Bill Ashley KF5BRB has sent a very rare QSL of VP8CI, active from Royal Society Base built at 75° 31′ South, 26° 36′ at Halley Bay, West Weddell Sea on January 6^th 1956

Let’s retrace a bit of history

Beginning with its dispatch of Halley on his geomagnetic cruise of 1699 to 1700, the Royal Society has played a sporadic, ad hoc, but nevertheless considerable role in the scientific investigation of the South Polar regions. In three ventures: Ross’s geomagnetic survey of 1839 to 1843, the first Scott expedition of 1901 to 1904 and the British contribution to the International Geophysical Year of 1957 to 1958, made major contributions to the planning and support of Antarctic scientific programs. Throughout, it has given backing to polar expeditions but has been consistent in putting science before geographical discovery. It has numbered some 20 Antarctic scientists among its Fellows.

The original Royal Society Base was founded on 6 January 1956 by an expedition of the Royal Society as part of International Geophysical Year (IGY) 1957–58. The bay where the expedition decided to set up their base was named Halley after the astronomer and Fellow of the Royal Society, Edmond Halley. The year 1956 also marked the tercentenary of Halley’s birth. In 1977, the name of the base was amended from Halley Bay to Halley as the original bay had disappeared due to changes in the ice shelf.

The original station, Royal Society Base, was founded in 1956 for the IGY by an expedition from the British Royal Society. The bay where the expedition set up their base was named Halley Bay, after the astronomer Edmond Halley. It was a traditional hut with a pitched roof. FIDS (Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey)   took over the operation of the station on 14 January 1959 when  the Royal Society Base  was renamed into Halley Bay or Halley I Research Station (referenced by WAP as GBR-15). A new main hut and dog kennels were built close to the original IGY buildings in February 1961, by which time the latter were completely covered by snow. It was closed early 1968.

Picture of  Halley Bay Station (see above)  shows a view of snowed up station complex taken from the met mast, Jan 1957. (Photographer: George Hemmen; Archives ref: AD6/19/3/C/Z6).

The date shown on VP8CI’s QSL is Aug. 17^th 1957. Also VP8CR did operate from Royal Society Base in 1957  

TNX Bill Ashley KF5BRB

Thanks and credit  to BAS (British Antarctic Survey)

The Antarctic Treaty System (ATS) was entered into force in 1961. So this year it’s the 60th Anniversary. 

WAP (www.waponline.it)  wish to promote the participation of the Ham Radio world to mark the celebration.  

The idea is that at least all the 12 original signatory countries (or even more) would initiate an activation with one or more SES ( as for example  EA6ØANT, CE60ANT, PYxANT,  YV6ØITS, LU6ØANT, KC6ØATS, etc.) for a limited timeframe in autumn this year 2021, similar to what we do for the Antarctic Activity Week»

The event will be open worldwide to the Hams who would like to join. Proposed run is October 1^st, through December 31^st 2021, but this lapse is not mandatory.  Participants with special callsign will get a related WAP-Reference  number.

A free ATS 6Ø online Award will be issued to mark the participation. An invite to draw one or more specific Awards for this particular event, is still open  to Clubs, printers or individuals.

So far, Hams from the following Countries: Germany, Bulgaria, Chile, UK, Italy have the special callsigns in the “Application Process”, waiting for confirmation. Hams from other Countries are also planning their participation and gradually they will let us know  
Chile , thanks to  Ricardo Velazquez  CE3HDI, President Radio Club Aeronautico – Chile – CE3RAC has requested  CE6ØANT, GMØGAV has requested GB6ØANT. Currently Germany has 2 Special Calls waiting for confirmation.

OE3DMA Alex Wagner have just received from the authorities his  OE6ØANT and his operating period will be July 1^st to dec.31^st 2021. WAP special reference to OE6ØANT has been issued as WAP-315. Congrats Alex, great shot!

WAP asks those interested to participate in the event with a SES , to send a mail to:
Volker DL8JDX (info@strecke.de) or to
Gianni I1HYW (varettos@tin.it) in order to pre-register the eventual participation and issuing the WAP Reference number, related to the Special Callsign.

