Oleg, UA6GG (DX Trophy Awards Group) informs that “Antarctica 2020 Trophy” is now ready and available to OM & SWL showing evidence of two-way communications (SWL report) with station operating in Antarctica.

“ANTARCTICA 2020 TROPHY”
for QSO’s / SWL’s stations in Antarctica for any period of time.
To obtain a trophy, you must dial at least 15 different stations / bases including at least 5 different nations (for example: Russia, China, Argentina, Chile, USA ..).

The trophy is carried out individually – Antarctic callsigns indicated in the application will be displayed on the trophy, but for each Station/ Base declared there will be only one callsign (with 2 or more callsigns from one base, only one callsign is selected at your discretion).
Modes:  CW, SSB, DIGI, MIX (CW / SSB), ALL (CW / SSB / DIGI)
Free application: CALL – DATE- BAND- MODE-QTH.
Confirmation: QSL or LOTW / Сlublog scans.
The upper part of the Tropy is made of 2.5D glass seal, the base is made of wood MDF. Size 280 x 280 mm. The cost of a plaque is 64$ or 57 Euros. (including sending by registered parcel). Payment via PAYPAL.

Details are reported at:  https://www.dxtrophy.com/200-antarctic

Check also the whole list of several available Awards  at: www.dxtrophy.com

all questions can be send to e-mail  mydxtrophy@gmail.com

Information and/or details can be requested to: mydxtrophy@gmail.com

S/Y Santa Maria Australis  (aka S/V SMA)  is a 66 foot aluminium ketch built in Gdansk, Poland in 1998 and refitted in 2004 to endure high latitude sailing conditions, can accommodate up to a total of 12 people, frequently travelling on the Antarctic waters

In 2006, SMA-Expeditions reached the southern latitudes and has since, endured twelve Antarctic expeditions as of March, 2009. She has been designed and equipped for long distance cruising in comfort.

S/Y Santa Maria Australis   sails under German flag, registered in Berlin.

February and March 2019: Michel Margaria F6DWQ/MM was sailing the Antarctic peninsula.  Here below, a QSL of F6DWQ/MM transmitting from on board S/Y Santa Maria Australis when, on 02.03.2019,  he was just in front of Vernadsky station, Antarctica. QSL via F6DWQ

At the light of the evidence S/Y Santa Maria Australis  will be add to WAP-WACA Directory and it can be scored for WAP Awards

TNX F8DVD

VP8PJ Team is doing an excellent job performing 24 hours a day activity on all bands and modes.  Almost everyone has already made at least one QSO.

For the Hams who wish to check the contacts made,  Log is online at: https://www.m0urx.com/oqrs/logsearch.php?dxcallsign=VP8PJ

In a message , the Crew said: -The pileups have been what we expected, always energetic, sometimes chaotic but no surprises. The team is working under very cold and windy weather conditions, with snow at night. Doing any work outside is challenging anytime and cannot be done at night-.

Waterpipe Hut (WAP GBR-34) where the camp is set,  is facing Signy Base (WAP GBR- Ø9) on Borgue Bay and VP8PJ is a  valid contact for WAP-WADA & WAP-WACA Awards.

Great opportunity  for the Antarctic chasers to catch WAP GBR-34!

If nothing change in their plans,  VP8PJ should be on the air till March 5^th, so still plenty of time to have them in the Log,

QSL via Tim Beaumont MØURX

Warm regards to researchers and logistics staff at  Yelcho Base (WAP CHL-11), the third of the three platforms managed by INACH in the Antarctic Peninsula. It was inaugurated in 1962, and in 1986 assigned by the Chilean Navy, to the Chilean Antarctic Institute. It  had a recess,  between the years 1998-2014, and in 2015 was reopened to scientific activities. Currently, the Base  can host 22 people and houses several research projects.

Yelcho Base  takes his name from the Chilean military ship Yelcho known for participatig in the rescue of men from the Endurance of Ernest Shackleton shipwrecked in Antarctica in 1916 with all the crewmen.

Actually, Yelcho Base 64° 52’ South, 65° 35’ West, is another strategic point for the development of Antarctic science. It is located near the South Bay, on Doumer Island, and has the advantage of being very close to populations of underwater and terrestrial vegetation.

Great CW activity on all bands from onboard R/V Braveheart on the way from Punta Arenas to South Orkneys. The guys at the keyer have done a superb job. Now we remind the chasers that ZL1NA/MM operating from R/V Braveheart is valid for WAP-WADA

Today R/V Braveheart dropped anchor  offshore South Orkney. Starting tomorrow, VP8PJ Team should be busy to set the camp and install antennas at Signy Island.

The location chosen is Borge Bay, near Waterrpipe Hut WAP GBR-34, just facing Signy Base.

Good luck to the Team and good hunting the thousands of Hams  looking forward to log another great one in the Antarctic. VP8PJ’s operation will last till March 5^th 2020 and will count for WAP WADA as WAP GBR-34.

