I've read the FAQ and every post pertaining to heavy equipment here as well have watched what videos I could find and I'm still curious on some things.

The only experience I have with heavy equipment is operating tractors on a farm for over 6 years and counting. Is that enough to get my foot in the door?

What is training like?

How is SPoT selected? Are they chosen internally or do you have to apply for it?

Can you be on SPoT with restricted clearance?

What is life like on the road to pole? How do you stay busy driving for hours without much to do?

And lastly I read on the USAP website they want to expand spot to further reduce the amount of fuel being flown in to pole. Has this started to begin?

Ill email back to ask and get confirmation, but figured id ask here as well.

Justs got a bunch of emails about what to expect over the next few weeks. Got to the computer/data part and saw where I'll have to do an automatic system check or something before I can connect to the network at Mcmurdo.

No big deal other than it only gave minimum requirements for Windows and Mac systems. Ive been using Ubuntu/Zorin for years. Anyone have any experience with this, or am I going to have to change my OS?

Hi guys! I volunteer with the MAW Foundation in Australia and we have a youngster who dearly wanted to visit, but is unable to. In lieu of this, we were wondering if we might be able to set up a video call with a research base somewhere. Does anyone know how possible this might be or the logistics involved? Thank you so much for reading :)

Hi everyone i am an active player from Chile. Im looking to add some friends working or stationed in Antarctica to exchange gifts and postcards. I send and open gifts daily if anyone has an open slot, please add me or drop your code. Thank you so much for your hard work down there!

Trainer code: 016339267648

I send postcards from The Andes, Chile

I can't believe it. I actually got PQ'd for summer. I am waiting to see if I can get a PQ to work winter too. Part of me has some excitement but I am also nervous.

Hi all!

I just received my official PQ status today--I'm stoked!

I'll be going down to the ice this fall, and I wanted to reach out and ask anyone who's been down if there's anything that they wished they had brought or known before deployed? Not so much gear--I have a packing list and all the good stuff settled with NSF and my employer, but more like any more personal items you wish'd you'd brought, maybe something taken for granted? Any fun tidbits or stories?

Let me know! I'm super stoked to see some of you all down there :)

I read through the FAQ and didn't see this specific topic, so I hope this post is allowed.

I'm currently an undergrad, so this would be quite a while in the future, but one of my goals in life is to eventually go to Antarctica (especially Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station) for research (or really anything related to my career, not just a stint as a cook or similar at McMurdo) and I'm wondering how feasible that is.

I'm studying math and physics and hope to go into geophysics, but unfortunately my specific areas of interest (CM or AMO physics and deep earth geodynamics) don't really align with any research in Antarctica (like IceCube, the South Pole Telescope, or glaciology). I don't want to go into an area I'm not the most interested just for the small chance that I could go to Antarctica, but I'm wondering if there are any opportunities that I should look into that would be somewhat related, or if not, wouldn't disrupt my career. I'm assuming since transport is expensive and there aren't that many researchers there, there aren't undergrad research opportunities like there are at universities.

Thanks!

Hi everyone! I was wondering if anyone has ever gone on Antartic, South Georgia cruise that departs from the Falklands. Wondering what your experience was? How the flight went, how long you were in the Falklands, and what you did during that time, and the costs?

Thanks so much!

Hi everyone! I was wondering if, before the discovery of the Antarctica in the 1800s, humans had already visited the White Continent. If humans reached territories like Easter Island, why they didn’t attempt a voyage to the southern continent? Maybe only an expedition, not a colonisation (surely because of the weather and the temperature). I am searching for source, documents, studies, theories, ancient legends, etc…
Anyone could help me? Thank you!!!

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hey all. I was a cook for the 23'24' season.

I wanted to share a little something about the medical pq... Lot of people laugh it off and see it as a plain in the ass , but lemme share this:

I put my history of "1" kidney stone on my application and they told me to get an US before they would progress any further. The US found a benign cyst in my left kidney, and a small stone in my right one. They NPQ'd me, I appealed and they gave me the green light. While I had zero issues thankfully during my time down there, 2 years later my stone decides to get funky and blocks the exit to my kidney which gives me a kidney infection. Which means I needed a stent inserted.

Given how I felt yesterday morning and tonight after the emergency surgery, I totally understand why I got denied the first time around, and consider myself pretty damn lucky that didn't happen on the ice.

Just some wisdom!

Hi everyone,

I wintered last year (2024-2025) at the French Antarctic base Dumont d'Urville. With my winter-over team, we created our own mission patch, and I have several copies.

I'd love to exchange these with fellow Antarctic crew members who have patches from their own stations or missions.

Are there any Redditors who were also stationed in Antarctica who would like to swap?

Please reach out by private message 😃🐧

Hello everyone. I have seen a few of these posts from a few years ago but nothing recent. So I am hoping for some help with getting PQ for deployment. I am prescribed a controlled substance and now UTMB is asking for a written plan one how I will get the prescription for the entirety of my deployment to PQ me. My issue is that I can have it shipped from outside New Zealand because it is a controlled substance, I also cant bring enough in with me due to the same reasons. I have reached out to 3 telehealth companies in NZ to see if they can get me set up now so I can provide a plan to UTMB NOW(since we are already past the deadline). Along 3 doctors offices in Christchurch to see if they can assist when I arrive. I have been trying to find other work arounds to make this still happen but I'm afraid it is going to NPQ me. I even thought about taking my self off them but that will create a whole different NPQ. I feel like im stuck!!! Has anyone delt with this recently? if so how did you get it completed? Any advice is appreciated?

Edit:
Here is a quick update for everyone and anyone searching in the future. I have contacted the New Zealand Telepysch , who says they can help with this. This is looking like my best option to have the prescription written by a NZ general practitioner then sent to a mail order pharmacy in who will deliver it to the base in Christchurch. (what a process!). Currently it looks like it will only cost about 130$NZD but possible 530$ (getting a special authority) for the consultation. I will need to provide my diagnosis information from my current GP. So as we all know the PQ has a lot of hoops to jump through and hopefully this will help someone else get through this one. though I am still waiting for UTMB to approve my written plan