Information and updates will coming in due course, Join the event, join the 60th Anniversary of ATS!
While looking forward to having a successful event, WAP wish everyone to enjoy Antarctica as much as we do 

Thanks to Jim Reisert AD1C  and  Alan Jubb 5B4AHJ for their continuous research and help, WAP has just issued a new Reference to the US Ellsworth Mountains Camp referred to the activity of KC4USW.

 First of all, Ellsworth Mountains Camp (WAP USA-NEW) has not to be confused with Ellsworth Station (WAP USA-31) and Ellsworth Base (WAP ARG-14)

KC4USW was QRV from McMurdo Station, Ross Island (WAP USA-22), in 1957  before moving to Ellsworth Mountains Camp, from where he was QRV until February 1959. CQ May 1959 gives the last day of operation from Ellsworth Station as 1959,Febr.1^st  (letter from W8LIO).

MARIST Archives & Special Collections has available a recording of an interview with Antarctic explorer Captain Finn Ronne from amateur radio station KC4USW, Weddel Sea, Antarctica, dated 1957, Nov.11.
For sure,  QSL of that date (pic on the Left) is a genuine one for Ellsworth Mountains Camp at 79°07’00” South,  85°39’00” West, on Ellswort Mountains, Weddell Sea area (The Weddell Sea is part of the Southern Ocean and contains the Weddell Gyre. Its land boundaries are defined by the bay formed from the coasts of Coats Land and the Antarctic Peninsula. The easternmost point is Cape Norway at Princess Martha Coast, Queen Maud Land. To the east of Cape Norway is the King Haakon VII Sea. Much of the southern part of the sea is covered by a permanent, massive Ice Shelf field, the Filchner Ronne Ice Shelf).

Ellsworth station, the one we know after 1957-1959, was another entity built later , that’s why  KC4USW has been used when  QRV from Ellsworth Station in 1979-80, and why CQ January 1996 reports KC4USW as QRV from Ellsworth. 1979-80 QSL (tnx ND4V): Note that the 1979/80 QSL shown in Club Log says “Ellsworth Mts (Mountains)”. (See pic on the Right here below)

A bit of history

(Ellsworth Mountains Camp mistakenly called Ellsworth Station) was built by US Navy Seabees under the command of Capt. Finn Ronne with the support of the Icebreackers USS Staten Island and USS Wyandot.

The originally planned site for the station was Cape Adams, but when the terrain proved impractical due to huge ice cliffs, an alternate location on Gould Bay was selected, on the western coast of the Wededell Sea over the Filchner Ice Shelf, and close to the Argentinean Belgrano I Base (WAP ARG-Ø5).

Part of the scheduled agenda for the IGY, Ellsworth Station was commissioned on 11 February 1957 and less than two years later, on 17 January 1959, was handed over to the Argentinean Antarctic Institute. Along with the handover, the United States government gave all the buildings, facilities, and existing food supplies while Argentina provided the logistical and administrative services necessary for the continued operation of the station. It was agreed that scientists of both countries would work together at the place in technical studies and scientific research.

Feasibility of the station came into question when structural problems caused by the unstable ice had the base half-sunken during most of the spring. To protect personnel and equipment, Ellsworth Mountains Camp (mistakenly called Ellsworth Base) was closed and all of its staff and equipment were evacuated on 30 December 1962, during the 1962–63 Antarctic summer campaign. It continued to be inspected periodically by Argentinean exploration teams: it was eventually covered by snow and ice. The Filchner Shelf sector where it was located as split off a giant iceberg, and then it drifted through the Southern Ocean, where the base’s remains have been lost at sea.

So, it looks like the Ellsworth Station (WAP-USA-31) and Ellsworth Base (WAP ARG-14) both at  77° 39’ S, 41° 05’ W were the same one. The 1^st,  the one managed by US, the 2^nd  managed by LU when it was turned over to Argentina.

Ellsworth Mountain Camp  (WAP-USA-NEW) was located at 79°07’S, 85°39’W and it was in activity only  from 1957 through 1959.

The ones reported active from 1979-80 and 1996 are referred to Ellsworth Station 77° 39’ S, 41° 05’ W, so,  2 different locations which may confuse a bit.