QSL for  ZL1NA/MM and for VP8PJ  has to be requested to MØURX 

For more info, See the Website http://www.sorkney.com

The geostationary satellite QO-100, is an equipment successfully installed at Neumayer III (WAP DEU-Ø8).

For those who don´t have satellite equipment to work or listen to it, there is a WebSDR site, where it is possible to monitor the traffic: https://eshail.batc.org.uk/nb/

In addition, DPØGVN from Neumayer III Station is active over this satellite, the downlink QRG is 10489700.00  to  10489780.00.

DPØGVN is located at 70.674444° South and 8.274167° West, which is in the footprint of the first geostationary AMSAT Qatar-OSCAR 100 / Es’hail-2 with an elevation of 7.3°.

For the Antarctic station’s hunters, Volker  did create the following filter who selects  the  current WAP stations and Antarctic stations  for the DX Cluster,  in order to see who is active.

….

http://www.dxsummit.fi/#/?dx_calls=DP0GVN,KC4USV,KC4AAA,ZL5,8J1RL,RI1A,VP8HAL,DP0POL,R200ANT,DP1POL,CE9,ZS7,LU1Z,TM17AAW,K4C,IR1ANT,K4A,OE17AAW,IR1SP,II2ANT,OE88WAP,OE89ANT,OE90AAW,PA6ANT,II5ANT,II3BOVE,UT1KY,EM200ANT,EN200ANT,K0ANT,PF88ANT,EH3ANT,II3MNA,II8WAP

TNX   Volker, DL8JDX  (ex: Y88POL, DP0GVN)

To get more details on this interesting amateur radio transponder (P4-A),   see also https://amsat-dl.org/eshail-2-amsat-phase-4-a/

On last February 6,  Ukrainian polar scientists did celebrate the birthday of the Antarctic station “Academician Vernadsky”. On February 6, 1996, a blue-yellow flag was raised for the first time over the Faraday Antarctic station, which the UK released to Ukraine. The station which began its new history at that date,  is now called Academician Vernadsky.

To celebrate this date and the 200^th Anniversary of Antarctica’s discovery, the National Antarctic Science Center has prepared special commemorative diplomas for the radio amateur community. During February 2020, special Ukrainian call sigs EN2ØØANT (Ref. WAP-3Ø6) and EM2ØØANT (Ref. WAP-3Ø5) are actively working on the Ham bands. With one contact with these stations, Hams from all over the world can receive this memorable Ukrainian NANC diploma – said Pavlo Tarasovich UT1KY, one of the participants of the 5^th Ukrainian Antarctic Expedition-. (see also http://www.waponline.it/ukrainian-award-to-celebrate-the-2oo-anniversary-of-antarctica/)

The discovery of the sixth continent also involved Ukrainians: Ivan Zavadovsky, Lieutenant Captain, Deputy Fabian Gotlib von Bellingshausen, and Anton Omelchenko , a participant in the Robert Antarctic British expedition to the South Pole. Let’s remember these outstanding Ukrainians, as discoverers of Antarctica as well!

Accordingly, we congratulate the experienced Ukrainian polarists radio Hams: Roman Bratchyk UT7UA, Pavel Budanov UX2HO, Oleksandr Miho, Pavel Tarasovich UT1KY, Igor Klubuk UR5KCC and Oleg Satirev.

Reference:

Academic Vernadsky Station (until 1996 – Faraday Station) is a Ukrainian Antarctic station located on Galindez Island, 7 km from the west coast of the Antarctic Peninsula. It is open year-round and is a meteorological and geographical observatory. The main purpose of the Academic Vernadsky Antarctic Station (WAP UKR-Ø1) is to conduct scientific research in Antarctica. The entire life of the station and its work is under the management of the Ukraina’s National Antarctic Science Center.

Read more at: https://expedicia.org/radioamatori-z-cilogo-svitu-mozhut-ot/

TNX Pavlo UT1KY

This weekend opens the 12th Edition of the ‘Weekend of the American Lighthouses‘ from Friday 14 to Sunday, February 16, with 86 light houses and beacons of 12 Countries(28 from Argentina, 23 from Brazil, 1 from Costa Rica, 4 from Cuba, 12 from Chile, 3 from Guatemala, 4 from Mexico, 1 from Panama, 4 from Peru, 2 are registered from Puerto Rico, 1 from Uruguay and 3 from Venezuela).

Among the stations active, four of them will be entering on WAP Sub Antarctic Territories Directories (WAP-WADA, WAP WACA and WAP LH Directory).

We are talking about the southern tip of Chile (Magallanes and Chilean Antarctica Region) and Argentina ( Tierra del Fuego Province).

