The Argentine Ministry of Defense reports, by the Antarctic joint commander, Marine Commodore Pablo Fal that the crew of the Icebreaker Almirante Irízar rescued five US scientists who were stranded in Antarctica.

The provided Irizar’s assistance is framed in the spirit of the commitments of  the Antarctic Treaty which implies cooperation and assistance to human life on the White Continent and its surrounding waters

Because of the icy conditions of Joinville Island (in the Weddell Sea), the ship waiting for the scientists could not approach the camp to return them back to the Continent. For this reason, the National Science Foundation ( the Antarctic Program of the USA) required the help of the “Irizar” equipped with Sea King helicopters to assist the isolated US professionals and  to rescue them and their camp.

The polar ship, which is doomed to the Antarctic Summer Campaign (CAV) that carries the defense portfolio, acted at the request of the Argentine Foreign Ministry and went to Joinville Island to rescue the scientists.

The location was quite close to Base Petrel (WAP ARG-17) and Base Esperanza (WAP ARG-Ø4) that Argentina has in the Gulf of Erebus and Terror. (Erebus and Terror Gulf is a gulf on the southeast side of the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula, bordered on the northeast by the Joinville Island group and on the southwest by the James Ross Island group).

The assistance was made through four flights with Sea King helicopters in a successful way, and the scientists will be transported during this journey to the US ship Laurence M. Gould.

Source: https://www.argentina.gob.ar/noticias/el-rompehielos-almirante-irizar-rescato-cinco-cientificos-estadounidenses-varados-en-la

On the hill about 500m from Esperanza is Trinity House, a hut remaining from “Base D”, built by the UK in 1944–45 and closed in 1963. It was transferred to Uruguay in 1997 and is now named Ruperto Elichiribehety Station after the captain of Uruguayan steam trawler Instituto de Pesca No 1, which Shackleton used in his second of three unsuccessful attempts to reach the Elephant Island castaways. The summer-only facility accommodates eight.

Ruperto Elichiribehety Station (WAP URY-NEW)   is located in Hut Cove, South East of Hope Bay in the North East part of the Antarctic Peninsula (63°24′09″S 56°59′28″W) next to the Argentine Esperanza Base (WAP ARG-Ø4).
The Station can accommodate 7 people, and it is dedicated to support scientific projects in the surrender areas. It was a former British Station D, known as Trinity House.

The commander of a Spanish Navy Rsearch Ship has died in Antarctica after apparently falling overboard.

Javier Montojo Salazar, Captain of the frigate Hesperides, disappeared on Friday night when the ship was near the Juan Carlos I° research Base on Livingstone Island.

Spain’s Ministry of Defence said a search and rescue operation was launched using “all available resources” but the body of the 53-year-old sailor was recovered from the sea six hours later.

Though the pages of WAP website, on behalf  of the community of the Icy Continent and Hams,  we want to express our deepest condolences to the family and colleagues of Javier Montojo Salazar

Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5457727/Spanish-navy-captain-dies-Antarctica-falling-sea.html

Pygoscelis Adeliae is commonly known as the Adélie penguin, after the wife of French explorer Jules Dumont d’Urville, the man who first documented them in 1840. Though they are not especially uncommon, scientists have been concerned that their Antarctic population has been on a steady decline for the last 40 years. Now, a new study conducted by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) has revealed a previously unknown “supercolony” of more than 1.5 million Adélies living in the Danger Islands, a remote archipelago on the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula.

“Until recently, the Danger Islands weren’t known to be an important penguin habitat,” says Heather Lynch, an ecologist at Stony Brook University who co-led the study, in a release. The remoteness of the archipelago, named by English captain James Clark Ross after he almost crashed into its ice-covered rocks in 1842, makes it hard to access.

Remote images gave researchers a fresh look. In 2014, Lynch and colleague Matthew Schwaller, a scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, spotted some telltale guano stains in satellite photos of the islands. To ground-truth their suspicions, Lynch and an international team of ecologists got on a boat. Upon their arrival in December 2015, the group was confronted with hundreds of thousands of penguins nestling amid the icy rocks. Using neural network analysis of drone images they took of the colony, the scientists were able to determine the size of the population, as well as how changing temperatures and sea ice are impacting the island ecosystem. Their results, published this month in the journal Scientific Reports, show that there are currently more than 750,000 breeding pairs of Adélie penguins in the Danger Islands, more than the rest of Antarctica combined.

Thanks and credit to:  http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-43250744 and https://www.theguardian.com

Antarctica, the southernmost continent on Earth, was not discovered by people until modern times. It is the fifth largest continent and the coldest, windiest, driest place on Earth. Antarctica is famously home to penguins and visited by scientists.