Following the KC4USW  QSL dated 1957, WAP is issuing WAP USA-46  reference to Ellsworth Mountain Camp,  79°07’S, 85°39’W on Ellswort Mountains, Weddell Sea area

 TNX Jim AD1C and Alan 5B4AHJ.  Note and info on KC4USW have been updated the in Club Log  at: https://clublog.org/test.php?call=KC4USW

A budget plan includes $344 million New Zealand dollars (US $247 million) to rebuild Scott Base (WAP NZL-Ø1) in Antarctica, which has been used by scientists since it first built in 1957 . The outdated buildings and facilities that keep the residents alive in the coldest, driest, windiest place on earth have deteriorated,” Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta said. “Doing nothing would eventually lead to the closure of the base.” (Pic aside show the actul Scott Base settlement)

The project would involve demolishing the existing 12 buildings, which were built in the early 1980s, and replacing them with three large, interconnected buildings. The rebuilt base could accommodate up to 100 people at a time. One of the new buildings would be used for accommodation and dining, one for science, and one for engineering and storage. A windfarm that produces renewable electricity would be overhauled.

The 2021 Budget held some great news for Antarctic scientists and researchers at the University of Canterbury. This project will replace the existing base and Ross Island Wind Farm, achieving the goal of a sustainable and long-term presence in Antarctica

Read more at:  https://www.miragenews.com/antarctic-researchers-react-to-budgets-scott-563507/  and  https://www.voanews.com/east-asia-pacific/new-zealand-spending-plan-includes-rebuilding-antarctic-base#:~:text=The%20budget%20plan%20includes%20%24344,it%20first%20built%20in%201957.

Station “P” was a British base camp at the head of Mateev Cove on the east side of Hannah Point, 62°39’16”South, 60°36’48” West on Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica that supported survey, geology and biology field work, from 29 December 1957 until 15 March 1958. It was a temporary, mobile camp for use by field parties on Livingston Island. It has not been the practice to assign letters to field camps, so the letter “P” was used as the intention had been to erect a Hut. RRS Shackleton was holed when transporting the Hut, parts of which were used to repair the ship.

The Camp was occupied by a six-member team led by Hugh Simpson.

Hannah Point forms the east side of the entrance to Walker Bay and the west side of the entrance to South Bay. Surmounted by Ustra peak to the north, with Liverpool Beach extending between the peak and the tip of Hannah Point with an ice-free area ca. 122 hectares (300 acres).

Hannah Point (the Point) is a narrow peninsula undulating upward to knife-edged ridges and vertical cliff edges 30-50 metres above sea level. There is loose scree on higher slopes and ridges, evidence of rock falls, and a Jaspar mineral vein. Ash-covered slopes link the Point to the flat open beach area of Walker Bay. (Pic aside show Hannah Point landing beach)

(British mapping in 1821, 1962 and 1968, Argentine in 1959 and 1980, Chilean in 1971, Spanish in 1991, and Bulgarian in 2005 and 2009).

Station “P” or Fileld Camp do not exist anymore, actually the area has high concentration of diverse wildlife: nesting gentoo, chinstrap, and a small number of macaroni penguins; nesting southern giant petrels; southern elephant seals.

The Antarctic Treaty System is the whole complex of arrangements made for the purpose of regulating relations among states in the Antarctic. At its heart is the Antarctic Treaty itself. The original Parties to the Treaty were the 12 nations active in the Antarctic during the International Geophysical Year of 1957-58.

As you know the Antarctic Treaty System (ATS) was entered into force in 1961. So this year it’s the 60th Anniversary. 

See https://www.ats.aq/e/antarctictreaty.html and   https://www.ats.aq/devAS/Parties?lang=e

WAP shares DL8JDX’s idea to promote the participation of the Ham Radio world to mark the celebration.  

DL8JDX Volker wrote: «I would like to organize one (or even more than one) special event calls in Germany. The idea is that at least all the 12 original signatory countries (or even more) would initiate an activation with one or more SES for a limited timeframe maybe in autumn this year 2021, similar to the AAW»

The event will be open worldwide,  to the Hams who would like to join. Proposed time is June 1^st 2021, through December 31^st 2021. 