Both LU/X of the Radio Club Ushuaia will operate from 2 Lighthouses (pics aside shows both lighthouses; the old historical one and the newest) at Cabo San Pablo as shown below:

LU1XP/XP operating from   Faro cabo San Pablo (Historical) ARLH ARG-31

LU2XWL/XP operaying from Faro Cabo Sn Pablo ( ARLH ARG-74)

The Chileans CE8s will operate from:

CE8PVT  Grupo Magallanes DX   Baliza Punta Santa Ana  (ARLH CHI-107)

CE8RPA Radio Club Punta Arenas  Baliza Ponton Muñoz Gamero (ARLH CHI-116)

Check the list of stations joining the event at: http://www.grupodxbb.com.ar/FAROS2018/faros2020.html

WAP wish everyone a good hunting.

The references of the Lighthouses reported above  are  taken from the ARLHS list.  See: http://wlol.arlhs.com/

Two Special Ukrainian event stations EM2ØØANT WAP-305 & EN2ØØANT WAP-306 are on the air to celebrate the 200 years of Antarctic exploration.  QSL for both of the calls,  via UT1KY

EN2ØØANT and EM2ØØANT will be active during the 17^th Antarctic Activity Week officially on air from February 10^th and ahead. More info at: http://www.waponline.it/antarctic-activity-week/aaw-2020/  

Pavlo informs WAP that  1 QSO with Antarctic SES EN2ØØANT or EM2ØØANT will qualify for the Special Award issued for this Anniversary.
For more informations, contact UT1KY via e-mail  ut1ky@ukr.net

What is the role of the Ukrainians to the discovery of the Southern Continent?
Ukraine’s catch-up to Antarctica’s discovery is the deputy captain (Tadeusz Bellingshausen), that is, Lieutenant-Captain Ivan Zavadovsky, a native of Hadyach, of the Cossack lineage. When Elizabeth received the so-called “Little Russian nobility”.
Still worth mentioning is Anton Omelchenko, a member of the British Antarctic Expedition of 1910-1913 on the Terra Nova barge, headed by Captain Robert Falcon Scott, who set out to “achieve the South Pole in order to honor this grand accomplishment of the new century” Anton Omelchenko is a member of the Royal Geographical Society,
Omelchenko received the award, like other members of the expedition, from the hands of the English Queen. It was a medal honored for the feat of the pioneers of Antarctica, and a lifetime pension. Omelchenko was assigned a lifetime pension, which he received until 1927, until diplomatic relations broke up between the USSR and the United Kingdom.
Onuk – Victor Ivanovich Omelchenko, diesel engineer, participant of the 3rd Ukrainian Antarctic expedition (1998-1999)
Great-grandson is Anton Omelchenko, a mechanic, a participant of the 20th (2015-2016) and 24th (2019-2020) Ukrainian Antarctic expeditions in the Antarctica of the Soviet era. Now, with good humor and good humor, it will also be possible to touch on this time of time, where Ukrainians, wintering warriors of the Antarctic expeditions will find themselves.

TNX Pavlo Tarasovych, UT1KY

Pavlo reminds the Antarctic chasers that several copies of his book “Antarctica is the sixth continent” are stillavailable on request ( see UT1KY on QRZ.com to get all details on how to get it)

PAVLO TARASOVYCH, UT1KY
P.O. BOX 85,  RIVNE, 33027 Ukraine

February 5^th marks the birthday of Argentine Antarctic Base Belgrano II  (WAP ARG-Ø6). It was inaugurated on February 5, 1979 and today,  is the southernmost of the Argentine Antarctic Bases and the third southernmost of the permanent Bases worldwide.

Located 1,300 km from the South Pole, it has months of complete sunlight and other months of dark polar night, with strong winds and temperatures that reach up to -54˚C.

The peculiarities of this Base make it a privileged scenario for numerous scientific studies, mainly of ozone, magnetism, meteorology, glaciology, terrestrial biology, geodesy and seismology.

During periods of darkness, the latitude of the base also allows the study of the famous northern lights, of great interest to science.

TNX Ministerio de Defensa de la República Argentina

Where exactly are VP8PJ‘s planned to stay when at the South Orkneys DX-pedition?

Now we know it. The information is on https://sorkney.com/equipment/  :
Location:

We will be located on Signy Island in South Orkney Island Group. Our camp will be near the Waterpipe Hut near Waterpipe beach. The general terrain is a bluff near the ocean that is 10 to 20 M above the sea with over water path to EU.

So,  Waterpipe Hut (WAP GBR-34) lies in the same site where VP8ORK did operate in  2011.

Waterpipe Hut is situated on a rocky outcrop at Waterpipe Beach, Borge Bay, Signy Island 60°42’00” South,   45°36’30” West.

It was installed in 1999/2000 as a refuge hut and visited regularly by BAS personnel from Signy Station. Food and fuel  for any eventuality, are stored in the hut

The new Satellite Equipment for QO100 was installed at Neumayer III by a team of radio specialists, as reported on CQ-DL 2/2020, Volker, DL8JDX reports.