Antarctica – Facts and Figures – Geography for Kids. Even if the video is 5 years old and some datas have changed since then, it’s always useful for those who wish to review the geography.

John Landrigan KA4RXP/MM, departed the port city of Bluff, New Zealand on February 9, 2018 aboard the Soviet registered expeditionary vessel Professor Khromov also known as the M/V Spirit of Enderby. During the set up prior to sailing I met Viktor, the ship’s Communications Officer and Ivan, the ship’s electrician. Their assistance was crucial to what success I was to enjoy.

The night of departure contact was made with JI1TIF in Tokyo and then VK4XXL in New South Wales. The power was at 100 watts from the Yaesu 897. Later that evening a 12 volt 25 amp power supply for the backup Icom transceiver was pressed into service to consolidate the auto-tuner power supply, the SCS Pactor modem supply and the Rigblaster Blue supply into one source. The power supply had been tested in Memphis but I forgot to switch it to 240 volt input. It promptly made a loud cracking noise. Shortly after that an attempt to email everyone resulted in another catastrophe. The SPE amplifier was switched in on low output and during a prolonged session of connecting with fairly constant repeating, a failure occurred in the auto tuner. The transmitter then interfered with a guard channel on a radio on the bridge radio and everything had to be shut down.

Inspection of the auto tuner revealed one severely burned relay and probably another burned relay next it. Multiple power supply combinations had been required at the dock to get the tuner operational and there may have been a surge voltage during that particular Winlink transmission that may have led to such a violent RF arcing and distortion of one of the relay housings.

The next day, Viktor and Ivan assisted me in pulling the tuner and inspecting it. The concern of the Captain was such that we had to provide him with complete assurance that he would not be aware that I was operating the radio. The decision was made to forgo the amplifier and instead try to use it’s built in tuner to produce a matched input to the Pacific Aerials 7.3 meter vertical. A match could not be achieved. I used the ship’s commercial internet service to notify the group of my predicament and then relegated myself to being a tourist only.

The next day Ivan brought back the power supply that he had repaired. I don’t how or what he did but Richard, this guy needs to be hired by you. Viktor helped trace through possible surviving tuner circuits and felt I could use 7 MHz and 10 MHz. Transmitting at only a 100 watts, caused no further interference.

We did a Zodiac boat tour around Snares Island, made a landing at Enderby Island in the Aucklands Group and made two landings at Macquarie Island. All the Australian philatelic items were postmarked there and are being held for mailing from there in late March.

Rough seas caused us to skip a landing at Cape Adare. We then proceeded to McMurdo Sound and found a previously cut channel by the ice breaker Polar Star had completely re-frozen and blocked us some 12 miles out from McMurdo. Re-tracking, we went to Cape Evans and landed at Scott’s Hut. I brought all the New Zealand Dependency philatelic items with me and will sign and date them for that landing. I will have them postmarked at the Ross Island Dependencies window at the Main Post Office in Christchurch once we return. The Italian Base had previously closed due to heavy ice.

I reinstalled the tuner and it seems to manage without incident on 40 and 30 meters. Reception is very spotty and I have not been able to make any contacts. On February 23 and 24 I heard K7GI in Tuscon and K6MYX in San Diego booming in at S9++. Craig was fighting S9 noise levels on his end and none of the Australian or New Zealand Stations were hearing me from my grid square RB32. Also heard K7UI.

Hope continues ever onward that perhaps this will make it via Winlink prior to us reaching Christchurch.

TNX John Landrigan KA4RXP/MM

We should traverse the remaining 500 nautical miles to reach Campbell Island during the day of March 3, Seas are very rough and biggest roll so far is 27 degrees. 55 degrees is when you really start to pray.

I am looking forward to the International DX Contest on Saturday and Sunday.

John KA4RXP/MM Grid Square RD01xu

With more than fifty scientific projects done, with the lowering flag’s ceremony the activities of the XXXIII Summer 2017-2018 Campaign of the Italian National Program of Research in Antarctica (PNRA) at Mario Zucchelli Station (WAP ITA-Ø1) of Terra Nova Bay,  are finished.

Equally important have been the activities of a logistical nature, maintenance of the structures and preparation of the intermediate airstrip for flights to Concordia Station (WAP MNB-3) and Dumont D’Urville (WAP FRA-Ø1). In this context, the contribution of a specialized engineers team of the Italian Air Force to the realization of the Boulder Clay strip, a remote field 250 km from the base,  is of particular importance.

