Last Antarctic Activity Week (Febr.2019) has seen a great participation of Hams from several countries WW. Since 16 years, François  F8DVD, one of the most active Antarctic enthusiasts, takes part in the event with a special callsign as usual.

Last past AAW 16^th edition, he got TM16AAW and now he shows the QSL that will confirm his QSOs.
QSL have been printed by the printing shop at IT9EJW company

The picture shows the Base O’Higgins (WAP CHL-Ø2) which is a Chilean station established in 1948. The O’Higgins Base is situated at Cape Legoupil on Trinity peninsula (63°19’ South,  57° 53’ West). The German Antarctic Receiving Station (GARS)   was established at O’Higgins in 1991 by the German Aerospace Center. It is a satellite ground station sited to enable reception of data from satellite-based sensors within the Southern Polar region.

TNX François  F8DVD, TM16AAW

A new postal emission for the fiftieth anniversary of Marambio Base foundation 1969 – October 29 -2019 is now available to collectors!

Inside the  Antarctic Museum of the Marambio Foundation, there is the so-called Antarctic Philatelic Corner,  which exhibits philatelic postal pieces that certify various Antarctic events. The corner, bears the name of “Comodoro Salvador Alaimo”, who was a well-known collector of stamps, envelopes and postal marks related to the theme of Antarctica and  Malvinas Islands.

“Filatelia del Correo Argentino” has just issued a postal series in tribute to the 50th anniversary of the founding of Marambio Base (WAP ARG-21) in Antarctica Argentina (1969 – October 29 – 2019).

Marambio Foundation and  Filatelia del Correo Argentino, did provide graphic, historical material and reporting details about this event such as the design of high artistic quality that makes this emission a real great job. Here aside, the postmark of the 1st day emission

The postal series are available in all the Philatelic stores  Argentina and on the Internet since  April 29, 2019, while the official launching  is expected for the month of June, in commemoration of the Day of the Antarctic Confraternidad, 21 of June.

Read more at: http://www.marambio.aq/emisionpostal50.html
and also: http://marambio.aq/pdf/RESFIL1392.pdf 

Information on how to order or buy this new emission can be seen at: https://www.correoargentino.com.ar/

Doctor Guillermo Mann Base (formerly Camp Shirreff) is the second of the three research Bases that INACH (Instituto Antartico Chileno) has in  Antarctica. It is located at 62º27’00″South, 60º47’00″West on the east side of Cape Shirreff on Joannes Paulus II peninsula on Livingston Island in the South Shetlands off the Antarctic peninsula.

It is near the  US Shirreff Base (WAP USA-NEW) administrated by the United States.

The Base (named after the Chilean zoologist, naturalist and ecologist Guillermo Mann, who participated in 1947 on the first Chilean Antarctic Expedition) , should not to be confused with the “old”  Doctor Guillermo Mann or Spring-INACH Base (WAP CHL-NEW) from 1973 that is located in the  Spring Point, Hughes Bay (today it’s not operational).
http://www.inach.cl/inach/?page_id=12694

Doctor Guillermo Mann Base (WAP CHL-Ø8) has allowed to generate knowledge in terrestrial and marine biology, and disciplines such as geology and glaciology.
Since the site is in a protected area, its access requires a special permit.

The base was inaugurated in 1991, it is equipped with communications HF radios, VHF radios and satellite telephony. Only CE9MFK has been active from Doctor Guillermo Mann Base in 1995 and 1999

Shirreff Base (official name Cape Shirreff Field Station),is located at 62°28’12” South, 60°46’16” West,  on the East side of Cape Shirreff on Joannes Paulus II Peninsula on Livingston Island of the South Shetlands. It’s a seasonal field station operated by the United States,  opened in 1996 .

Every austral summer, the US AMLR Program conducts predator studies at Cape Shirreff field Station.
Each week, the field research team sends updates on their work.

Shirreff Field Station WAP USA-NEW and the nearby Chilean Base called Refuge Dr. Guillermo Mann, WAP CHL-NEW are few meters each other and so far no Ham radio operators have been active from there.  It’s a real shame, particularly if considering  that both locations are visited yearly and an operation from there could qualify both references!

When someone be active from there?

