6th Antarctic Activity Week

Just to remind the readers that 6th AAW, will start the 16^th of February 2009. It’s a week long great appointment to celebrate Antarctica through the Radio waves. You have 6 months in front of you to apply for special AAW callsign which will be given a WAP reference number to join WAP Awards. Pay a visit by clicking the AAW banner at the right side of WAP Homepage and see who has already ensure his participation.

WAP a genuine  Antarctic passion ....where else? 

Antarctica @ Verona-Italy

The 26 August newsletter, from the Italian Associazione Circolo Polare, announce the presentation of the book written by Tito Barbini: Antarctica. Get lost and meet at the end of the world. The presentation will be coordinated by Paul Ciampi, writer and journalist. If you think to read the book all at once breathless, in one evening or on a hot afternoon, this will feel you wrong, as Tito Barbini  is able to make you stopping and thinking  at every page about this fascinating world... Presentation is going to begin on 29 August at 21.00 at Gulliver Library, via Stella 16, Verona-Italy.
See review on page: http://www.circolopolare.com/ita/libro_antartide_i.htm

TNX IZ1GJK

Antarctica itinerant thematic exhibitions and talks.
In Ushuaia, Zapala, La Plata and Puerto Santa Cruz.
With the collaboration of the Marambio Foundation, an itinerant Antarctic thematic exhibitions in different parts of the country have being planned, in order to disseminate issues related to Antarctica in general. Last spot will be held in Ushuaia at the beginning of September, with  an exhibition in Ushuaia Airport, where the President of the Marambio Foundation , will have a talk. Other cities involved so far, have been Zapala, Silver and Puerto Santa Cruz.

TNX Marambio Foundation www.marambio.aq  

VP8DLJ- Rothera & Fossil Bluff.... when Sky Blue ?
Ian  is back for his week camping on Adelaide Island where he did experienced the actual poor propagation. At Rothera I have had very little luck hearing or transmitting in the last month and therefore I am not expecting great results. However, it would be fantastic to at least receive a call to my callsign, he said.
All the best from sunny Rothera, de Ian G0VZM - VP8DLJ - VP8ROT
We did ask Ian if there is any chance to have someone active from Sky Blu Camp (pics on the left), as it  will be a brand NEW-ONE WAP reference!
Ian kindly answered:
sorry but Sky Blu isn't open until the summer where there are normally four people spending two weeks a time. I'm training my replacement until the end of the year so no ham at Sky Blu until 2009. My favorite place in the world is Fossil Bluff. I'm hoping to spend a week there during the summer season.
We keep our finger crossed… perhaps one day we can hear a call from there.
TNX VP8DLJ
WAP Antarctic passion is here, stay with us and enjoy it!

Italian National Antarctic Museum in Trieste

After having shown and described about the Italian National Antarctic Museum in the city of Genova, we are approaching today the Museo Nazionale dell’Antartide (MNA), Trieste site, which is spread over an area of 800 square meters, and it’s divided into three main areas.
The first is devoted to the historiography of Antarctica and shows some invaluable historical original Maps.
The second area tells the history of Antarctic exploration, with particular reference to the three most famous pioneers: Scott, Shackleton and Amundsen,  of an epic that was one of the most hard and difficult human land conquests.
Last sector handles Italian Antarctic Expeditions, starting from the beginning of '900, until the last one organized by the Italian National Research Project in Antarctica.

On  http://www.mna.it/italiano/Esposizione/Espo_Trieste.htm readers can enjoy a virtual visit of the Museum with a Gallery of pictures
TNX I1GJK & IZ3DBA

Trip to the Ross Sea

Posted by Willy ON5AX and Magda ON3AX

We inform you that we will be QRV from aboard the "Spirit of Enderby" during our trip to the Ross Sea next February/March 2009. We got permission from the captain and from the chartering company to set up an antenna and a ham radio station in one of the upper cabins. The name "Spirit of Enderby" is the name under which the ship is chartered by the organizing expedition company. The ship in fact is registered in Vladivostok (Russia) under the name "Professor Khromov".

