R1ANR/A Troll Station WAP NOR-11
Nick Shapkin, RK1PWA  is really a  reliable QSL Manager.  Now he has start to deliver the cards for last operation made by Oleg Shakarov as R1ANR/A from Troll Station during last Jan. 2010.
Running a Yaesu FT897 and a wide band dipole,  Oleg did work  a huge pileup. He can put anoter flag on his long list of locations, activated by him in Antarctica, so this R1ANR/A has to be add to: 4K1F, 4K1D, DP1ANF, R1ANF, R1ANF/P, CE9/R1ANF, LU/R1ANF.
Congrast Oleg ZS1ANF and TNX RK1PWA

Meteo man and Snow specialist at Maitri Base (WAP IND-03)
A Polar Team (picture here on the Left shows Indian and Russiam Memebers at Novo Base during Mid Winter Day celebration)  has to be formed by very skilled people. At Maitri Base, Mr.Chandrahas (The man with glasses at the Left on picture here on the Right side) is the METEO specialist, while Mr. Sardar Harapl Shing (see the  picture here below at the Left. Mr.Sardar Harpal Shing is the man who  exchanges Award to the russian Novolazarevskaya Base  Leader) is one of the SNOW scientists.
Now in its winter, Antarctica Researchers down there have to collect datas, make analisys and elaborate maps, so everyone is busy with his assigned job, including the painting of inside structures. 
Propagation continues to be very marginal and from down South very low and short openings are reported.
We'll continue to check conditions hoping to see the slolar flux coming up a bit and allow making good QSOs. 

Also,  we still need to work VU2DMT Dr. Dipak Kumar (here in the Right side of the picture with the Convoy Chief Mr. KK Ganaphtjy  in the Centre, and a russian friend on the Left, during last "Games" done during Mid Winter Celebration at Novo Base) to make sure to have worked both  2 Hams, AT1ØBP & VU2DMT, during the XXIX Indian Expedition 2009-2010.
Greetings from Antarctica,

73 de Bhagwati VU3BPZ-AT1ØBP

OR4TN, Princess Elisabeth Station, WAP BEL-Ø2
Undubtful Karel ON5TN did a great job from this brand new built Belgian Research Station, operating during his spare time as OR4TN. Karel logged a total of 1925 QSOs up to 21 Feb. 2010. Now QSLs are coming and we have to say that they are really wonderful color QSL cards that confirm WAP BEL-Ø2, a wanted New One!
Our compliments for the so nice operation and thanks Karel for QSLing so fast. We'll be looking forward to see some other operations from Princess Elisabeth station on next Antarctic seasons.
TNX Bob K4MZU for sending us a scan copy of the card.
A large batch of New Antarctic QSL cards have been uploaded on WAP QSL Gallery, pay a visit and enjoy the new entries. TNX all who are continue to send us Old & New cards to be shared with the Antarctic enthusiasts.

Mid Winter Day  Celebration in Antarctica
Posted by Bhagwati VU3BPZ-AT1ØBP
Last 21 June It was a wonderful Mid Winter Day Celebration here in Antarctica, Bhagwati said. - Russians from Novolazarevskaya Station did came at Maitri Base for a lunch all together and after that, we did exchange gifts and presents. Both Chiefs of Maitri & Novo (see pic at the bottom left) reinforced our friendship as good neighbour over here in the Icy Continent. The Meteo Board (see picture to the Right) was showing a minimum temperature of -27°C and windchill of -43°C, while the wind has gusts of 12 knots.

The day after all Maitrians wend to Novo and we did repeat a friendly ceremony at their home. We did received a lot of mail greetings from the overwintering friends in other Bases all around and of course lots of chat with our families and relatives in our Country. It is so nice as Mid Winter is normally the most warm holiday for researchers and personnel down here.
TNX Bhagwati VU3BPZ-AT1ØBP 

R1ANY, Novolazarevskaya Station, WAP RUS-Ø9,  cards are coming
Ivan Sedychenkov (RA3MAK)  has been active during the 2009-2010 Russian Expedition to Novolazarevskaya Base in Antarctica. R1ANY callsign has been issued to celebrate 1000 years Anniversary of Yaroslav where Ivan  is coming from (Official celebration will be done next September 2010).   
(R1ANY, Ivan Sedychenkov  is the tallest man in the picture here at Right; AT1ØBP is at his Left)
Organizers for the special R1ANY callsign to be used at Novo Base were: Yaroslav city administration, SSR office in the city, Sport Radio Club of the Yaroslav State Technical University (RK3MWD).
TNX Ivan RA3MAK, Radio Club RK3MWD and Valentin Mykitenko RU1ZC