Dirk Steffens, a well known film maker from the German TV Station ZDF,  is currently at Neumayer III (WAP DEU-Ø8) and set an Interview with the Director of the German Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI) Prof. Antje Boetius (see www.awi.de), who did update of the current research activities and the challenges about the climate change.

Volker, DL8JDX remind that DPØGVN and DP1POL are active,  but other active stations during this Antarctic summer season are: VP8HAL, KC4USV, 8J1RL, ZS7ANF, LU1ZV. Due to the still challenging propagation conditions in the current minimum sun activity, they are quite difficult to reach …

TNX Volker, DL8JDX,
a WAP „Ambassador“

 “Victoria Land Permanent Base” (Weiduoliyadi changnian zhan) is the actual working name of China’s  new Base.

China’s fifth station is designed to be a year-round research base which could accommodate 80 people in the summer and 30 people in winter. The new base will provide year-round support for  researchers conducting tasks such as observations of land, ocean, atmosphere, ice shelf and biology, establishment of an observation and monitoring network in the Antarctic, and survey of marine environmental protection.

On February 7, 2018, during China 34^th Antarctic Expedition, Chinese researchers laid the foundation and started to build its fifth Antarctic Research Station  on Inexpressible Island transferring large engineering equipments from China’s research icebreaker Xuelong. It is expected that full construction will be completed in 2022.

China has therefore opened its fifth Antarctic research station on Inexpressible Island in Terra Nova Bay, near the western shore of the Ross Sea, about 390 km Northwest of McMurdo(US) and Scott Base(NZ), 26 km from the Italian Base Mario Zucchelli (MZS) and Jang Bogo Station (South Korea).

The Artigas Antarctic Scientific Base was visited last Thursday by the Estonian delegation, headed by the country’s President, Kersti Kaljulaid, within the framework of the 200^th Anniversary of the Imperial Russian Navy expedition.

The freezing Antarctic morning, covered by a mist that made almost impossible to see beyond a few meters towards the horizon and fully covering the Collins Glacier did not prevent the President of Estonia, to visit the cold continent and stop at the Uruguayan  Antarctic Scientific Base-Artigas (WAP URY-Ø1).  After a warm reception by the Uruguayan staff that, in few minutes, made the visitors forget the cold, Uruguayans and Estonians shared a welcome breakfast with typical Uruguayan products.

The president of Estonia, Kersti Kaljulaid, did invite the members of the XXXVI Artigas Antarctic Campaign to come on board the 24 meters Dutch-built ketch sailboat Admiral Bellingshausen. The ship sailed off from Tallinn  harbor (Estonia) late on Sunday, July 2019 heading to  Antarctica. The long-planned voyage will be devoted to the 200^th Anniversary of the discovery of Antarctica, and its ice shelf, by Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen a Baltic German from Saaremaa, at the time Captain in the Imperial Russian Navy.

TNX and credit: https://bnn-news.com/estonian-expedition-antarctica-200-leaves-for-six-month-journey-202995

The South Orkney archipelago is located about 600 miles to the S E of the Isla de los Estados, on the Atlantic Ocean, to the East of Isla Grande de la Tierra del Fuego of the extreme tip of Argentina; it consists of a group of nearly 40 islands and islets, most of them very small, with a total area of 1,000 square kilometers about.
Over there, next Febr.-Mar. 2020 a DX-pedition signing VP8PJ will land and operate for more than a week … but where they will operate from? Actually there are 2 Bases on the South Orkneys and few Refuges: which of those the Expedition will choose to operate?

Argentinean Naval Orkney Base (WAP ARG-15) is located at 60º44’02” South and 44º44’00″ West, on the Ibarguren isthmus, on Laurie Island, between Scotia Bay (to the South), Uruguay Bay (to the North), Cerro Mossman (to the West) and Glacier la Monja (to the East) and elevated 12 meters above sea level, this being the narrowest part of Laurie Island, which has an East-West extension of approximately 12 miles and its width is very variable.

The highest height of the island is Mount Ramsay, 454 meters high.  On the same Island, in the Cormoràn Point lies the homonymous Argentine flagging Refuge, which is active throughout the year providing support to patrols and biological works.

The British Antarctic Survey has a Base; Signy Research Station (WAP GBR-Ø9), established in 1947at  60°43′ Sout, 45° 36′ West, Factory Cove, Borge Bay, Signy Island, South Orkney Islands

Initially operated year-round, since 1995/6 the Signy Research Station (pic aside) has been open only from November to April each year.

Field Huts and hides have existed at one time or another at the following sites: Foca Cove, Gourlay Peninsula, Three Lakes Valley, Cummings Cove, Jane Col, Factory Bluffs, Moraine Valley, Shagnasty and North Point.

If the VP8PJ DX-pedition will choose one of the hereby listed sites, they will be given a new WAP reference

From the 1^st to the 28^th of February  Ukrainian SES will join the WW Antarctic celebrations for the 200^th Anniversary of the epic discover  by Faddey Bellingshausen,  captain of  the vessel “Vostok” and  Mikhail Lazarev  commander of  “S/V Mirny”.