During this trip we will visit during several days the Auckland (WAP NZL-Ø4), Campbell  (WAP NZL-Ø5) and Macquarie (WAP AUS-Ø8) islands, and the Mc Murdo (WAP USA-22), Scott (WAP NZL-Ø1)and the Terra Nova (WAP ITA-Ø1) bases from the US, NZ and Italy on Ross Island.

TNX ON5AX and ON3AX
Spirit of Enderby  (Professor Khromov) is a sister ship to the Akademik Shokalskiy. Good luck to Willy and Magda for this new adventure in Antarctica! 

Cap Prud’homme (WAP MNB-NEW)
This still WAP unreferenced Base of Cap Prud’homme is a Summer Station (66°41' S, 139°55' E) located not too far away the French Dumond d'Urville (WAP FRA-Ø1).
It opens each year at the beginning of November and closed mid February.
It’s the site of depart and return of the different convoys (3 each season) going to French-Italian station Concordia (WAP MNB-Ø3)and Cap Prud'homme is itself a French-Italian Station as well documented by the sign on the building. A few team (8 to 10 people) stay here during that period, but unfortunately any Ham has been active so far from there. Now a days, Ham radio activity in Antarctica , it seems  to be not so important as it was in the past, but we are confident to catch some one up from this site one day.
TNX F8DVD and F5PFP for pics.
Cap Prud'homme has been put on the WAP -WADA Directory under Multi-National Base list,  and will be shown on Directory's next issue previewed by the end of 2008 .

Antarctic Glossary
A very instructive and useful Glossary of Antarctic terms and expressions, can be found at: http://www.gdargaud.net/Antarctica/Glossary.html
We always thanks the great Guillaume Dargaud  who on 6 Jan. 2004 granted WAP permission to use and link his website .
Guillaume Dargaud is one  the most famous WW Antarctic Expert. He has been on the land of the big white cold four times, spending a total of about 20 months there, that is about 5 summers and one winter. He was one of the researchers during the 43rd French Antarctic Season at Dumond D'Urville. Go to his web site http://www.gdargaud.net/ and enjoy the Icy Continent, told and  pictured by him.
TNX G.Dargaud

New issue of the Antarctic Sun
Posted by Peter Rejcek
Hope you've had time to visit the Antarctic Sun Web site recently. If not, you've missed a few new articles. Read the one here below (click on Caught on Camera) which is interesting for those who may wish to know more about the Antarctic Bases.
Caught on camera: The folks at McMurdo Station are hosting an international 48-hour film competition, with entries from stations around the Continent, including facilities run by Australia, Germany and the U.K.
Enjoy!  TNX Peter Rejcek, Editor,
The Antarctic Sun, http://antarcticsun.usap.gov
Antarctic Sun is available directly from WAP web site,  just by clicking  on the AntSun banner from the WAP Home page (down right).

Volker Y88POL-DPØGVN, Guest at the 5^th WAP  Meeting

Organized by Sezione A.R.I Mondovì (Cuneo), with the patronage of the Regione Piemonte and ARI-C.R.P.V.A. the joined 7^th th  D.C.I. (Diplomi dei Castelli d’Italia) & 5^th W.A.P. Meetings (Worldwide Antarctic Program) will be held next  20-21 September 2008 at the magnificent  Casa Regina Montis Regalis - Santuario di Vicoforte (CN). Volker Strecke DL8JDX (Y88POL – DPØGVN) as Antarctic veteran, will show a presentation of his experience of life in Antarctica where he did stay for quite a few years. Any one wishing to join up, can contact the organization at:

ik1qfm@tin.it  Tel.++39-0174-46943,  Cell.++39-333-7966616

ik1vkh@tin.it  Tel.++-39-0174-42169, Cell.++39-333-4771947

Meeting place is located at:

Casa Regina Montis Regalis, Piazza Carlo Emanuele I  n°4, 12080 Santuario di Vicoforte (CN), Italy.  http://www.santuariodivicoforte.com  ,  www.comune.vicoforte.cn.it  

More details and whole program at: http://www.dcia.it/sezione

VP8, Falklands WAP GBR-25

VP8-YL’s web site (available at:  http://www.radioclubs.net/aa_vp8yl_/ ) reports that a  group of YL operators will be active from the Falkland Islands  from 17 to 31 January 2009. They are going to use VP8YLx callsigns, with the third character of the suffix assigned to each lady at the event start. Hope to get a chance to work several new calls for the WAP-WACA Award