Even special ATS 6Ø online Awards would be a good attraction to the HAM community (invite to create the Award is open to clubs, printers or individuals).  Of course, participants with special callsign will get a related WAP-Reference  number.

Let’s launch the 60^th ATS event:

WAP asks to those interested in the event, to send a mail to:

Volker DL8JDX (info@strecke.de) or to

Gianni I1HYW (varettos@tin.it) or to

Max IK1GPG (wap_info@virgilio.it) to pre-register the eventual participation.

If the number of participants will be such as to guarantee a certain level of adhesion and give the right emphasis to the initiative, then it will be possible to launch the 60^th ATS event

While looking forward to having a successful event, WAP wish everyone to enjoy Antarctica as much as we do.  More details and update,  will come later-

Rifugio Elefante is an Antarctic refuge located in the ice-free area at the foot of Fourcade glacier (62° 15’ 18″ South, 58° 37′ 56″ West) is located about 1000 mts from Punta Stranger,on the Potter peninsula of King George Island.

The refuge is a construction of 25 m², used from March to October by research groups as a resting point.

Recently,  members of the Solar Energy Department (CNEA) stepped on the Antarctic, did install on the site, an autonomous system that would provide energy to the “Elephant Refuge” located 2.6 km northwest of Carlini Base (WAP ARG-2Ø) of the Argentine Antarctic Institute.

Being Rifugio Elefante  WAP ARG-NEW, we hope someone in the near future can activate it on Ham radio HF bands!

Dr. Eddy De Busschere is the Secretary of the Belgian Polar Exploration Society (BPES).

For many years, Belgian and Dutch Antarctic teams carried mail from collectors during the involvement of the Antarctic programs  often in cooperation with other nations. The scientists and expeditioners  did their utmost to take care of the philatelic mails and BPES, through Eddy, has done  great efforts to  set and forward  boxes of self addressed envelopes  to the various Bases and Camps as well to polar ships starting their Antarctic campaigns in order to have the precious covers with Base leader’s signature mailed in the polar regions  or as near as possible. If many of the Antarctic philatelic collectors (including myself) have some or many of these rare envelopes,  have to thank Eddy and BPES for the service!

Recently I have received a mail from Eddy. He states: «Polar philately is nearly not existing this season because of Corona. I am offering a collection of stamps and covers related to Marconi. May be one of your Radio amateur friends is interested?  Exchange is also possible against Antarctic QSL cards».

In addition to this, Eddy sent a scan of the old QSL card  of OR4OR Gene (Jean Hooghewys). That is really a rare one! Eddy is still looking to have one of this card for his collection.

He said:  « Jean Hooghewys OR4OR is no longer with us and I cannot contact his family to find out if any cards are left. It is the only card I am still missing from the Belgian Antarctic base 1957-1967. I think I have all the others. The only person that has such a card is Ghis Penny (ON5NT). May be there is someone able to offer me such a card. I keep my fingers crossed.

Now, if someone could be interested in exchanging Antarctic QSL cards with  Marconi’s stamps and covers (see some in pics attached) or having a card of OR4OR can eventually write to me:

Eddy De Busschere

Kriekenstraat 5

BE-8310 Assebroek, BELGIUM – Belgique

email: pole@telenet.be

Dr. Eddy De Busschere  sent greetings to the passionate collectors and Polar lovers and  hopes Polar Philately and Ham Radio activity from Antarctica will soon resume.

TNX Eddy De Busschere @ BPES

“The 26th Ukrainian Antarctic Expedition left for the Vernadsky Research Base (WAP UKR-Ø1) on March 24. Researchers will spend approximately 13 months in Antarctica,” the National Antarctic Science Center press office informs.

Bohdan Havryliuk, a geophysicist from Kharkiv, is the team’s leader. This is the ninth annual expedition for him. Before that, the maximum number of winters spent at the base by one person had not exceeded eight. Bohdan is also the oldest team member and he will celebrate his 49th birthday at the station.

In total, the expedition includes 12 participants: 7 scientists, a doctor, a cook, a diesel engineer, a system mechanic and a system administrator. Of these, 11 men and one woman, a biologist Oksana Savenko, is going to the Base for the second time. This is also a record as no other woman had wintered twice before.