The project, which is developing during the last expeditions, will see this infrastructure acquiring greater flexibility of access to the Mario Zucchelli Station, allowing it to become an important hub for the movement of international scientific personnel operating in the northern part of the Ross Sea.

Italian Army, Navy and Air Force have guaranteed as every year, full support to the research and logistics activities within the Antarctic Continent;  25 specialists  of the 3 Armed Forces have been involved:  mountain scouts, pilots, weather forecasters, mechanics, riders and divers gave a great contribution to the success of the Summer campaign.

Read more at: http://www.aeronautica.difesa.it/comunicazione/notizie/Pagine/20180219_Antartide-conclusa-la-XXXIII-spedizione.aspx

Thanks and credit: Defence Ministry-Italian Air Force

Tourist numbers on the Icy Continent have grown by twenty times in 30 years. Tourism in Antarctica has risen from fewer than 2,000 visitors in the 1980s to more than 45,000 visitors from around the world last year. The number of people travelling to the frozen continent dipped during the economic recession of the late 2000s, but rose again in recent years, according to data kept by the Rhode-Island based International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators.

China forced to tell Antarctica tourists: “Don’t’ touch the penguins”  that’s especially the case for Chinese tourists, so much so that the Chinese government earlier this week established a new list of rules for people visiting Antarctica: No hunting. No leaving behind solid waste…and no touching or feeding the penguins, according to the South China Morning Post.

Read more at: http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/antarctica-china-tourists-dont-touch-penguins-travel-environment-latest-a8203981.html

Russian President Vladimir Putin was awarded a prize by the Russian Geographical Society in the category “Popularization of natural, historical and cultural heritage of Russia”.

In this category, which was won by the documentary “Vostok Station. On the threshold of life.” The award from the hands of the President received the producer of the project Alexander Zhukov and Director Olga Stefanova.

The award is presented once every two years and has international status. It was first presented in 2014.

Vostok Station (WAP RUS-13) is an in inland Russian Research Station located at Princess Elizabeth Land, Antarctica. Founded by the Soviet Union in 1957, the station lies at the southern Pole of Cold, with the lowest reliably measured natural temperature on Earth of −89.2 °C. Research includes ice core drilling and magnetometry. Vostok was named after Vostok, the lead ship of the First Russian Antarctic Expedition captained by Fabian von Bellingshausen.

Expedition vessel  M/V Ivan Papanin, after completing cargo operations at Bharati Station (WAP IND-Ø4) Larsemann Hills (69° 24’ 24.4” South,  76° 11’ 42.9” East) started her onward journey at 23:35 Hrs local time (18:35 UTC) on Monday, 05 February 2018 heading to the second Indian Station  Matiri  (WAP IND-Ø3) at Schirmacher Oasis (70° 46’ 00” South,  11° 43’ 50.8” East).

After a few hours of sailing, Vessel met with an accident. Initial investigation suggests heavy water ingress in the ballast tank No. 2. Passenger and crew are safe on board and there is no oil spillage.

Papanin has now returned to the mooring location off-Bharati station (see stock pic aside)

While the crew is attempting to fix the water ingress, passengers have been safely moved to Bharati Base. Cargo and fuel on board meant for Maitri Station is being moved to Bharati station as well. Details of investigation and assessment of the damage is awaited.

Source: http://www.ncaor.gov.in/news/view/414

Since the last four years, the voyage leg to the Indian Bases in Antarctica is undertaken by a Russian Cargo Vessel M/V Ivan Papanin which offers limited lab space.

The Australian Antarctic Program is celebrating a decade of flights to the frozen continent’s blue ice runway, improving access for hundreds of scientists and expeditioners.

Wilkins Aerodrome blue ice runway in Antarctica (named after the legendary patron and pioneer of early Antarctic aviator, Sir Hubert Wilkins), has improved access to the continent with 131 flights carrying more than 1600 people landing on the runway since it officially opened on 10 January 2008. Where the ship takes weeks, Wilkins Aerodrome gives the ability to fly expeditioners and equipment between Australia and Antarctica in just over four hours. A Skytraders Airbus 319 and Royal Australian Air Force C-17A are used for the flights, landing on the glacial runway which moves about 12 meters each year.

Wilkins Aerodrome is located at 66°41′27″ South, 111°31′35″ East,  in an area of Antarctica known as Wilkes’ Land,  approximately 70 km South East of Casey Base (WAP AUS-Ø2) and serves as the Antarctic terminal for the intercontinental air service.

The facility operates between October and March each year.

Source: http://www.antarctica.gov.au/news/2018/a-milestone-in-australian-antarctic-flights

Australian expeditioners near Casey Research Station  (WAP AUS– Ø2) were out on the water when they had an unexpected visitor. Antarctica offers emotions and job.