Base Antarctica Belgrano I  was located on Piedrabuena Bay on the Filchner Ice Shelf at  77°46’ South, 38°11’ West.  At the time of its inauguration in 1954 it became Argentina’s southernmost permanent base. It was shut down in 1980 over safety concerns due to it being built on increasingly unstable ice, which endangered both personnel and equipment.

A new, larger replacement base was established further south, and named Belgrano II (WAP ARG-Ø6) followed by Belgrano III (WAP ARG-Ø7) which became the southernmost of the three.

Brief history of Base General Belgrano I:
On 18 November 1954 the Antarctic Naval Task Force commanded by Capt. Alicio E. Ogara  (see picture below ) sailed from Buenos Aires with the objective of setting up a base on the Filchner Ice Shelf that would serve as a launch point for expeditions to the South Pole.
On 2 January 1955 the expedition sailed up to the southernmost point of the Weddell Sea at 78° 01′ South. At the time it was the highest austral latitude ever reached by boat, and a new world record was set.
The task force then sailed north along the ice wall, seeking for an anchoring place.

On 3 January 1955 Brig.Gen. Hernan Pujato, director of the Argentine Antarctic Institute, flew over the ice shelf area aboard a helicopter to choose a suitable place to mount the base, selecting a small cove where the high wall of ice sloped down to the sea. The unloading of the materials, equipment, tools, instruments and consumables was conducted from ARA General San Martín. The team built a main house, four quonset huts, food stores and hangar. They left on the new base enough fuel for three years.

Belgrano I (WAP ARG-Ø5) was shut down after 25 years of continuous service due to the fast deterioration of the ice barrier it was sitting on; new often hidden cracks and crevices endangered the on-duty personnel and material. The Base was closed on January 1980 and all of its staff and equipment were evacuated by helicopters operating from the Icebreaker ARA Almirante Irizar.

According to WAP-WACA Directory the following stations have been activre at Base Berlgrano I from 1959 through 1963: LU1ZT, LU1ZX, LU1ZW, LU2ZX, LU2ZRM, LU9ZX..Any further information about other stations active from there could be sent  to IK1GPG (see QRZ.com

Germany is one of the Consultative Parties of the Antarctic Treaty since 1981 and maintains a long-term commitment to scientific research in Antarctica. The Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research (AWI) as the national co-ordinator,  enables Germany to fulfill this role by its research, long term monitoring and survey activities. It provides the main mobile and stationary infrastructure for Antarctic research, and thus maintains the permanent German presence in Antarctica. The new institute was named after one of the really prominent German polar researchers, who developed the first in-depth ideas about continental drift.

In austral summer 1979/1980 a scientific expedition under the leadership of Heinz Kohnen on the Norwegian M/S “Polarsirkel” took place in the Weddell Sea. One major issue was the site survey for the selection of a suitable location to build the German research station. A location on the Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf at 77°36’South and 50° 40’West was selected as a first choice.

Construction, technology and living conditions on the two German Antarctic research stations Georg von Neumayer Station (GvN, operational 1981/82 to 1992) and Neumayer Station II (NM-II, operational from 1992 through 2007 then replaced by a new Neumayer Station III (NM-III) in 2009

https://epic.awi.de/id/eprint/28578/1/Polarforsch2006_1-2_5.pdf

Georg von Neumayer Station (GvN) WAP DEU-Ø1

Neumayer Station II (NM-II) WAP DEU-Ø2

Planned under the supervision of Hartwig Gernandt, Neumayer III Station (70°40’S and 08°16’W) WAP –DEU-Ø8,  was inaugurated on 20^th February 2009 as the new German Antarctic research Base. It is operated by the Alfred Wegener Institut (AWI) Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar-und Meeresforschung and follows the Georg-von-Neumayer Station (1981-1992) WAP DEU-Ø1 and Neumayer II Station (1992-2009) WAP DEU-Ø2 as the German overwintering station on the Ekström Ice Shelf in Antarctica.

Neumayer III Station WAP DEU-Ø3  integrates research, operational and accommodation facilities in one building (see video below).