Polar explorers will study the climate, living organisms, the structure of glaciers, the formation of precipitation and monitor the level of ozone in the air. The team also plans to explore the “languages” and “dialects” of whales, recorded using hydrophones.

Thanks and credit to: http://kharkivobserver.com/kharkiv-geophysicist-leads-ukrainian-expedition-to-antarctica/

With regret, Ham radio community worldwide chasing DX and collect QSLs from Antarctic Bases, will miss to contact Vernadsky Station  WAP UKR-Ø1 on HF! As far as we know, no Ham radio operators are this year among the Team!

The Atmospheric Research Observatory (ARO) at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station (WAP USA-21)  is a National Science Foundation (NSF) facility located near the geographic South Pole. The NSF has allocated ARO to a long-term research program conducted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Global Monitoring Division (NOAA/OAR/ESRL/GMD).

ARO is located approximately four hundred meters grid east-northeast of the main station, physically separated and on the edge of a designated area called the Clean Air Sector. Due to local meteorology, winds at South Pole are very consistent, hence the designation of the Clean Air Sector. By positioning on the edge of this sector, ARO remains upwind of the local pollution inherent around the daily industrial operations of Amundsen-Scott Station. This clean upwind air is representative of the true mixed background atmosphere over Antarctica, and by sampling this air, ARO can establish an accurate long-term climate record of the continent. The mission of ARO is to measure long-term trends of important trace gases, aerosols, and solar radiation and to investigate the influence of these gases and aerosols on the Earth’s climate.

Thanks and credit to NOAA

Read more at: https://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/obop/spo/observatory.html

Matienzo Base  64° 50’ South, 60° 07’ West (Base Aérea Teniente Benjamín Matienzo)  WAP ARG-Ø1 is one of the Argentine Antarctic Base and scientific research Stations named after Lieutenant Benjamin Matienzo, an Argentine aviation pioneer. The Base is located in Larsen Nunatak one of the Foca Nunataks, in Graham land , Antarctic Peninsula. Matienzo is one of 13 research bases in Antarctica operated by Argentina.

From 1961 to 1985 it served as a permanent base; since then it is open during the summer season only. The Ham Radio Callsign was LU1ZAB

WAP-WADA Antarctic Directory,  lists almost all of the Bases,  Camps, Huts and Refuges known in Antarctica and on the Peri-Antarctic regions.

WAP-WACA Directory lists about 4,500 callsigns used in Antarctica since 1945.

TENIENTE MATIENZO AIR BASE – Antarctic Campaign 1970/71

Reported by Jorge Canova

After the kitchen, the Radio Station was our second meeting place. While in the first one we met to fraternize, make comments, tell jokes and have a few bitter ones enjoying the occurrences of our cook, the Radio Station was the obligatory point of attendance to listen and find out the latest news and communicate through the networks established to make official links and also to get in touch with our loved ones.

Who were neophytes in this discipline and specialty, did learn the secrets and tricks that the responsible  of the Radio room used to secure the connections fighting with the noises of the ether and band openings according to the time of the day, the distances between correspondents and the geographical location of the chasers and Dxers, taking advantage of the technical virtuosity of those, that among the Team  were operating  radio equipments,  we could hopefully listen to some Argentine and foreign radio stations, thus learning about the news of the day and how the world worked.

Thanks Jorge Canova

In the 80s,  thanks to these great guys, we could work almost all the  Argentine Antarctic Station  on HF bands, then decades after decades  with the  advent of new technologies such as satellite,  internet and digimodes, the emotion of a DX contact in SSB  and CW with Antarctica,  has became a rare event …

Six Bulgarian polar explorers:  Yordan Todorov, Petar Sapundzhiev, Emil Ivanov, Nikolay Nikolov, Kamen Nedkov and the doctor Dr. Atanas Peltekov, after about a month of delay, on April 14 2021,  left the Antarctic region and, by  a Uruguayan military plane arrived in the southernmost Chilean city of Punta Arenas.