Both station will join the 17^th Antarctic Activity Week : EM2ØØANT, WAP-3Ø5 and EN2ØØANT, WAP-3Ø6.

QSL via UT1KY , who reminds the Antarctic chasers his book “Antarctica is the sixth continent” ( see UT1KY on QRZ.com to get all details on how to get it)

TNX Pavlo, UT1KY

This Refuge  is a resting place where to take shelter  in case of  bad conditions or any other problematic situations with the weather or navigation. It lays inside the perimeter of Base Orcadas (WAP ARG-15) which is located on Laurie Island where at Cormoràn Point,  lies the homonymous refuge of Argentine flag (see pic aside).
Cormoran Refuge is active throughout the year  providing support to patrols and biological works.

It was asked if Cormoran Refuge could be a “New Entry” on WAP-WADA Directory; but being located near the Base it could not be considered as a separate entity, unless a specific future HF activation by some willing Hams, providing detailed location,  such as the real distance from the Orcadas Base main buildings.

-Professionally speaking, all fine here at Concordia- says Marco IAØ/DK5SQX –Our LIDAR instrument (Optical Radar used to make high-resolution maps, with applications in geodesy, geomagnetics, geography, geology and many other fields), works well and produce excellent results-.

On the radio wise, I will try to rip of some days to make few QSOs , also because the worldwide request is high. The main problem is that the Radio room is the center of the  Base operations,  and I can’t use it during the Base time work. In addition I must be followed by one of the radio room responsible and not only that is available to make some extra time watching me when I call CQ, particularly at night time!

I will try hard … but I’m  doubtful!

At the end of next week I will leave  Concordia to return back in Australia  with the French Icebreaker. I will stop for a while (one week) at Dumond D’Urville (WAP FRA-Ø1) and from there , sailing to Hobart  with  five navigation days.

I don’t know if the French Leader at DDU will allow me to operate, but for sure, I will ask.

TNX Marco IAØ/DK5SQX

The Brazilian Navy will inaugurate its new 4,500 m² Comandante Ferraz Antarctic Station (EACF) this month of January 2020.

The modular research facility, located in King George Island in the Keller Peninsula, has been designed by Estudio 41, the Brazilian project houses labs, operations and living quarters, and could be mistaken for an art museum or boutique hotel
Representatives from Brazil’s scientific community and government will head to Antarctica this month to inaugurate its new Comandante Ferraz Research Station (WAP BRA-Ø2), which replaces a facility lost to fire in 2012.
The base with the loss of two lives was destroyed by an explosion in February 2012, caused by a fire which raged through the compound where marine research work is carried out.

Apparently the fire started in a machine room housing energy generators before destroying the entire station, which had been built in 1984. Fifty-nine people were stationed at the base on King George Island when the fire broke out.

The coolest architecture on Earth is in Antarctica is really represented in the  two low-slung buildings, designed by Estudio 41, a Brazilian architecture firm, house laboratories, operational support and living quarters – and could be mistaken for an art museum or a boutique hotel.

Throughout the 20th Century, architecture in Antarctica was a pragmatic, largely makeshift affair, focused on keeping the elements out and the occupants alive. In 1959, the Antarctic Treaty dedicated the continent to research. Since then scientists have come in growing numbers, with ever more complex needs. Construction in Antarctica, long the purview of engineers, is now attracting designer architects looking to bring aesthetics – as well as efficiency, durability and energy improvements – to the Earth’s coldest neighbourhood. “As architects, we are concerned with human comfort, so we set out to create a kind of atmosphere that would promote well-being,”  said Emerson Vidigal, a principal at the firm.

More interesting  info at:
https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/real-estate/the-coolest-architecture-on-earth-is-in-antarctica

Read more at: https://en.mercopress.com/2019/10/10/brazil-will-reopen-its-antarctica-base-comandante-ferraz-next-january

Let’s hope that now, as in the past,  the Ferraz Base (WAP BRA-Ø2) will also be a chance for radio operators to be active on HF Ham bands to share with the world, the voice of this corner of the Icy Continent.

Release 1.35 (Jan. 1st 2020) of both WAP-WACA and WAP-WACA directories are now loaded on the Download section.
Check: http://www.waponline.it/wap-awards_download-rules/wap-wada__wap-waca_directories/

Release 034 (Jan. 1st 2020) of the updated IK6CAC software to manage the Awards is now available at:  http://www.waponline.it/wap-awards_download-rules/ik6cac-dbase-update/

New Release of the WAP Antarctic and Sub Antarctic Light House Directory (update Jan. 1st 2020) is also available at:
http://www.waponline.it/wap-antarctic-sub-antarctic-light-house-directory/

Enjoy Antarctica, Enjoy WAP … we are with you since 1979!

