Communications at the base camp consisted of two hard-wire field tele- 

 phones, linked to the command van, the dive platform, and the causeway 

 pier. An FM transceiver provided voice communication with the command 

 van and to the two facilities on St. Thomas. A battery powered alarm 

 bell in the base camp could be activated in the command van by depressing 

 the "panic button," as it came to be known. The commercial telephone 

 into the base camp routinely malfunctioned with each rain and was only 

 about 50% reliable. 



PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICE 



The public relations office was located at the National Park Service 

 facility at Red Hook, St. Thomas. The office was staffed by the Public 

 Relations Director for TEKTITE II, a receptionist, and several public 

 relations officers who were detailed intermittently throughout the 

 program. The structure was a 55 by lO-foot office trailer on lease from 

 a local firm for the duration of the program. Although not originally 

 scheduled as such, the public relations office served a vital link in 

 the program communications network during telephone blackouts at St. John. 

 It was anticipated that the commercial telephone into the base camp on 

 St. John would malfunction occasionally, but it never occurred to us that 

 it would be out of service each time it rained. For those unfamiliar 

 with the climate in the Virgin Islands, the annual rainfall is consider- 

 able, occurring principally at the beginning of the year. After the 

 first few telephone blackouts, an FM transceiver was installed in the 

 public relations trailer which permitted communications between Red Hook, 

 the Sapphire Bay administrative office, and the command van at Lameshur 

 Bay. Messages from either location on St. Thomas to base camp were 

 relayed via the command van radio. In this way, weather reports and 

 other traffic could be maintained at the operational site. This system 

 worked reasonably well except when commercial service was out at the 

 two St. Thomas facilities because of rain, 



ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE 



The program administrative office was located in a condominium apartment 

 at Sapphire Bay on St. Thomas. It was staffed by the Program Manager and 

 a secretary. The office handled the administrative aspects of the 

 program and maintained a communication link with St. John via an FM 

 transceiver and commercial telephone. 



11-18 