You, too, could have such an amazing experience – we’re recruiting expeditioners right now! To see the full list of roles available and to apply online visit http://jobs.antarctica.gov.au.

Source:  http://www.antarctica.gov.au/ 

20 January is a day dedicated to the world of penguins: did you know that they are aquatic animals and that their survival depends on the health of the oceans?  Protecting their ecosystem is the only way to help them.

Penguin Awareness Day (January 20^th of every year), together with the  World Penguin Day (April 25^th) are two great opportunities to learn about and appreciate one of the few natives of Antarctica.

World Penguin Day coincides with the annual northward migration of penguins. Penguins do not fly, rather, they walk, or waddle their way to and from. Penguins are found in Antarctica, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Peru, the Falkland Islands, and the Galapagos Islands.

Greenpeace recalls the reason to celebrate the majesty and silliness of the fine and flippered friends. Everybody can help Greenpeace and the penguins by joining their call for ocean sanctuaries around the world and spreading the word about this kind of initiatives.

Read more at: http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/how-are-you-celebrating-world-penguin-day/ 

On last December 22, under intense sleet, honors were paid at the national pavilion to all the people who have passed through the Artigas Antarctic Scientific Base (BCAA) in the framework of its 33^rd Anniversary.

The event included members of the Antarctic Programs present on King George Island. Greetings and gifts were received from their bases and the personnel of the Ship Rou Artigas.

Last January 6^th 2018 the navy ship M/V Rou Artigas carrying the fuel and supplies did arrive on schedule to Antarctic Artigas Base (WAP URYØ1) with  about 5 tons of frozen food and 226,000 liters of Antarctic gas oil.

M/V Rou04 General Artigas is a ship of the Uruguay National Navy that travels to Antarctica. The ship participates in the “Operation Antarkos XXXIV” with 120 crew members on board, of which 15 are students of the Naval School.

Purpose of this operation is carrying out the Antarctic Campaign between November 15, 2017 and March 30, 2018, making a stopover in the port of Punta Arenas, Republic of Chile. The mission consists of the logistical support of the Artigas Base (picture on the right) through the replenishment of materials for the continuity of the National Antarctic Program, for which 105 tons of general cargo are transported.

China plans to build its fifth Research Station in the Antarctic in a bid to further promote polar research, said an official with the State Oceanic Administration (SOA).

The station will be set on Inexpressible Island in Terra Nova Bay in the Ross Sea. After it is built, the year-round base will be used to investigate the land, sea, atmosphere, and glaciers in the Antarctic.  Chinese icebreaker ‘Xuelong is bound for Antarctica with construction materials in tow to build the country’s fifth scientific research station on the continent.

Read more at: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2017-10/28/c_136711670.htm
I/B Xuelong  started off at Inexpressible Island, not far from the Italian Mario Zucchelli Station (WAP ITA-Ø1), where the construction of the third all year round open Chinese station, is scheduled for 2022.  The name of this planned “New Base” is not yet known.

China has built four Antarctic Research Stations over 30 years of research, with Great Wall (Chángchéng Zhàn )  WAP CHN-Ø1, and Zhongshan WAP CHN-Ø2 serving as the two perennial stations, and Taishan (WAP CHN-NEW) & Kunlun (WAP CHN-NEW) being the two summer stations.

On the mean time, China is building its first homemade polar icebreaker “Xuelong 2” which is expected to be completed in 2019. Scientists say it will provide a solid guarantee for China’s polar expeditions.

More at: https://www.rt.com/news/409270-china-icebreaker-antarctica-station/

Kerry Peters was an elementary school teacher when he was offered retirement . He didn’t really had any of those “What will I do with myself now?” anxieties. He took retirement when it was offered, because he was already looking forward to what came next: exploring the polar regions.
Read this interesting story published on last sept.2017,  an Expedition tale from the rarely seen Snow Hill colony;  it tells about Antarctica, penguins and much more, told by a man who really has found what he was looking for!

Read the full story at: http://explore.quarkexpeditions.com/blog/my-march-to-the-emperor-penguins-an-expedition-tale-from-the-rarely-seen-snow-hill-colony?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=my-march-emperor-penguins&utm_campaign=ANT17-18

TNX Kerry Peters

To the thousands of Antarctic friends & followers, to the Teams working actually in Antarctic Stations and remote camps, to those embarked  on Supply and Support Ships boarding the Icy Continent,   to any individual personnel involved in Antarctica away from home and family.

We are here one more time  facing new  Bases, new contacts, and lots of DX, with the same creativity, and dedication. To our shipmates, to our friends, supporters and their families, to those who love Antarctica as much as we do.