Gene Spinelli K5GS (pic aside: Left-Gene K5GS, Right-Steve W1SRD) did respond to the question we put him about next planned South Orkney Expedition.  We recall him that: –The 3 locations: Cummings Hut, Foca Hut and Gourlay Huts  (see the article of 18 march 2019 here on the page of WAP website) have never been put on the air, so the interest could be  higher at least among the Antarctic Hunters if you eventually can activate one or more of them!-

Gene said: –We will have a look at them and determine if any can be used. The skipper of Braveheart has been to South Orkney and is familiar with the location used by VP8ORK in 2011…   Distance from the beach is important, we have to carry everything we bring ashore-
Gene Spinelli K5GS  will be at Friedrichshafen (next June 21-23), I’m sure some of the Antarctic Chaser friends will meet him and come back with some fresh information! Let’s keep our finger crossed !

For now, read of the planning South Orkney DXpedition  at: https://sorkney.com/

Enjoy Antarctica, enjoy WAP

Windless Bight (77°42’00”South, 167°39’48” West) is the prominent bight indenting the South side of Ross Island Eastward of Hut Point Peninsula.

Windless Bight‘s location on the Ross Ice Shelf is unique for its very low wind levels, which makes infrasound detection possible. Infrasound can detect volcanic eruptions, winds over distant mountain ranges, large storms at sea, auroral and meteor events, earthquakes, avalanches, and human-caused events such as very large explosions.

A field team, equipped with standard remote field equipment (including snowmobiles, PistenBully, and Mattrack vehicles) stays over there  in this self-supporting field camp several weeks a year.

The camp  consists of two Polarhavens and six individual mountain tents. The team  remains at the field site but will intermittently return one or two team members to McMurdo Station for supplies and overnight stays. The USAP also provides year-round on-site support from a support contractor research associate (RA), who occasionally visits the site during winter months for maintenance and troubleshooting.
Read more at: https://www.usap.gov/scienceSupport/sciencePlanningSummaries/2018_2019/results.cfm?formAction=detail&ID=199

Windless Bight Field Camp will be add to the WAP-WADA Directory to appear in the next update. So far no ham radio activities have been performed from this site. If it will happen, a new WAP Reference will be given.

Antarctica, the coldest continent on earth, has served as a scientific research zone since the signing of a 1959 treaty. Recently, Turkey and Belarus signed an agreement that  covers scientific cooperation on environmental conservation and study of Antarctic geology; the cooperation on Polar research, happens  months after Turkey completed its third National Antarctic Science Expedition.

The agreement on scientific and technical cooperation in Antarctica was signed by Turkey’s Industry and Technology Minister Mustafa Varank and Vladimir Gusakov, the chairman of the Presidium of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus.

Covering cooperation on topics of joint research about the Antarctic as well as exchanges between the countries’ scientists and experts, it prioritized environmental conservation and the monitoring of human impact and pollution on Antarctica.

Earlier in February, a Turkish team traveled to Antarctica as part of a research expedition and spent 30 days in the frozen continent.

Source: https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/turkey-belarus-sign-antarctic-cooperation-agreement/1459643

One of the 7 temporary Argentinean bases in Antarctica, has recently celebrated its 66th Anniversary. Located between Carlini Base (WAP ARG-20) and Base Decepción (WAP ARG-12), Camara Base  is open in summer to carry out specific scientific studies such as: meteorological observations, oceanography, coastal geology, bird studies and environmental management.

Although the average temperature is -2.9 °C, on August 12, 1954 an absolute minimum of -30ºC was recorded.

Since 1959, guest scientists from East Germany had stayed for wintering and worked in the field at several Russian Antarctic Stations,  likewise scientists from West Germany joined US expeditions.

In 1974 the Antarctic Treaty was signed by East Germany, which reached Consultative Status in 1987. The first permanently operated DDR Research Base,  named Georg Forster Station,  (WAP DEU-Ø1) was established in 1976 in the Schirmacher Oasis at 70°46’ South, 11°41’ East.

On 22 March, 1988, a 35p stamp to commemorate the 12^th anniversary of its founding,  was issued by East Germany depicting the Research Station, some distant hills and the Southern Ocean. Below on the stamp, is the inscription Antarktisforschungsstation der DDR “Georg-Forster”. 

At that time the concept using pre-fabricated container modules for laboratories, power plant and accommodation was pioneering. Altogether eight container modules were carried on sledges from the unloading site at the ice edge of the Lazarev Ice Shelf, over a distance of 120 km into the Schirmacher Oasis and assembled to a Research Base within only six weeks. Since then, the Station was permanently used and operated as an annex to the Russian station Novolazarevskaya until 1987.