Port Charcot  Base  a NEW-ONE WAP Reference

Situated about 30 km to the  South from Port Lockroy , Port Charcot Base 65° 05' South,  64° 02' West, on  Wandel/Booth island,  Wilhelm Archipel (Graham land West) is now a Memorial  Site, but in it has to be recalled that this was the very first French Antarctic station used by Jean Baptiste Charcot and his 20 crew members during 1904 over wintering expedition. Of course all the huts of that expedition have been destroyed, but a real trace of the past epic still exist. Among the list of ANTARCTIC HISTORIC SITES AND MONUMENTS,  we can find a rock cairn at Port Charcot, Booth Island (Also called Wandel Island) with wooden pillar and plaque inscribed with the names of the first French expedition led by J-B. Charcot which did reach this location  aboard  the Polar Ship “Le Francais”. 

Port Charcot Base will be given a WAP reference when /if someone may stop and operate from there one day!

4^th INTERNATIONAL POLAR YEAR

QSL cards of several IPY stations  are coming through the bureau.

Thanks to the operators that have done pretty much of activity during this event, which ends next year 2009. I remind the readers that all the IPY stations  have got a WAP reference number,   which can be checked on the full WAP special callsign’s reference list here on the WAP home page by clicking the appropriate banner.

I also remind the 2 Awards available:
WAP ASEA (http://www.aricassino.it/)

and  IPY Award (http://www.arcticworldaward.net/ipy.htm) .

Award Manager for both  is IØYKN and it can be reached at: i0ykn.nuccio@alice.it .

R1ANR Novo Runway WAP MNB-Ø6
The question of today is:
Any friend has got the QSL  from R1ANR?
Somebody says: I sent my QSL via direct but for the moment I do not have received it. Someone who has got his card, suggests: Received QSL via Salikhov R.R., Dubninskaya St. 44-1-64,  127591 MOSCOW,  RUSSIA
Others did reply saying: I used this address in Nov 2007, but nothing yet. I remember an info on F5NOD's Antarctic reflector that says it will take some time to answer all requests and that no one has to worry. We have to be a little more patient.
So this seems to be the suggestion…. We have to be a little more patient.
Antarctica …QSL cards and much more …only at WAP!

VP8/LZ1UQ ....alleluja!

After more than 1 year and few unlucky  attempt, I have finally been able to get in touch with Mitko, one of the two operators of the 2006-2007 Bulgarian Antarctic Expedition to St. Kliment Ohridski Base (WAP BGR-Ø1). Mitko, VP8/LZ1UQ did sent among the QSL card, also some pictures of his staying on Livingston Island in the South Shetlands.

Pictures are now loaded on the WAP Photo Gallery, which contains over 2000 images in 25 different Albums . The one here on the right, show   LZ1UQ (left) and  LZ1UU (right), near the radio station at St. Kliment Ohridski Base.

TNX LZ1UQ

4^th INTERNATIONAL POLAR YEAR

& Polar Research Vessel TARA: RØPOL  &  F/RD1AL/MM

Posted by Francois, F8DVD

Francois will be shortly active as TM4IPY (WAP-84) for operation in the coming weeks. Picture on my new QSL is showing  French-Italian station CONCORDIA. I take the opportunity to say that French polar vessel TARA has completed its 17 month drift through the Arctic pack-ice (September 2006 to January 2008). As you remember, there were on board our good friend Victor who did operate RØUPOL or F/RD1AL/MM.

I send you also a copy of a philatelic document related to that great expedition. That letter has been posted at Longyearbyen on  23 April 2007 . We can see cachets of the boat, European program Damocles and the sign.  of the 2 co-leader : Etienne BOURGOIS and Bernard BUIGUES.

