This award will supply oceanographic cable and wire for the UNOLS Wire Pool dedicated for use on any UNOLS vessel for support of marine research. The Shipboard Scientific Support Equipment Program provides funds for ship equipment deemed essential to the proper and safe conduct of ocean science research. The Program provides support for such items as deck equipment including winch systems for the deployment and retrieval of scientific instruments, navigational equipment such as radars, gyroscopes and earth satellite receivers to pin point the location of research sites, communication equipment including radio transceivers and satellite transceivers for voice and scientific data communications and other equipment such as motorized workboats for transporting scientists to and from data retrieval sites. The Project Director, Richard Trask is fully qualified to direct this project having had considerable experience in the design and fabrication of cables and wires, in addition to recent oversight of the distribution of wire from the UNOLS Wire Pool. This project will allow the institution to acquire wire and cable for the UNOLS Wire Pool over the next five years based on historical and projected fleet requirements. ***
The major objective of this grant was to procure electro-mechanical oceanographic cables and torque-balanced wire rope to meet the needs of the University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System (UNOLS) ships. Since 1982, similar efforts to manage the UNOLS wire pool have resulted in an efficient system for the UNOLS oceanographic fleet. The management oversight has kept the wire pool inventory and the distribution of these cables under close supervision. It has enabled swift and efficient procurements to meet the future needs and prompt distribution of cables to each UNOLS ship as the need arises.The inventory is maintained in two storage locations, one on the east coast and the other on the west coast, which reduces the cost of shipping to requesting institutions. A total of 48 wire lengths were purchased through this grant including .322 in. diameter electro-mechanical cable, 1/4 in. diameter 3x19 hydro wire, 9/16 in. and 1/2 in. diameter 3x19 trawl wire, .680 in. diameter coaxial cable and .681 in. diameter power optic cable. Distributions of 32 full reels and 6 partial reels of wire were made to research vessels at 13 institutions. This grant also funded the development of a database system to track the inventory and the activity of distributed wires through their useful life. The information derived from this database will help to inform future planning for replacement of wire in use onboard vessels and new inventory purchases, as well as new cable designs.
