EVA #8 Report

March 26, 2008

Andrea Hartlage


Time:
Departed: 1455
Returned: 1651


Crew Members:
Emily Colvin, Sean Blackman, Andrea Hartlage


Site Location:
Northwest of Hab to Hubble Highway and down Hubble Highway for a bit.
We made it to the Y Ravine area.


Transit Mode:
ATV


Objectives:
Test coverage of voice and digital repeaters; test battery life of the
radios.


Lessons Learned:
We had complete coverage of both repeaters during our entire journey.
Once in the valley, we had to turn our radios from low to high power
and were able to regain communications with the Hab. We learned that
we needed high power to get into both repeaters from the valley but
that our signal was solid once we made the necessary adjustments. We
heard the Hab clearly all along, meaning that we were hearing the
repeater with no problems. We also discovered that our batteries held
out once again for the three hour journey, even while we were transmitting
on high power for part of the time.

The unintended lessons: tape headbuds into ears, or else they will
fall out. If you go fast enough for long enough, it is possible for
one's hat to come down and cover his or her eyes. It is wise to have
one ATV (and not the 4-wheel drive one) go first over any unchartered
territory, such as ditches. That way, the one ATV can be pushed or
towed out if necessary.