Write assembly

Every part runs its own program. Read the instruments, sleep until the next hour, compare, jump, send. The first logger holds eight lines, so every line has to earn its place.

Wire the station together

When one part can't do the whole job, wire several together. Split the work between controllers, keep a table in a memory unit, and have the drone hand its readings to the garage when it docks.

Survive a simulated winter

Fronts roll through, gales build and ease, snow drifts against the buildings and the sun sets for the polar night. Your station meets all of it with only the code you gave it, and only the charge it can store or make.

Debug like an engineer

Step through a line at a time, set breakpoints on a line of code or an hour of the winter, and rewind to any moment. When a winter fails, jump to an hour before it went wrong and watch it happen.

Optimize

Getting it working is the start. Every solution is scored on cycles, lines and charge, and histograms show how yours compares with everyone else's.

Letters from Dunmore House

Each winter starts with a letter from Gordon Hale, Head of Station Operations at the Survey's head office, explaining what's wanted this year and why someone upstairs wants it.