Pole communication comes in from cold
THE folk at Gold Coast satellite communications firm Pivotel must feel as proud as punch right now.
And so they should given it was their cutting-edge technology and that of the Iridium Certus service that enabled Dr Geoff Wilson to broadcast the first ever live video from the Antarctic Plateau.
Earlier this month Dr Wilson, a Currumbin veterinary surgeon, became the first
Australian to reach The Pole of Inaccessibility on the Antarctic Plateau.
There’s probably no better advertisement than having an adventurer use your technology and tell the world about it so we’re guessing Pivotel is going to benefit enormously from this partnership.
Dr Wilson said it was “ground breaking” having access to more bandwidth to send high-quality video and images back from his journey.
“Perhaps of most importance for me, being able to debrief with someone on the outside world that understands you, but also knows that you’ve got more reserve, and helps you to see that without the haze of fatigue that’s accompanying your decision-making process – it’s absolutely vital,” he said.
Pivotel boss Peter Bolger said satellite communication had come far in the past 10 years.
“Ten years ago, updating your Facebook status or making a video call from Antarctica was unimaginable, and even now, there’s nothing else currently available on the market that enables this level of connectivity using small portable terminals,” he said.
“We’re looking forward to seeing Geoff’s journey demonstrate the extensive capabilities of the technology.”
Apart from the recordbreaking distance and being the first Australian to make it to the Pole of Inaccessibility, Dr Wilson also strives to be the first person to climb Dome Argus (the coldest naturally occurring place on earth). Depending on weather conditions, he hopes to reach Dome Argus via the South Pole in early January and finish his mission later that month.