TNX F8DVD

Spanish Base Juan Carlos I. (WAP ESP-Ø1)
Posted by Josè EA3NW
HI WAP,
I'm sending some pictures of ED3RKL, the Jan. 2008 Expedition to Juan Carlos I Base. They did experience very bad conditions at -23°C  and a 115 Km/h wind. They only made one contact with VP8DLB.
73 EA3NW
 In spite of the efforts done by the Spanish friends, particularly Jose EA3NW to support the expedition, they really had bad luck. There is another possibility to activate the Base next year 2009, bringing up some better antennas, and of course whishing them better propagation.
TNX EA3NW

Base Gabriel Conzales Videla  WAP CHL-Ø6
Is it located on an island, Yes or Not?
G.G. Videla CHL-Ø6 is one of the spots that will be visited by F5PFP & Co. during their next Antarctic Cruise in February 2009. The question is: It is located on an island  yes or not? Just today WAP did receive an answer by Ricardo CE3HDI who kindly reported:
I did talk with a fellow who did work as  Meteorologist at Base Gabriel Gonzalez Videla. This Base is located  in a sector of the Antarctic Peninsula that, with high tide, it  becomes island. With the low tide this is linked with the peninsula by a land strip of about 140 meters in length, and allows the access to the Base towards the continent or Antarctic Peninsula. The photo show G.G. Videla base with a glacier to the front. The place is called Paradise Bay. It is the same case that happens to Ardley Island, which during the low tide is linked to King Jorge Island. 73 de Ricardo CE3HDI, Santiago de Chile.
TNX CE3HDI
To Mehdi F5PFP the task and the answer when there in Antarctica! 

6^th Antarctic Activity Week

Posted by Francois, F8DVD

I am happy to inform you that I will operate TM8ICE for the 6^th Antarctic Activity Week from 9 to 22 February 2009.  Also, I send you the files of my last QSLs : TM8ANT for operation during the last 5^th Antarctic Activity Week . Picture of Mario Zucchelli station.

All my best regards to all WAP enthusiasts !
François, F8DVD, Also JW/F8DVD, TM8ANT, TM4IPY

TNX F8DVD

TM8ICE will be referenced as WAP-154, Congrats to Francois F8DVD  for his continuous activity since 2004 and for his always wonderful QSL cards!

Antarctica planning activity

From the Antarctic reflector:

It looks like Willy ON5AX and  Magda ON3AX are setting   an upcoming Antarctic trip, on board of the S/V Spirit of Enderby (http://www.newzeal.com/theme/Ships/NZ/enderby.htm & http://www.oceanadventures.co.uk/vessels.cfm) , departing from New Zealand next February, to Campbell Island (ZL9), Macquarie  Island (VK0 ) where they think to stay at least 2 to 3 days, before reaching   the Ross Sea with a visit to  Mc Murdo (US), Scott (ZL) and Terra Nova (Italy) Antarctica bases.
Also Alan VKØLD,  might be active as VP8PJ or 9VØA from a new summer camp  in Ellsworth Mountains around the same time, then do not forget F5PFP. Medhi’s Team will be in Antarctica for a great cruise. Check also  http://f6kdf.ath.cx/f5nod/  

WAP a genuine Antarctic passion! 

Neumayer Station-Antarctica, WAP DEU-Ø2

Thanks to Felix Riess DL5XL operator of DPØGVN, we have got the brand new QSL for 2007-2008 operation of DPØGVN.

The QSL reports a brief description of the base and scientific activities down there:

The snow-covered Neumayer station, operated by the Alfred Wegener Institute  for Polar and Marine  Research, was built in 1992. It is a research observatory for geophysical, meteorological and atmospheric chemistry measurements, as well as a logistical base for summer expeditions. The station is located on shelf ice 200 meters thick and almost completely flat. All that is visible from the distance are the towers of the station entrance. The shelf ice margin is ton kilometers away. The station consists of two parallel steel tubes, each eight meters in diameter and approximately 90 meters long, which accommodate containers with living quarters, a kitchen, a mess, a hospital, various laboratories, workshops, a radio operator room, sanitary facilities, two power supply stations and a snow-melting plant. Neumayer Station is scheduled to be replaced in 2009 by the newly built station "Neumayer III" which will be situated on a platform above the snow surface.

TNX DL5XL.

We’ll be waiting for the activation of Neumayer III in 2009! That will be a brand new Reference for WAP.