Following the German reunification on 3 october 1990, the East German Antarctic Program was absorbed into that of German Federal Republic which maintains the name of the Base as  Georg Forster Station  WAP DEU-Ø3, until 1993 and then dismantled in the frame of a German-Russian project, which was completed in 1996.

Long-term studies of magnetospheric-ionospheric processes, geophysical investigations, biological studies and sea-ice observations using satellite imaging were performed. One module close to the antenna mast accommodated the radio transmitting system for ionospheric studies.

We must applaud the Russian Antarctic operators and their QSL managers for the punctuality with which they deliver our QSLs.

This time we have to thank RN1ON Alexei V. Kuz’menko (pic on top) for RI1ANW and RI1ANL QSL cards received very fast!

Alexey is QSL manager for several stations operating from Antarctica and he has been in Antarctica several times as well.

Check his page on QRZ.com to get the list of the Russian stations he is manager for.

Alexey is asking QSL direct o via bureau  and says: All QSL`s received direct (with SASE = SAE + 2USD or 1 NEW IRC) will send direct also. QSL received Direct without SASE will send buro.

RI1ANL and  RI1ANW (QSLs shown below) are both transmitting from  Novolazarevskaya Station, Shirmacher Oasis, Dronning Maud land, Antarctica and that’s WAP RUS-Ø9

TNX RN1ON

Matthias, DH5CW, and Felix, DL5XL, have been  active from the South Africa SANAP Summer Base, WAP ZAF-11 (also known as Neumayer Emergency Base), Grid Locator IB59UJ, from January 8 to 9, 2019 as DPØGVN/p. They left the German Neumayer III Station and in few hours trip,  they reached the site from where, they have been active for 2 days.

For those who did work DPØGVN/p from this rare Station  in Antarctica, a brand new QSL card will be available shortly through DL5EBE Dominik, the QSL manager.. Front side of the card is shown here,  thanks to Felix DL5XL & Dominik DL5EBE

Talking about  this  Neumayer Emergency Base or  SANAP Summer Base is something not too easy as there is not much literature available due to the changes over the years  of both the South Africa SANAE Bases and the German Neumayer Stations.

Both Countries had to decommission their Bases more than once, due to the instability; several stations have been built to replace older stations that had to be abandoned due to snow drift.

Just for example, the first E-Base was constructed and commissioned in January 1985 as a refuge in cases of emergency for the SANAE 3 (now decommissioned) over wintering station; She was located at 70° 17’ 80” South,  02° 25’ 56” West on the Fimbulisen ice shelf approximately eleven kilometers inland from the Penguin Bukta. During the summer periods, E-Base was actively used as accommodation for relief voyage and logistical personnel.

Actually, E-Base (SANAP Summer Base) is located at 70° 30’ South, 08° 15’ West  on the  route between SANAE IV (70°40’79” South, 08°16’15” West)  and Neumayer III Station (70°40’25” South, 02°49’44” West) and is a South Africa logistical platform, resulting by a joint venture between the South African National Antarctic Programme (SANAP) and the German Alfred Wegner Institute (AWI).

DX TROPHY AWARDS GROUP  issues a Trophy called  “ANTARCTIC QRP TROPHY” which is given for QSO’s with  Antarctica for QRP  QSO report marked on QSL.

This is the last one of the three Russian Awards recently issued by DX TROPHY AWARDS GROUP (the other two have been already shown in the previous pages of this website)

“ANTARCTIC QRP TROPHY” is issued 4 Award’s Classes:

Bronze, 10 QSOs
Silver, 15 QSOs
Gold,  20 QSOs
Honor Roll  for more 30 QSOs

Any Antarctic Bases or Stations are valid. Plaques will be issued for CW, SSB or MIX. Confirmation: scans of QSL cards or screenshots LOTW/Club Log.(your CALL/QRP marked on each QSL is needed for cfm)

Plaque made on a glossy silver, size 250 x 200 mm.