TNX IK1GPG & IK6CAC

The R2ØØANT event launched by Russian Robinsons Club is involving Hams (OM/SWL) from all over the world. Begun last Jan 1^st it will last till 31^st March 2020. A special Award activity dedicated to the «200 years of Discovery of Antarctica» that includes Award, Plaque and Trophy can be followed on RRC website https://rrc.hamlog.ru/?locale=en.

R2ØØANT is very active on all bands, all modes

Awards can be immediately downloaded and personally printed by accessing at:  https://hamlog.ru/dl.php?i=1319111

If you think to have achieved enough score, or if you just wish to check, enter https://hamlog.ru/dl.php?i=1319111 just put you callsign on the central window, select if you wish a jpeg or a  pdf format  and go!

Last day of the requests for the Awards program is 30.04.2020
TNX RZ3EC

R2ØØANT Special event Award with pictures and rules is now published on WAP website at:

http://www.waponline.it/worldwide-antarctic-awards/russia/ 

A special WAP reference WAP-3Ø4 has just been issued to R2ØØANT which operation falls into the WAP  Antarctic Activity Week (http://www.waponline.it/antarctic-activity-week/aaw-2020/) 10-17 Febr. 2020.

75° 21’ 54.5” South, 122° 24′ 49.3” East, on the Eastern Antarctic Plateau, , approximately 40 km at SW from Concordia Research Station (WAP MNB-Ø3) , Little Dome C (aka know as Dome Circe, Dome Charlie or Little Concordia) is the site of ice core drilling by field teams of several nations.

This Field Camp is really a Research Station,  where the “Beyond EPICA Oldest Ice Project” coordinated and  logistically supported by ENEA and IPEV make the core drilling to verify new sampling point that can go back in time. International team,  plans to extract 1.5-million-year-old ice that holds secrets about the planet’s ancient climate.

This year, scientists on the team, which includes 12 groups from 10 European countries, start drilling to the bottom of the 2.75 kilometers thick ice sheet at a site there.

Little Dome C Field Camp was established at an elevation of 3,233 meters (10,607 ft) above sea level, is one of several summits or “domes” of the Antarctic Ice Sheet,  1200 km from the coast, with an ice thickness of 2643 m and with an average annual temperature of -55°C.

At the light of the information acquired and the availability of several  pictures that shown the Field Camp, Little Dome C will be add to the WAP-WADA Directory as MNB-NEW  … hope some days this site can be “on Air” by some Hams among the researchers!

Russian Robinson Club will celebrate the 200 years of Discovery of Antarctica. Starting Jan. 1^st through March 31^st the most important Russian Club (RRC) will be on air using a special callsign R2ØØANT (WAP-3Ø4) – QSL via RZ3EC.
Special RRC Award and special Plaque  (see pics  below) will be issued for this event; rules will come later

History: The military sloops “Vostok” and “Mirny” set off for the first Antarctic expedition from Kronstadt in 1819. The main task of the campaign was to prove the existence of the sixth continent. The captain of “Vostok” Faddey Bellingshausen led the expedition. “Mirny” was commanded by Mikhail Lazarev. On January 27, 1820 ships crossed the Antarctic Circle. During the sailing, “Vostok” and “Mirny” circled around the entire Antarctic continent, discovered and marked on the map many new islands and lands, and collected a unique ethnographic collection.

A special WAP reference WAP-3Ø4 has just been issued to R2ØØANT which operation falls into the WAP  Antarctic Activity Week (http://www.waponline.it/antarctic-activity-week/aaw-2020/) 10-17 Febr. 2020. A great opportunity for the Antarctic chasers to celebrate the 2ØØ anniversary  of discovery Antarctica together with the brothers of Russian Robinson Club and log something new !

TNX Eugene Shelkanovtsev, RZ3EC

A good choice has been taken by Mehdi F5PFP, for many years Antarctic chaser, Expeditionners and launcher of the Antarctica List mail box hosted at Yahoo.com, to share and alert Hams on the new operation from Arctic and Antarctic lands.

Mehdi wrote: -Some of you experienced problems to connect the Yahoo Antarctica list. It is now an obsolete tool that will maybe disappear soon according to several sources, that’s why we decided to QSY before a possible final shut down. Feel you free to join us on the Facebook Polar DX Group-.

Starting from Jan.2020, Antarctica list mail box will not be fed  by new information.  the suggestion is to sign into the new Facebook page to join the group as already done by several Hams and chasers WW,  and set it in your quick links

Polar DX Group is at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1961114967367742/

TNX Mehdi F5PFP

On February 2017,  British Antarctic Survey (BAS) has successfully relocated Halley VI Research Station (WAP GBR-37) to its new home on the floating extension of the grounded ice sheet  of Brunt Ice Shelf at 75°34’05”South, 25°30’30”West.

The “Moving Halley project” (Start date 5 April 2015-End date 6 April 2018) begun with the study and planning of feasibility and it took 13 weeks to move the world’s first fully relocatable research facility,  23 km across the ice from its original site which was at 75°36’56”South, 26°07’52”West.

