less day tanks) 215,696/Day tanks 6,000.
2. Station population 28/Hero 23.
3. Power Readings: High 98.4 KVA/Low 57.7 KVA/ Avg 74.7 KVA.
4. Weather: High temp 5C(5,7)/Low temp –3C(10)/Avg temp 1C/High pressure .1007.8 MB (4) / Low pressure 989.8 MB (7) / Avg pressure 997.8 MB/peak wind 15 m/s at 30 deg (7)/ Avg wind 5 m/s prevailing wind dir 220 deg/avg cld cvr 9/10 nmbr of clear days .33/ nmbr prtly cldy days 1.66/ nmber cldy days 5 / nmbr days visibility less then 400 mtrs 0.
5. Generally warm, cooperative weather allowed outdoor projects to progress nicely this week. Painting of the GWR building is essentially completed thanks to several sunny days and a crane-borne scaffold (Pat Pending) that enabled two brave souls at a time to paint in high places with relative comfort and safety. Some touchup and cleanup remains.
   Finish work on the smaller of the new lab spaces was completed and both are now ready for occupancy. A numbering system has been adopted for the labs in the biolab building, with the wetlab as number 1 and the small new lab as number 6. Space requirements were coordinated by the SSL with science personnel on R/V Hero via radio and sufficient lab space is available for the new programs aboard. Mike Burrow and Pat Kraker replaced, heat taped, and re-insulated a long section of the fresh water main which had been leaking. John Heg helped Allen Cull sort and arrange frozen food stores to facilitate upcoming R/V Hero provisioning. An inventory of the outdoor acid dock chemical storage area was completed at the request of Dr. McWhinnie.
   Surplus and obsolete science gear in biolab and USARP supply was unidentified for retrograde.
   John Wells replaced a faulty IC in his RTTY converter which greatly improved our teletype receiving capability.
   The Lindblad Explored visited Palmer on Sunday 7 Jan 79. A hundred passengers and crew toured the station. Palmerites again visited the ship for lunch. Jerry Kiewatt established communications via ham radio with VK9XR/MM, the forty-two foot ketch "Williwaw" with two souls on board which is now in the Drake Passage en route to Palmer Station and plans to arrive here about 17 Jan.
   The sun has been swinging colorfully lower each night and a spectacular full moonrise over the Marr Ice Piedmont inspired many photographers on Wednesday evening. Arthur Harbor was solemnly still and fiery hues of orange sunset cast highlights on the blue ice cliffs. Ah, but I digress.
   Warm regards,
   Konecki