Plaque cost: $ 53 or 48 EURO. (Payment via PAYPAL)

The application in a free form and questions can be sent to: mydxtrophy@gmail.com

Other Trophies issued by the same Dx Trophy Awards Group  can be seen at:  https://mydxtrophy.wixsite.com/fjl-dx

MiKe Luedemann, DL2OE (pic aside),  has been in the Argentinean & Chilean sides of Tierra del Fuego (Sub Antarctica) where he has been active for quite a while, in CW and SSB.

Mike did sign LU/DL2OE from 27 March through April 4^th operating from the city of Tolhuin about 100 km north of Ushuaia (Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego) WAP ARG-23.

From April 4 to 7 he was on the Chilean side of Tierra del Fuego and he operates  as CE8/DL2OE from Karukinka Park, the southernmost National Park in Chile (locator FD55PU), WAP CHL-13.

DL2OE is actually ongoing his journey across South American, visiting few different Countries as planned. We are grateful to Mike for 2 WAP references from the Sub Antarctic southern tip of South America,

QSL Direct or via bureau to DL2OE

A nice and instructive movie on Macquarie island in which appears Kevin VKØKEV from 13mns 00s to 13mns 45s, will lead the Antarctic Chasers through this fascinating Sub Antarctic island, full of history and Research sites.

Out of those already known, there are other four Huts that merit a stop by.

Hurd Point Hut (54° 46.3′ South, 158° 49.6′ East)  is the most remote of all the field huts on Macquarie Island. It is located approximately 32 km south of Macquarie Island station and comfortably sleeps four people. The trek to Hurd Point is generally completed over two days, with an overnight stop at Green Gorge or Waterfall Bay.

The site was originally part of an auroral observatory complex established in 1953 in order to carry out simultaneous observations in conjunction with the station.

Today the hut is mainly used as a base for research in the southern sector of the island and serves as an important base for albatross researchers during summer.

Green Gorge Hut (54° 37.9′ South,  158° 53.9′ East) is located on the east coast approximately 15 km south of Macquarie Island station, roughly halfway down the island. It consists of a comfortable Canadian log cabin built to accommodate five to six people, a food store and storage shed. It is a favorite field hut for many expeditioners.

Green Gorge Hut is very popular as a place to enjoy an overnight break on a journey from one end of the island to the other. The Hut is readily accessible from the overland track or via inflatable rubber boat.

Bauer Bay Hut (54° 33.3′ South, 158° 52.6′ East) is located on the rugged west coast of Macquarie Island approximately seven km southwest from Macquarie Island station. The hut is easily accessible and is the only hut located on the exposed windswept rugged west coast.

The hut accommodates four to five people and is popular with expeditioners travelling down the island or as a weekend retreat for station-based personnel. The hut is well placed to provide a stepping off point for trips to the north or south of along coastal walking routes.

The Hut is accessed via the Island Lake track, or via the Bauer Bay track that links up with the overland track. It can also be accessed by the featherbed track along the north-west coast. The Featherbed and coast to the north of the hut is designated category one Special Management Area and is generally open for to access from June to July. The featherbed south of the hut is designated category two Special Management Area and is generally open to access from April to August.

Caroline Cove Hut –54° 45.8′ South, 158° 47.5′ East- (Last pic to the Left) is located at the foot of Mt.Haswell, in the spectacular Caroline Cove area ; this is within a Specially Managed Area (SMA) with access year-round limited to people approved through a TASPWS access permit.

These 4 Huts have never been activated by Hams, therefore they remain WAP AUS-NEW

Lake Mercer, 84° 39’ 39” South, 149° 40’ 37” West,  is a subglacial lake in Antarctica, that has remained untouched for millennia. Scientists accidentally discovered the lake in 2007.

Over December 2018 – January 2019, SALSA (Subglacial Antarctic Lakes Scientific Access) set up a field camp of 50 scientists, drillers, and support staff and drilled 4,000 feet into the ice to sample from Mercer Subglacial Lake. Located roughly 500 miles from the South Pole, team members reached the study site using specialized tractors and ski equipped aircraft. The project is uncovering new knowledge about this newly explored biome through an integrative study of subglacial geobiology, water column and sedimentary organic carbon, and geobiological processes in one of the largest subglacial lakes in West Antarctica.

Read more at: https://salsa-antarctica.org/

The studies will probably continue for some years. So far nobody has thought to set a Ham radio activity even in the free time; if someone will be active from there, a new WAP reference will be given.

