Sunday 21st April 2013

At 2am I got up and went down the transmitter building to work 160m into Europe. I made a few new contacts but unfortunately conditions were rather poor so I called it quits. I went back to bed about 4am and got up at lunch time. Outside was a raging 70 knot blizzard. After doing all my chores I then spent most of the afternoon down at the transmitter building. I had a nice pile up on 40m but it was a hell of a walk back to the red shed in the dark with the strong wind and zero visibility. I would hate to get lost in a blizzard so I carry a radio every time I go out into a blizzard for this reason.

We have blizzard lines strung out every where so you can hold on or pull yourself along when visibility is almost zero. If you let go or there is no rope you have to use your memory to find your way around. Large deep snow drifts make moving around very difficult and strong gusts can easily blow you off the rope or off your feet for that matter. It's extremely difficult to breath and fine snow finds its way under your clothing and into all areas. I even had a glove blown off my hand. Often you have to stop and find some temporary shelter to regain your composure as the whole experience is extremely tiring and claustrophobic. Try doing it at night? You get the message !!

The old station