We hope the coming year brings you Happiness, Prosperity and Hope for the future. We wish our and your  families peace and harmony, health and  happiness and may the blessing of God be upon all of us.

Happy New Year from WAP Staff

Media caption heading to Antarctica by plane is the exception, not the rule. According to Chinese media, the country’s first commercial flight to Antarctica brought 22 lucky tourists to the exotic destination this weekend.
The trip is hailed as a milestone – but is it really? And what does it tell us about China’s geopolitical ambitions in the region?
Is it really a first?
Described in Chinese papers as the beginning of a new era in the country’s tourism to Antarctica, the trip took the select few from Hong Kong all the way to the actual South Pole.

That meant a 15-hour flight to South Africa, refuelling in Cape Town and then another 5.5 hours to Antarctica. From there, it’s another five to six hours to the pole, where the flight landed on a 2.5-km (1.5-mile) runway carved into the ice.

The Chinese tour operator describes the trip as a milestone, saying it means Chinese tourists no longer have to book via foreign agencies.

Despite the current example of a top-of-the-menu extravaganza all the way to the pole, most Chinese tourists of course take the normal route by cruise ship from South America. In fact, only 1% of tourists fly to the interior of the continent.

Read more at: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-42388788

To the Antarctic friends, followers & Chasers

May the Christmas Night be full of happiness and Peace
Best of Season’s Greetings from the WAP Staff

From 2013 the “The Frozen Continent”  Certificate is released by IK3GER and it’s  free. It will be sent via email  (PDF or JPEG format file) to the Hams who request it to the Manager IK3GER: corsetti.paolo@libero.it 

The “THE FROZEN CONTINENT” award issued in 2 classes is  available OM/SWL who will be able to satisfy the conditions provided for class 1 or class 2.

The award is.

Class 1: at least 3 QSO/HRD with different stations based in Antarctica. Stations from the Falklands, South Georgia, South Orkney, South Shetlands and other Antarctic islands are not valid for the purpose of this award

Class 2: spell the words “THE FROZEN CONTINENT” by using the last letter of different Italian callsigns but excluding foreign operators operating portable in Italy. QSL from San Marino (T7), SMOM (1A0) and the Vatican (HV) are not accepted for this award

At least 1 QSO/HRD with a station based in Antarctica. Don’t forget that Stations from the Falklands, South Georgia, South Orkney, South Shetlands and other Antarctic islands are not valid for the purpose of this award. QSO/HRD validity 1.1.1985. Endorsement may by requested for SSB, CW, MIXED, DIGI etc. It is mandatory to send to the manager photocopy or scan of the QSL cards of the Antarctic stations only.

Just send your application by email to the award manager IK3GER and you will get the Award right away.

See also https://www.ik3ger.it/antarctica.html

TNX  Paolo Corsetti, IK3GER

From the unknown to scientific research, see how the mystery of Antarctic exploration has unfolded throughout the years.

For years, it had been speculated there was a continent at the bottom of the Southern Hemisphere, which was dubbed Terra Australis Incognita, Latin for  “unknown southern land”. But it wasn’t until the early 19th Century that humans actually reached Antarctica, and its extreme environment made exploring the continent a particularly daunting challenge. Here’s a timeline of the expeditions that amassed knowledge about the coldest continent.

Read more at: http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/continent-7-antarctica/articles/an-antarctic-expedition-timeline/

Thanks and credit to: National Geographic

Igor SWL UA6-1082708, Award Manager of the DX Trophy Awards Group  informs WAP that  “DX TROPHY AWARDS GROUP” issues a new recognition to Hams  ho can prove  two-way radio communications with the Countries  that have Research Stations in Antarctica; this is  called  “АNTARCTIC NATIONS TROPHY”. Igor Makeev RA3QSY is the 1st one to get the Trophy

To get it,  the applicants need to work Bases of various Countries in Antarctica according to the list shown below.

The basic plaque is Bronze  available for working  5 different Countries , Silver  for 10 different Countries, Gold  for 15 different countries , HONOUR ROLL – 20 different Countries plus a plaque of Excellence for working 30 Countries + 1 Multinational all issued for different classes or different modes: CW, SSB & MIX

The applicants have to send scan QSL cards or screenshots LOTW/Club Log.

Upper part of  plaque is made by glass, the lower part is metal plate with a size of 250х200.

Plaque cost is  51$ or 47Euro

More info can be requested by e-mail to: mydxtrophy@gmail.com

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

List of Countries in Antarctica valid for Аntarctic Nations Trophy

TNX  Igor, SWL UA6-1082708 Award Manager