Midwinter 2010, a great day in Antarctica
Posted by Bhagwati VU3BPZ-AT10BP
Tomorrow, 21st  June marks winter solstice in Antarctica. Personnel and researchers are going to celebrate this event with parties, games and happiness. Another 6 months before going back home, and still a lot of work to do to complete the scientific program. In Antarctica,  the long polar night and the coming winter solstice  says that in few months time, several bases will re-open the doors for a new season of research and scientific activities.Temperature at the moment is -24°C, winds speed till 15 knts. People of the XXIX IAE have already spent 218 days down South and now there are 166 remaining days to go back home!
The Russian Team members are comimg tommorow 21 june on the occassion of Mid WInter day in Maitri base for celebration. The day after (june 22)  we will be going to celebrate the function in Novolazarevskaya Station (pic on the side, shows Bhagwati AT1ØBP and the Russian Leader at Novo Base)
73 AT1ØBP-VU3BPZ 
Bhagwati AT10BP and Dipak VU2DMT at Maitri Base are probably looking for better propagation to be on the air, but also we have not recently heard DT8A from King Sejong, nor the russians at Novo Base, Mirny and Progress. VP8DMH from Rothera base did show up last Sunday reaching a good pileup. We hope to hear soon all the active Bases again, perhaps after the Mid Winter celebration,  hopefully with better propagation.
WAP takes the opportunity to wish very Happy Midwinter to all the friends down in the Icy Continent.  Keep up the good work guys.

M/V Mikhail Somov, Polar Ship
Thanks to Oleg Sakharov, ZS1ANF for this detailed description:
Mikhail Somov is an old ship which was belong to Soviet (then Russian) Antarctic expedition and took part of several expedition around Antarctica. Then the ship was given to the Northen Meteorological Centre in Arkhangelsk in 1997-98 and it is using right now as the main supply vessel of Arctic Meteo stations on White and Kara seas. I spend 2 months onboard in 1994 on the way from Antarctica and then 2 times from Arkhangelsk to Amderma where I was living that time. Maybe you remember Mikhail Somov's winter drifting in Antarctica in the '90s. Ship is still in operation, the vessel is still in good shape. I saw her last summer in Arkhangelsk. TNX Oleg ZS1ANF

FALKLAND ISLANDS, WAP GBR-25
Richard Price, GW0VMW is QRV for the next month from the Falklands (WAP GBR-25), while on work assignment. Depending on his scheduled work load, he will operate mostly 20 to 2 mts as VP8DND/p.   QSL direct to his home call:
RICHARD PRICE,
8 Tanllwyfan
Old Colwyn, COLWYN BAY, LL29 9LQ , Wales, UK

VKØ/ZL4DB  Macquarie , WAP AUS-08,  CANCELLED 
Denis Browne, ZL4DB was expected to be active from Macquarie during his few months stay at the Sub Antarctic base down there. Unfortunately he will not be able to show up as VKØ/ZL4DB as announced, as the necessary equipment which was expected to be at "Macca Base" WAP AUS-08 cannot be found there. He has only a radio for 2m available. 
His QSL Manager ZL4PW wrote on QRZ.com:
Sad news... Denis will not be able to operate from VKØM Macquarie Island during his time there as the Ham gear expected to be there has been removed. There are no aerials either. Denis is very disappointed that he won't be able to activate this rare entity.
Too bad ... we have to wait when another operator  be sent on work assignment down there ... hopefully (just to be sure), bringing an HF equipment from his own.
WAP wish Denis a wonderful staying at Macquarie sure that even if he have to work hard... and without any radio,  he will bring back a very useful experience!

Bill Gates in Antarctica
Perhaps, not everybody did get this news ... :
Last 25 of February 2010 the famous Bill Gates was in King Jorge Island, in the Antarctic, traveling like tourist from Punta Arenas-Chile. Several means commented the news; in Facebook and Twitter there are some published photos and commentaries.
For Bill Gates, this is the second trip to Antarctica, the previous time he did left from Ushuaia-Argentina. 

Source: http://antarticos.blogspot.com/2010/03/bill-gates-estuvo-de-visita-en-la.html to which goes out thanks and credit and where you can read the full article.