Perseverance DX Group has announced  the intention to activate South Orkney Islands, and is planning an expedition to take places in February/March 2020. A team of experienced DX and Contest operators will operate from Signy Island (WAP GBR-Ø9) for up to 15 days. The process of obtaining landing permission is underway. The call sign will be announced at a later date. The team will sail from Punta Arenas, Chile aboard R/V Braveheart. Seven operating positions are planned for 160-10 meters, SSB/CW/Digital.

The Team includes: Dave K3EL, Les W2LK, Steve W1SRD, Ricardo PY2PT, Gene K5GS, Arliss W7XU, Heye DJ9RR, Laci HAØNAR, Mike WA6O, Vadym UT6UD, Walt N6XG and Rob N7QT.

Additional details will be released as they develop. Website: https://sorkney.com/

WAP archive has pics of field Huts still in place at the following un-referencended sites of Signy Islands in the South Orkneys:

Foca Cove, Gourlay Peninsula, Cummings Cove. Let’s have a look of them.

Cummings Hut (WAP GBR-NEW) –Pic aside-

The U.K. Cummings Scientific Hut is located at Cummings Cove at 60°43’45” South, 45°39’50” West. It is visited regularly by British Antarctic Survey personnel from Signy Island (WAP GBR-Ø9). It has accommodations for 2 people, with food and fuel for 2 person-months. Cummmings  Cove feels very remote and the hut is lovely on the outside,  but very basic on its inside.

Foca Hut (WAP GBR-NEW) -Pic aside-

Foca Hut located at 60°41′ 50″ South, 45°38’40” West  is a BAS refuge hut, established in the years 1959-60 near the head of the Foca cove; it  is known as

Gourlay Huts (WAP GBR-NEW)  -Pic below-

Gourlay Hut 60°43’50” South, 45°35’05” West, is worth a visit during the summer, as penguins and fur seals congregate there.

Gourlay itself also has some amazing views, just from the hut across Rock Haven,  a popular spot for seals as well as penguins .The Gourlay peninsula 60°44’ South, 45°36’ West, is an ice-free site that  guests 2 Huts; the hut on the left is a standard hut with a couple of  bunks and on the right is the work hut.

Owned by the Masaryk University, the Johann Gregor Mendel Polar Station (63°48’ 02” South, 57°52’56” West) WAP CZE-NEW  is the Czech Research Station in Antarctica and bears the name of Johann Gregor Mendel, the abbot of Augustinian Monastry in Brno.

In 2004, a small group of scientists and technicians set the preparation works on the northern  part of James Ross Island,  a land mass of approx. 2 500 km²,  80% of which  are ice covered;  only its northern part (Ulu Peninsula) is partially ice free.

The transport of construction’s  material and technological units from Europe to the Chilean Punta Arenas begun by the end of 2004 and was done by the Czechoslovak Ocean Shipping company. The Chilean military icebreaker Almirante Viel did  transfer everything from Punta Arenas the James Ross Island in 2005. A deep geometric survey was performed as well as the foundations of the main station building and technical containers area. The official opening ceremony took place in February 2007 and made the Czech Republic the 26th Country  to have its own Scientific Base on the Icy Continent.
Johann Gregor Mendel Station is located 100 meters  from the sea, on free-ice land on Prince Gustav’s Channel coast. It consists of the main building for boarding and accommodation of 15-20 researchers, relaxation and laboratory activities,  and of nine technical containers in the vicinity of the building, which hold storehouses, garages and the power supply generator.
Currently, the Station is used in summer months, but it is open to various external projects as well.

So far, no one did perform any Ham Radio operation from Gregor Mendel Station !

To manage the Antarctic WAP Awards and its subsequent updates, the best solution is to use the WAP Software, set by IK6CAC.

Several Hams are now coming up with a request to include FT8 mode into the WAP Software, as now a days many Antarctic  Stations are  QRV using this new mode & band.

Following the requests, IK6CAC’s WAP management software has been updated and now the version 2.7 is online HERE and contains the opportunity to add contacts made in  FT8 and 60 mts band.

Enjoy Antarctica, apply for your WAP Awards, they are a hallmark of your passion for the Icy Continent!