The adventure of the 29^th Bulgarian  Antarctic Expedition started late due to a sequence of facts: The Spanish ship Esperides, which was scheduled to arrive at Livingston Island, did not sail from Spain at all, due to cases of Covid-19 of some of the crew. After twenty days of strict quarantine in Punta Arenas (each of the six Bulgarian guys was alone in a hotel room with food delivered to the door), the other Spanish ship, the Sarmiento de Gamboa, carried the group before the closure of the Spanish Base Juan Carlos I (WAP ESP-Ø1). The Chilean icebreaker Aquilez, which was scheduled to carry the Bulgarians from Livingstone Island at the end of March, was also quarantined due to Covid testing positive for some of the crew.

At the end of the season, before the onset of polar winter, there were practically no ships in the area of the South Shetland Islands. Prof. Pimpirev (doyen of the Bulgarian Antarctic Program) made contact with the Chilean Antarctic Institute, the polar ship Lautaro  went to take the group, threatened them with hibernation, without supplies of food and fuel, to the largest island in the area, King George, where there are several year-round bases and an airport. “Despite logistical problems, the expedition was able to complete all planned activities. Damage to facilities and buildings on the base caused by high winds during the time when no one was on the base was repaired and it was conserved for the coming winter. The site was prepared for the construction of the new laboratory block, a special hangar was built for the incinerator, which burns the waste ecologically, and all the data were taken from the year-round scientific equipment, which records climatic, seismic, mareographic and glaciological events, in the area when the base is not inhabited”  said Prof. Dr. Hristo Pimpirev, head of all Bulgarian polar expeditions and director of the Bulgarian Antarctic Institute.

In Punta Arenas the  polar explorers have not been under quarantine, their return to Bulgaria is expected on April 19.

Prof. Hristo Pimpirev,  together with Javier Cacho, a Spanish scientist physicist , recently received the “Unifier of Cultures” award in the eighth “Worlds and Colors” contest, organized by the Association of Spanish speaking Journalists in Bulgaria. (pic to the left)

Javier Cacho is one of the first researchers of the ozone hole. He was the base commander of the Spanish polar Station “Juan Carlos I” on Livingston island. He is also a famous writer and several of his Antarctica books have been translated into Bulgarian. The “Worlds and Colours” awards are given to journalists, artists and intellectuals for their overall contribution to the rapprochement between the cultures of Bulgaria and the Spanish-speaking world. Due to the epidemiological situation, the award will be held as an online event until the end of April.

Text taken from the original article   at: https://bnr.bg/hristobotev/post/101453437

TNX Dr. Volker Strecke DL8JDX

Ale Antarctic Logistics & Expeditions manage several sites in Antarctica. One of those, is Union Glacier Camp at 79˚46’South,  82˚52’West, located in Ellsworth Land in Antarctica.

The camp is the only private seasonally occupied camp which sites in the Heritage Range, below the Ellsworth Mountains, on the broad expanse of Union Glacier, that gives the camp its name.

Union Glacier Camp is only accessible by air and lies on the broad expanse of Union Glacier in the Southern Ellsworth Mountains.

Union Glacier Camp is the only facility of its kind in Antarctica. Full-service private camp operates during the Antarctic summer (November through January) and is dismantled at the end of each season. The camp does not only provides accommodations to guests on guided experiences, but also serves as a logistics hub, supporting private expeditions and National Antarctic Programs.

Find more at: https://antarctic-logistics.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Compress_Union_Glacier_Camp-1-compressed.pdf

Antarctic Logistics & Expeditions LLC (ALE) offers air transportation, logistic support, and guided experiences for those venturing to the interior of Antarctica. In 1985, our predecessor, Adventure Network International (ANI), pioneered private flights to Antarctica for an ascent of Mount Vinson. More than 30 years later, ALE remain the most experienced private operator on the continent with an impeccable safety record, a strong environmental ethic, and a desire to share the white continent with other passionate explorers.

WAP and Radio amateurs WW,  hope that some day  an HF Radio room and antennas could be set down there, to give more opportunities to the eventual HAMs wishing to travel in this fantastic and spectacular site!

For now,  Union Glacier Camp has been add to the WAP-WADA Directory and referred as  (WAP MNB-NEW)

A research team led by Prof. Shang Zhaohui from National Astronomical Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (NAOC) has proved that Dome A (short for Dome Argus)  in Antarctica is the best site for optical astronomical observation on Earth.

