VHF Radio

The Very High Frequency (VHF) radio units used by Antarctica New Zealand are very similar to the handheld radios equipped on recreational motorized crafts (aka your dad’s boat). VHF radios operate in the 30 MHz to 300 MHz range and are ideal for short-distance terrestrial communication. Its range is by and large line-of-sight, but substantially longer than walkie-talkies. In the field, they are used predominantly for communication between main camp and away teams, although one can use a VHF radio to contact Scott Base when line-of-sight access to a VHF repeater is possible. For example, when we’re in the lower (eastern) parts of the valleys, we can make use of the VHF repeater on Crater Hill to contact Scott Base.