TNX IK6CAC and IK1GPG

Oleg Sakharov RI1ANX (aka ZS1ANF, UA1PBA)  is actually on board of M/V Agulhas-II  heading to Cape Town after  yesterday’s visit of South Georgia Island; Oleg will reach Cape Town next March 15^th.

WAP is in contact with Oleg who has sent us pictures and details of the activity from the  “Traverse Stop Point –Temporary Field Camp”  from where  Oleg RI1ANX did operate from 1 through 7 January 20019.

Oleg wrote: –There is nothing on 78° degree stop point. We were sitting there for some days,  made a skiway, waiting some resupply by BT-67 which came 7^th January-.

“Traverse Stop Point-Temporary Field Camp” has been the site where,  a Multinational Team did stay for 8 days , sleeping inside the  CAT and in the tents on the sledge. The Camp was set up to allow  (after building a provisional Skyway) the receiving of  supplies for people and vehicles. The Communication site was performed to keep connection with BT-67 aircraft and on the free time,  to make contacts on the Ham bands.

At the light of the evidence provided by Oleg Sakharov RI1ANX (aka ZS1ANF-UA1PBA) and to the  77 QSOs made from there.
Traverse Stop Point-Temporary  Field Camp  located at  78°01’45” South, 12°52’35” East on  Queen Maud Land  (aka. Dronning Maud Land) has been referenced as WAP MNB-13

Thanks Oleg RI1ANX for the efforts made, and thanks  to have given the Ham’s Antarctic Chasers another brand “NEW ONE”.

Nick RK1PWA has just informed Maxi, DL-SWL, that Oleg Sakharov RI1ANX  has made a total of 922 QSOs while working on 5 different  Antarctic locations which are now shown of QRZ.com as shown on the table below:

QSLs of RI1ANX will be printed in April-May and can be requested through RK1PWA  or   ZS1ANF.

Pictures  and additional information will be available as soon as Oleg will be back to South Africa.
Now, it will be necessary to define if the “Traverse stop point” was a base Camp or what,  but we have to wait the information from Oleg;  and in this case a new WAP reference will be given to this one, while Whichaway Camp  and Wolf’s Fang Runway will be WAP MNB-11 and WAP MNB-12 respectively, See below:

Whichaway Camp – WAP MNB-11

At 85° 51”South, 11° 37′ 01”East  within the Schirmacher Oasis,  Whichaway Camp is located within the wider study area comprise the Indian  Maitri Research station (WAP IND-Ø3), and Russian  Novolazarevskaya Research station (WAP RUS-Ø9) from where Oleg RI1ANX did also operate on last 16 & 17 Jan.2019.

Whichaway Camp is on Shirmacher Oasis in Queen Maud Land, located between the edge of the Antarctic Ice Shelf, and the Novolazarevskaya Nivlisen (Nivi) Ice Shelf. Behind the camp is a frozen lake, then a giant ice fall, and then glaciers and ice as far as one could see, with Nunatak in the distance.  Arrival at Whichaway Camp is impressive and fascinating , a luxury hotel site in Antarctica; three centralized pods held the kitchen, lounge, and dining room and … more.
Following the operation of Oleg Sakharov RI1ANX of 30 jan. 2019 a New WAP reference WAP MNB-11 has been issued.

Wolf’s Fang Runway – WAP MNB-12

Wolfs Fang Runway (aka Wolf’s Fang Runway), 71°31’ South, 08°48’ East, is a private runway established by White Desert Ltd, a luxury travel company, at Antarctica to provide access for tourist to the company’s Whichaway Camp (WAP MNB-11) by transiting to Novo Runway. It is a re-establishment of a previous blue ice “Novo runway”  that was also known as Blue One Runway, WAP MNB-Ø6 ( which is located at 70° 49’ 31”South, 11° 31’ 41” Eas).

Following the operation of Oleg Sakharov RI1ANX of 27 jan. and 10 through 22 Febr. 2019 a New WAP reference WAP MNB-12 has been issued.

TNX Maxi DL-SWL, Nick RK1PWA & Oleg RI1ANX/ZS1ANF

After 40 years, Polish Antarctic Research Station A. B. Dobrowolski at Bunger Hills will be reactivated.

