TDK Systems, Inc. Selected as Mobile Communications Provider and Sponsor of the EVEREST NORTH FACE SKI EXPEDITION 1997.NEVADA CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 2, 1997--TDK Systems will sponsor the EVEREST NORTH FACE SKI EXPEDITION 1997 and supply them with mobile communications hardware for their attempt to make the first top to bottom ski descent from the summit of Mount Everest. The expedition's use of the most advanced technology available today for climbing, skiing and computing includes TDK's award winning GLOBAL CLASS 33.6 PC Card modem and Global Networker 3410 PC Card combo LAN/modem. This epic journey can be experienced on the Internet as it is reported directly from Mount Everest through TDK's GLOBAL CLASS modem and LAN (Local Area Network) A communications network that serves users within a confined geographical area. The "clients" are the user's workstations typically running Windows, although Mac and Linux clients are also used. technology. The expedition will be led by Craig Calonica Craig Calonica is a mountain climber and skier from the United States. History Craig Calonica used to race with the US Ski Team in the mid-1970s, but retired from international speed skiing in 1987. He then began climbing big walls in Yosemite National Park. , a 44-year-old extreme speed-skier, rock climber and mountaineer with an impressive resume of both climbing and skiing achievements. Calonica resides in Lake Tahoe, not far from TDK TDK Türk Dil Kurumu (Turkish Language Council) TDK The Dark Knights (gaming clan) TDK Tokyo Denkikagaku Kogyo KK (TDK Electronics Co. Ltd. Systems' worldwide headquarters in Nevada City, California Nevada City is the county seat of Nevada County, California, USA, 166 miles (267 km) northeast of San Francisco. In 1900, 3,250 people lived in Nevada City, California; in 1910, 2,689 lived there. The population was 3,001 at the 2000 census. . His 25 years of technical climbing/skiing experience include: 15 years of climbing in the Himalayas (including 3 Everest Expeditions), over 25 Big Wall Route climbs (mostly on Yosemite's El Capitan), 15 years of international ski racing with consistent top 5 & 10 results (Amateur & Pro), and many worldwide "first ski descents." During the expedition TDK GLOBAL CLASS modems and Combo LAN/modems will transmit still images, video and email over the Internet from the expedition's Advance Base Camp situated on the East Rongbuk glacier at 21,500 feet above sea level. The expedition's technical staff will send the digital video, still images and audio reports to various websites -- both during the training on Annapurna and on the climb and ski descent of Everest itself. Five tough and talented Sherpas, whom have all summited Everest no less than five times each, will also assist Calonica. The expedition leaders came to TDK for the company's expertise in global mobile communications. "We are proud to be selected to supply the expedition with the world's most popular and reliable Global PC Card modem and Ethernet LAN solutions," said Bill Harris, Senior Product Marketing Manger for TDK Systems. "Both our modem and LAN devices will be used to connect to the Internet via satellite technology in order to keep the rest of the world up-to-date on the expedition's progress. It's exciting to be a part of such a talented team," Harris added. Other Members of the Team Jim Bridwell, high altitude cinematographer, will join Calonica. Bridwell's 30-year climbing career includes completing ascents of big walls in Patagonia and Yosemite, alpine routes in Alaska and the Himalayas, including the first winter ascent of Pumori at 23,446 feet in Nepal. His climbing career is accented by many years as a cameraman, stunt actor and rigger. For example Bridwell was a head stunt rigger for feature films like Cliffhanger cliff·hang·er n. 1. A melodramatic serial in which each episode ends in suspense. 2. A suspenseful situation occurring at the end of a chapter, scene, or episode. 3. , The River Wild, and Star Trek V. He has also filmed projects for NBC NBC in full National Broadcasting Co. Major U.S. commercial broadcasting company. It was formed in 1926 by RCA Corp., General Electric Co. (GE), and Westinghouse and was the first U.S. company to operate a broadcast network. and ABC ABC in full American Broadcasting Co. Major U.S. television network. It began when the expanding national radio network NBC split into the separate Red and Blue networks in 1928. Sports, as well as many commercials and documentaries. Peter Chrzanowski, a veteran extreme-skiing cinematographer, will also be filming the climb and ski descent. Chrzanowski is known for his excellence in creating extreme ski films. He is also an experienced climber and skier, starting with a 1978 ski descent of 22,000-foot Andean peak Huascaran, which was documented in the award-winning film Ski Peru. His films and exploits helped popularize pop·u·lar·ize tr.v. pop·u·lar·ized, pop·u·lar·iz·ing, pop·u·lar·iz·es 1. To make popular: A famous dancer popularized the new hairstyle. 2. the sport of "extreme" skiing in North America. Chrzanowski is currently Extreme Producer for ITV (1) See interactive TV. (2) (iTV) The code name for Apple's video media hub (see Apple TV). .Net, the Vancouver-based Internet TV station. Craig Calonica's talented team and advanced technology is now approaching Mount Everest base camp South Base Camp and North Base Camp are rudimentary campsites on Mount Everest that are used by mountain climbers during their ascent and descent of the mountain. Supplies are carried to the camps using porters and animals. from the Tibetan side. They will climb/ski Everest's Northeast ridge via the North Col during the first open weather opportunity, hopefully in early September. Thanks to TDK Systems' state of the art GLOBAL CLASS modem and LAN technology, web-surfers around the world will be able to experience the expedition as it happens. Stay tuned by going to the TDK Systems' website at WWW WWW or W3: see World Wide Web. (World Wide Web) The common host name for a Web server. The "www-dot" prefix on Web addresses is widely used to provide a recognizable way of identifying a Web site. .TDKSYSTEMS.COM (1) (Computer Output Microfilm) Creating microfilm or microfiche from the computer. A COM machine receives print-image output from the computer either online or via tape or disk and creates a film image of each page. to find out more about the expedition and TDK Systems' mobile communications technology. About TDK Systems Founded in 1992 and headquartered in Nevada City, California, TDK Systems designs, manufactures, markets and supports a full line of PC Card communications and networking products for the domestic and global mobile computing markets. Part of the $5 billion plus TDK Corporation, the company's products provide the highest level of performance, quality and value in the PC Card segment. Instrumental in creating the PC Card industry and the key technology associated with it, TDK Systems Inc. holds numerous patents and is attributed with multiple industry firsts in the category. TDK operates 22 facilities in 12 countries, and is a global leader in electronic materials processing, component miniaturization min·i·a·tur·ize tr.v. min·i·a·tur·ized, min·i·a·tur·iz·ing, min·i·a·tur·iz·es To plan or make on a greatly reduced scale. min and production, and is the leading supplier of audio and videotapes worldwide. TDK Systems' products are available through major distribution, retail, and VAR channels. CONTACT: TDK Systems, Inc. Janet Wood, 916/478-8470 tdkpr@tsi.tdk.com www.tdksystems.com 
I am suddenly reminded of this event that we sponsored and followed daily from brief text journal entries sent from the mountain. A NASA colleague is undergoing a journey with even more suspense, hazards and unknowns, having been diagnosed with an advanced gliomal brain tumor. He is sharing his journey via an Atom feed. The decision for final ascent can be clouded by mountain sickness, interocular pressure-induced blindness, as well as frostbite and other manifestations of the hostile environment. There are no guarantees of success; several members of the Everest team were forced back; but maintaining positive, can-do focus on the goal is what brings the successful teams to the top, and that approach is what our colleague brings to his challenge. From what I have seen of his committment to the task, I believe he will summit. If you want to subscribe to his Atom feed, let me know (jhuggins@eecs.berkeley.edu) |
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