| Summary: | Observing the surface meteorology of Antarctica has been a valued contribution in our understanding of weather and climate behavior. With over forty years of automatic weather stations (AWS) across the continent, the electronic systems used to capture these observations has been evolving from in-house developed systems to commercial-off-the-shelf systems. Experiences in having the best available observations at an affordable price lead to seeking a new solution to meet as many needs of the future as possible while broadening participation. Over the last six years, effort has been put into the development of a new electronics core for acquiring weather and climate observations. This report will review the development and outcomes of the Polar Climate and Weather Station (PCWS) project. Students at a two-year technical college in concert with an established university broadened participation and exposure of Antarctica, Antarctic meteorology, and electronics to those who would otherwise not have had the opportunity. In addition to the advances, the challenges endured by this project will also be reviewed such as the unexpected pandemic and supply chain issues that followed hampering the project. The results of this effort have provided the basis for a future observing system for the benefit of all.
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