See a nice video report, filmed by Stuart Holroyd, British Antarctic Survey at:

Being the actual position set 23 km away the previous one, WAP (as well as Antarctic Challenge of Mehdi F5PFP) will consider it eligible to get a brand new WAP reference. At the light of this evidence, WAP-WADA directory will be updated as follow:

Halley VI Base remains WAP GBR-37 while Halley VI-a  Base starting April 2018 will entering as WAP GBR-4Ø.
VP8HAL is actually active from Halley VI-a; this operation will enter into the new reference.
Read more at: https://www.bas.ac.uk/project/moving-halley/

Thanks and credit British Antarctic Survey (BAS)

We’re proud to publish two pages written by a keen  Antarctic chaser, François Bergez F8DVD,  shown on the January issue of the French REF magazine .
François is joining the Antarctic Activity Week since the first edition and he is continuing since then .

By sending the magazine he said: -I am happy to send you the article I have written for the 17^th Antarctic Activity Week, of next February.  Hope it will be a great event as usual !-

All my best regards  and Best wishes for a Merry Christmas for all WAP enthusiasts’ !

François  F8DVD -TM70TAAF-TM17AAW

F8DVD will be on the air in January 2020, signing TM7ØTAAF (WAP-301) to celebrate the 70^th anniversary of the TAAF (French Southern and Antarctic Lands) QSL via F8DVD

(See: http://www.waponline.it/tm7otaaf-wap-301/)

Some TAAF official publications about TM7ØTAAF can be seen at :

https://www.facebook.com/228612687183039/posts/2813477258696556/?d=n

and….

https://twitter.com/TAAFofficiel/status/1207652711757426690?s=08

TNX F8DVD

While the international Team of the Summer Campaign 2019-2020 at Concordia Station sends Merry Christmas & Season’s greetings, Marco (IK5SQX/DK5SQX) has just informed that he will try today Sunday Dec. 22, to be on air from this rare spot in Antarctica: Concordia Station a French-Italian multinational Base in Antarctica (WAP MNB-Ø3).

He will use IAØ/DK5SQX callsign and will be on 20 mts (indicatively 14.285 +/-) starting 12:00 GMT,  to test condition.

In a message, Marco said to have has just work HSØZMY;  he also said to have heard many stations mostly from Asia, but they didn’t copy him. He will try again at 17,00 UTC on 14285. The problem is that he has to walk 20 minutes from where he lives to the Radio room plus 10 min to dress and undress (outside temp.  is -40°C.)

Marco (pic to the right) sends few pics of the Radio room and equipments as well as the antenna, all managed by a touch screen as trasnsmitter and antenna are in a remote site.

We wish to thank immensely the Base Leader to allow Marco working on HF bands, sure that this few hours of TX-RX  could also be a kind of tech test to perform, in a remote site of Antarctica  

Wishing all the Hams Antarctic chasers good luck , hope you can shortly put IAØ/DK5SQX in the log.

QRX for following sked
TNX Marco IAØ/DK5SQX

Marco IK5SQX (the one with yellow & black dress in the picture aside) has left Casey Base this morning and he’s just arrived at Concordia Station after 4 hours fly  aboard of the Chinare Balser plane.

Having lost his baggage at Hobart, he is just dressed with the AAD colors while waiting someone will find the bags and send it to Concordia Station

-At the moment I have various things to do and am unable to tell you when I will start radio operations- he said in a message.

A couple of days to get organized and he will try to show up on the air. Marco has access to the radio in post-working hours;  (QRX for  sked times)

There is an inverted Vee antenna down there, and he must check it before, to see that everything works fine. He will also inform us which equipment is available over there.

More info to follow

TNX Marco IAØ/IK5SQX

Update received 16th Dec. at 15:00 GMT. Marco is in Antarctica now, but he still stands at Casey Base (WAP AUS-Ø2). The Basler plane that should have taken him to Concordia, couldn’t fly due to adverse weather conditions and strong wind in the area.

In the meantime, while waiting for better weather to fly, Marco (who sent us some pics of Casey) will ask permission to operate the Radio equipment at the Base; he said: -I noticed inverted Vee antennas in a kind of remote Camp little far away the Base- .

Trying  IK5SQX/VKØ should be a great opportunity … he will try to do his best and for sure the Hamradio world will be grateful to the Base expedition leader if Marco will be allowed to use the equipment and be on air even for a short time.

More info to follow.

TNX IK5SQX actually at the Australian Casey Base, Antarctica

IAØ/IK5SQX-IAØ/DK5SQX Concordia Station WAP MNB-Ø3
Marco is in Antarctica now. He sent a picture showing the plane flying on the Icy Continent (See picture received from him). Marco did land at the Australian Casey Base;  at the moment he should be already at Concordia Station. Marco promised to let the chasers know when he can operate  (he expects to have some spare time to operate). He’s in Antarctica to install a LIDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) system but

VP8HAL Halley VI Base  WAP  GBR-37
In spite of the sked frequency suggested by himself (14305 & 7170) Seba did show up on 14240 and 7182 and has been worked in EU and USA as well. Yesterday Seba indicated he will be working out in the field for the next 5 or so days away from Halley VI (TNX K4MZU).

