BBC Job in Ascension
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BBC Job in Ascension
Any ex-JCW mast climbers after a job? Lots of sunshine and cheap drinks if you can join the Mess or the Volcano Club....
Fancy the chance to live the high life on Ascension Island?
There should surely be a queue down the street for a steady job in a subtropical climate with beautiful beaches and ocean views, especially after you have climbed a 413ft radio mast. But contractors running the BBC Atlantic relay station on Ascension Island in the south Atlantic have had to readvertise a post for a full-time antenna maintenance supervisor. It may not be the job of everyone’s dreams, but it would suit anyone with a head for heights and a longing to get away from it all.
The station, run by Babcock International, relays the BBC World Service’s radio programmes from London to millions of listeners in Africa and South America. The station manager, Paul Mildon, said the previous occupant of the aerial rigging job was retiring after 25 years. He is returning to his home on St Helena, 800 miles away.
Attempts to recruit a new rigger have proved unsuccessful, even though the job comes with a bungalow and an unspecified salary with a singular advantage: there are few places on Ascension (population roughly 800) to spend any money. The job is not for everyone as applicants have to pass a mast-climbing test. A certain self-sufficiency is also a virtue as Ascension is 1,000 miles off Africa and 1,400 miles from Brazil. There is one flight in and out a month.
The successful candidate will not lack for fun. There are beachside barbecues and even an 18-hole golf course, although the greens are known locally as “browns” and visitors have unkindly dubbed it “the worst golf course in the world”.
Fancy the chance to live the high life on Ascension Island?
There should surely be a queue down the street for a steady job in a subtropical climate with beautiful beaches and ocean views, especially after you have climbed a 413ft radio mast. But contractors running the BBC Atlantic relay station on Ascension Island in the south Atlantic have had to readvertise a post for a full-time antenna maintenance supervisor. It may not be the job of everyone’s dreams, but it would suit anyone with a head for heights and a longing to get away from it all.
The station, run by Babcock International, relays the BBC World Service’s radio programmes from London to millions of listeners in Africa and South America. The station manager, Paul Mildon, said the previous occupant of the aerial rigging job was retiring after 25 years. He is returning to his home on St Helena, 800 miles away.
Attempts to recruit a new rigger have proved unsuccessful, even though the job comes with a bungalow and an unspecified salary with a singular advantage: there are few places on Ascension (population roughly 800) to spend any money. The job is not for everyone as applicants have to pass a mast-climbing test. A certain self-sufficiency is also a virtue as Ascension is 1,000 miles off Africa and 1,400 miles from Brazil. There is one flight in and out a month.
The successful candidate will not lack for fun. There are beachside barbecues and even an 18-hole golf course, although the greens are known locally as “browns” and visitors have unkindly dubbed it “the worst golf course in the world”.
I Remember going there in an Albert on a cable trainer in 1973, we left uk with ladies magazines, filled a pallet with fresh fruit and veg from Pretoria, on arrival we were invited to Two Boats, were we enjoyed a bbq using the veg we had brought in. What nice people!
I once teed off on the third hole at One Boat, ricocheted off a massive volcanic rock and ended up significantly behind the tee 
That said, you can't beat the swimming at English Bay and the island people are utterly fantastic.
Give as much as you can into island life and it'll repay you in spades.
Despite the comms focus of the island, internet access from C&W remains decidedly pricey and incredibly slow
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That said, you can't beat the swimming at English Bay and the island people are utterly fantastic.Give as much as you can into island life and it'll repay you in spades.
Despite the comms focus of the island, internet access from C&W remains decidedly pricey and incredibly slow
.
Despite the comms focus of the island, internet access from C&W remains decidedly pricey and incredibly slow
Had an excellent New Years Eve in Two Boats after getting delayed en route for a FI det. Fantastic atmosphere and people
Join Date: Jan 2008
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visitors have unkindly dubbed it “the worst golf course in the world”.
For Internet and email users I am afraid that providing such services to remote small islands with tiny populations is the problem whoever the provider is and C&W are now lost to history.
Still St Helena may be getting a subsea fibre optic cable and an extension to ASC is being talked about I believe-will make it better-might make it cheaper
Still St Helena may be getting a subsea fibre optic cable and an extension to ASC is being talked about I believe-will make it better-might make it cheaper