The Polish Academy of Sciences (PAN) has signed an agreement with Geoscience Australia establishing joint research in the Antarctic. The cooperation between the two countries includes the exchange of scientific thought and technology as well as the exchange of scientific data for the development of maritime and land research on the Antarctic continent. As a part of that agreement, the Polish Antoni Dobrowolski Station is set to be reactivated. Poland has two research stations in the Antarctic: the H. Arctowski Station in the Southern Shetlands, in constant use since 1977, and the Antoni Dobrowolski Station in the Bunger Oasis in eastern Antarctica, which has been unused since 1979.

Once reactivated, the facility is to act as a bridgehead to site an autonomous geophysics station on the exposed rocks of the Antarctic continent. The first Polish expedition to the Bunger Oasis in forty years is planned to leave in three to four years with the use of a modern Australian ice-breaker, the Nuyina.

Read more at: https://polandin.com/40616447/unused-antarctic-research-station-to-be-reactivated

Sebastian Gleich SQ1SGB remembers that Dobrowolski was only active in a short time’s  expeditions when Poland “cooperate” with Soviet Union. The reason is that it’s quite hard to get there without icebreaker and helicopters.(Pic here aside shows the old Gravimetric pavillon)

-I don’t know anyone who was there, but a good friend of mine–  Seba says  -collects lots of info about Dobrowolski station. I will ask him but now he is on Arctowski station till the month of May-.

We have learnt something we didn’t know before, and the various point of view have been transformed into certainty. Just to sum up, a revision of Macquarie paragraph on the WAP-WADA Directory will be as follow:

All the calls for which we don’t have details of the operation’s site will be consider as WAP AUS-Ø8, thus:

WAP AUS-Ø8 –Macquarie Station will incorporate “HUT HILL” (aka-Ham Shack) & Transmitter Hut (both are 500 mts from the Macquarie’s Station buildings)

WAP AUS-Ø9 – New reference
Brothers Point Hut,  Brauer Bay, Macquarie Island,  54°56’ 00” South, 158°52’56” East.

WAP AUS-1Ø – New reference
Waterfall Bay Hut, Waterfall Bay, Macquarie Island,  54°40’29” South, 158°23’37” East

While will not be an easy task to identify who did  operate from the several Huts & Refuges scattered around the coasts of Macquarie Island  and the dates of each one, te mail of Trevor VKØTH, forwarded on the Antarctic reflector by Mehdi F5PFP was a good surprise. Trevor says: -I operated from the Ham Shack on the hill at the Station, also operated from the Refuges at Brothers Point and Waterfall Bay-.

TNX F5PFP & VKØTH

Now we suggest the Antarctic chasers to check their cards to see  if there are some details that will allow WAP to allocate a correct reference to the so many Hamcalls operating from Macquarie in the past and recently.

We kindly ask the operators who have been active at Macquarie to inform WAP  by e-mail through wap_info@virgilio.it of the exact location they have been active from.

We suggests  the next operators at Macquarie, to mark the location of the operation site on their QSLcards .

Now a brief information on the two new References just issued:

Brothers Point Hut (WAP AUS-Ø9) is located on the east coast, 8 km south of Macquarie Station. The fiberglass hut, known as a “googie”, provides comfortable accommodation for three people but may fit five in an emergency. It is a popular destination for short duration field trips and is also used as a lunchtime or overnight stopping point as part of longer trips heading down the island.

The hut is accessed from the station via the overland Sandy Bay track, or along the picturesque east coast, when tide and swell conditions allow. The hut is also accessible via inflatable rubber boat, however opportunities to travel on water are typically limited by the weather and availability of suitably qualified boating personnel.

Waterfall Bay Hut  (WAP AUS-1Ø) is another “googie” style fiberglass hut similar to the one at Brother Point. It was installed in 1993-94 as a replacement for the original Lusitania Bay Hut located to the south.
The hut comfortably sleeps three people. As the crow flies, Waterfall Bay Hut is approximately 18 km south of Macquarie Station.

The hut is conveniently located for personnel travelling down island, and is well placed as a research base for the large king penguin colony at Lusitania Bay.
It is easily accessed via the Jessie Nichol track from the north, or the Mt. Martin track from the south. These tracks are subsidiaries of the main north-south overland track.