ZS7ANT Whichaway Camp WAP MNB-11
Oleg has been reported operating on 30 & 40 meters bands. No ways to reach him so far  in order to set skeds; see what we can do shortly.

DP1POL Neumayer III Base WAP DEU-Ø8
Felix DL5XL should be on the air at any time

KC4USV McMurdo Station WAP USA-22
Chris Cianflone W2RTO, is signing  KC4USV at McMurdo Station, mostly operating FT8 on 14.075 MHz. He heads home on February 21. QSL via K7MT

KC4AAC Palmer Station WAP USA-23
Operator sporadically active , but no more reports since last November

8J1RL Syowa base WAP JAP-Ø3
Operator in active on Digi modes only. QSL via Bureau or direct to JG2MLI

ZL5A Scott base WAP NZL-Ø1
ZL4ASC Adam Campbell was last reported working FT8 on sept-2019. No more info since then.

Marco , IK5SQX-DK5SQX has  just informed that he’s  still at Hobart waiting  to fly to the coastal Casey Base, WAP AUS-Ø2 (picture aside) and from there, with a Basler plane to Concordia, but all depends on the weather; scheduling are updated every 16 hours  so everyone can imagine how the weather  condition can modify the plans.

Hobart is currently the home airport for the AAD intercontinental Antarctic air link service

The previewed trip with the I/B Astrolabe to Base Prud’Homme   was cancelled due to some tech issues of the Icebreaker , so the program has been rescheduled and changed. On the changing program, all of its baggage has been  lost and last night he was at Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) to find something to dress.

Marco will inform when he will reach Concordia  (WAP MNB-Ø3) and when he will be be ready to operate  from there; callsign will not be IAØDC but probably IAØ/DK6SQX or IAØ/IK5SQX.

That’s all for the moment,  stay tuned and turn the antenna to the South

TNX Marco IK5SQX-DK5SQX

Sebastian Gleich, SQ1SGB is at Halley VI Base (WAP GBR-37) since the last Dec. 5^th. He did try to find a way to hang antenna between the stations modules, but length between modules was too small to hang 40m Inverted Vee. Finally Seba was able to hang it , just 3m up on small container. 1,5 SWR on 40m but high SWR on 20m; after lots of adjustments also 20mts works ok.

Yesterday  dec. 12th,  he sent a message explaining to be active on 7.170 MHz and 14.305 MHz each day at  01:00 AM UTC for 1 hour.

Seba has a lot of field work out of the base, but for time to time he can be active. Skeds are set as follow:

10:00 UTC 7170 LSB, 16:30-17:00 UTC 14305 USB and again 22:00 UTC on 7170 MHz.

Good hunting!

TNX Seba SQ1SGB/VP8HAL & Gabry IK1NEG.

A ceremony on board the I/B Almirante Irizar begun with the Argentine National Anthem, then the chaplain Luis Eduardo Scrinzi made a religious invocation to bless the unit crew members who will be part of the next Antarctic mission.

Then, the  Antarctic Joint Commander, Gen. Francisco Treviranus, took the floor and said: “Once again, battered by the steel of this magnificent ship and under the protection of the glorious wings of the Fatherland, we prepared to begin a new Antarctic Campaign”

I/B Almirante Irizar sailed from the Naval Apostadero Buenos Aires under the command of Frigate Captain Maximiliano Mangiaterra, bowed towards the white continent to support scientific activities; resupply the Argentine Antarctic bases of food, materials and replace personnel.

On November 26, 2019, the icebreaker ARA Almirante Irizar, began the download at the Esperanza Base (WAP ARG-Ø4), then continuing with the Petrel (WAP ARG-17), Marambio (WAP ARG-21), Carlini Station (WAP ARG-2Ø),  Orcadas (WAP ARG-15), Belgrano II (WAP ARG-Ø6), San Martín (WAP ARG-Ø8), Brown (WAP ARG-Ø2) and Primavera Base (WAP ARG-Ø).

The Video below shows the supply of Esperanza Base (WAP ARG-Ø4) from I/B ARA Almirante Irízar.

Read more at:

http://www.marambio.aq/cav201920.html?utm_source=email_marketing&utm_admin=12&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Boletin_de_Noticias_Diciembre_Enero

TNX Fundacion Marambio  (info@marambio.aq)

The eight main Argentina’s bases are ready for a new 2019-2020 Antarctic Campaign;  at the moment we don’t know if among the personnel there are Ham Radio operators to be active on HF, or if eventually the official callsign of the Bases will be on the air …let’s keep our finger crossed!