My trip to Antarctica aboard the M/V Professor Molchanov.
Posted by Michel Margaria, F6DWQ
As you know it was not a DX-pedition and it was clear that radio was absolutely not the purpose of this trip. I had no radio equipment in my luggage except 3 UHF walky-talkies (HI !).
But in the case of an opportunity of landing at Esperanza Station and Orcadas Station, thanks to Horacio LU4DXU I had got the permission of the Base commanders to operate LU1ZV and LU1ZA stations.
Once aboard, I talked to the captain and the radio officer and had their agreement to try to use the GMDSS radio station but as expected the equipment was just able to receive in the Ham radio bands and the transmission was only allowed in the marine bands. Mehdi with the help of other Ham friends sent me by email the procedure to unlock the equipment and to permit the transmission in the complete HF range (just a simple hardware modification). But as you can easily imagine, this modification, even simple, was not allowed on an equipment contributing to the safety of the ship.
I am sorry, it was the last trip of this ship as a cruise ship. I have not precise information about the destiny of the ship, she could be use as a supplier for the oil industry. So maybe one day, an Ham radio operator will be able to activate her.
The 26th of March, we received, just  few hours before we arrive at Esperanza Bay, the authorization to land by the base commander of Esperanza Station. 
We had a very interesting visit of the station, especially of the unique school of the continent. Of course a great emotion with my young daughter Lucie (8 years old). I had a very short while to visit an operate from the radio shack. I sent some CQ on 14.315 and 14.200 by got no answer. Finally, just before leaving the station I called Rob PA3GFY and made a very nice QSO with him in very good conditions. So it is my very first QSO that I made from the icy continent. Just one, but you can imagine my emotion !
Unfortunately the landing at Orcadas station was cancelled due to the bad weather. But we cruised very close to Signy Island then we landed at Iceberg Bay (60°38'0.60"S / 45°33'21.01"W) on Coronation Island and had a very good walk around this place. 
Our trip to Antarctica mainland, Elephant Island, South Orkney, South Georgia, Gough, Tristan da Cunha, Saint Helena and Ascension Island was absolutely fabulous, even without radio (excepted the unique QSO from Esperanza and a VHF call with the meteorological station on Gough). At the moment, “the trip of my life”.  73 Michel
TNX: Michel MARGARIA F6DWQ
2, square d'Antibes,  69720 SAINT LAURENT DE MURE, FRANCE
Visit : www.french-polar-team.fr
Thanks  Michel very much for having thought to us …. And happy he was finally able to do the “trip of his life” whit his lovely family!

Bellinghausen Base- WAP RUS-01, Trinity Church on philately!
Thanks to Francois F8DVD for having sent quite a rare philatelic card showing the Trinity Church, at Bellinghausen Base.
More information about this Russian Orthodox Church, which was built in 2003 with wood imported from Siberia, and the southernmost Eastern Orthodox church in the world, can be found on the special page "Church in Antarctica" by clicking the appropriater banner to the left. TNX F8DVD

Bouvet ... a Norwegian site
The Norwegian Polar Institute (NPI) is the environmental administrative authority for Bouvetøya, a small ice-covered island just north of the Antarctic Treaty Area, and for Norwegian activity south of the 60th parallel. In 2007 when Scientists did arrive on the island, they discovered that the area from where 3YØC did operate, where the NARE Station (NARA stands for:Norwegian Antarctic Research Expedition) was  established, had been taken by a landslide out into the ocean.
Petrus 3YØE wrote:
"To answer the question about the permanent hut that was constructed on the island previously. It was very likely demolished and thrown out to sea by an avalanche or rock slide." For information, 3YØE base camp was exactly situated 54°24'53,6 South, 3°17'2,6 East, about 150 meters away from the old "NARE meteorological Station" at the same place of the island called "Nyroysa".
That proves (once more) that Bouvetoya Research Station was, is and will always  be a Norwegian site (WAP NOR-Ø2) and NOT a Multinational Base as reported from other sources. Operations from Bouvet could have been with Multi-National Operators, but Bouvet is for sure a Norwegian site! Infact, even if the staff is multinational, Bouvet island Station is managed by the Norwegian Polar Institute.
If another place of the island is decided for the next weather station, that will be a new reference.
Mehdi, F5PFP did report a comment from  Ann Kristin Balto of Norsk Polar Institute who said: "At the moment there is no station. A winter storm swept away the station there" TNX  Mehdi F5PFP
If another place of the island is decided for the next weather station, that will be a new reference NOR-NEW ... for sure!

Amateur radio call signs of Antarctica
Retrieved from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amateur_radio_call_signs_of_Antarctica , Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Amateur Radio or Ham Radio is practised by operators in Antarctica holding licenses either issued from their own national governing body, or from a local Antarctic authority (ie. base commander) who chooses from a block reserved by their national body for that purpose.
The Antarctic Treaty signed on December 1, 1959 (and entered into force on June 23, 1961), established the legal framework for the management of Antarctica, including allocation of amateur call signs.
Call sign assignments for amateur radio
The International Telecommunications Union does not assign call letter blocks to Antarctica since there is no single government there which can send delegates to ITU conferences. However, some individual countries reserve Antarctic prefixes or call letters from within their own call letter blocks as per this table: In some cases the assignment of call letters is made locally at an Antarctic base and the relevant national body is notified.
Although Antarctica is considered international by treaty, amateur radio operators in Antarctica are often subject to the reciprocal licensing requirements pertaining to the country under which the camp is flagged.
and now, happy again to see WAP reported on Wikipedia....!
Special Events
The Worldwide Antarctic Program keeps a list of special event call signs issued from various countries at various times. These callsigns were used by amateurs in their home countries.
History of call sign allocation
The Worldwide Antarctic Program maintains current internet Bulletins as to call sign activity in the south polar region, including 3100 call signs used since 1945.
More features on the site to which goes our appreciation and credit.
TNX http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amateur_radio_call_signs_of_Antarctica