Seeing reflects the atmospheric turbulence that makes stars twinkle or smears star images observed by telescopes. At an observatory with good seeing, weak turbulence results in a smaller seeing value and sharper images. This is especially good for viewing faint objects. A small-aperture telescope at such a site can compete with a larger one at other sites.

Due to the geographic and atmospheric properties at Dome A, atmosphere turbulence usually resides in the near-ground, shallow boundary layer, above which is the very stable free atmosphere with superb seeing.

Read more at: https://scitechdaily.com/dome-a-in-antarctica-is-the-best-site-for-optical-astronomical-observation-on-earth/

and also:

https://web.archive.org/web/20100324134431/http://mcba11.phys.unsw.edu.au/~plato/plato.html

Dome A nearest Base is the Chinese. Kunlun Station located at 80° 25’ 01”South, 77° 06’ 58” East (WAP CHN-NEW), the only Base there around.

Dome A (aka Dome Argus) 80°22′ South,  77°22′ East is the highest place on the polar ice cap in East Antarctica, with an altitude of 4093. It is also one of the least-known places on the globe. An automatic weather station provides data from this remote site,  was set up over there, as part of an Australian-Chinese collaboration in January 2005. No ground-based scientific investigation had been made at this site before the arrival of the Chinese over-snow traverse team.

TNX and credit to: https://www.antarctica.gov.au/antarctic-operations/stations/other-locations/dome-a/

Dome A will be add to the WAP-WADA Directory under Multinational Base as WAP MNB-NEW

DT8A, KING SEJONG Antarctic Scientific Base (WAP KOR-Ø1)

In a recent mail (April 2 2021) Lee Sang Hon (DS4MNJ) informs that antenna for 80m~10m is installed and now he is ready for FT8 and CW. SSB is possible but it is only for contest or request.

Several spots have been put on the Cluster, so it’s a good time to stay tuned! Lee  has promised to send WAP some pictures and stories.

The King Sejong Station (WAP KOR-Ø1) was established and inaugurated on King George Island in February 1988.

QSL for DT8A is via DS5TOS

TNX DS4MNJ/DT8A

Research vessel Polarstern leaves the Falkland Islands.

The return journey of  R/V Polarstern from Stanley on the Falkland Islands to the home port of Bremerhaven begins last, Friday, April 2,
2021. The German research icebreaker is expected to arrive there on April 29th.
The current Polarstern voyage has the official abbreviation PS 125. On the Falkland Islands there has been an extensive change of crew and scientists. In order to achieve a safe exchange with regard to the pandemic situation, all new crew members from Germany as well as the representative of the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar Research (AW) and two employees of the German Weather Service (DWD) were previously in a two-week quarantine.
Among them is Felix, DL5XL, who has been very active on the bands in the past few months under DP0GNV from the Neumayer III Research Station (WAP DEU-Ø8)  and under DP0POL/MM from on board the Polarstern. Together with Theresa, DC1TH, he made it possible for many radio amateurs to have very special radio contact via QO-100 or on shortwave in his limited free time; we reported several times.
Addendum: Polarstern started its voyage to Europe on Friday evening at 1849 UTC. On the night of April 3, DP0POL/MM was already active again in the 40 m band in CW. Radio amateur on board is Andreas, DL3LRM.
Read more at: https://www.funkamateur.de/nachrichtendetails/items/PS125.html
TNX Info AWI and DL1AX

The german research icebreaker Polarstern is currently anchoring at Port Stanley, Falkland Islands, South Atlantic.

See https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/home/shipid:130195/zoom:10

The former Neumayer 3 wintering and summer Team is going to fly home from there.

Before the Polarstern did go back to the shelf ice coast near Neumayer 3 (WAP DEU-Ø8),  the ship took a deeper investigation of the big iceberg A-74 near the British Halley 6a Base (WAP GBR-4Ø).

Thanks and credit to:  https://www.awi.de/en/about-us/service/press/single-view/polarstern-expedition-erkundet-abgebrochenen-rieseneisberg.html

and  https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-56404142

TNX Dr. Volker Strecke DL8JDX

The planned Turkish Antarctic Research Station (TARS) is to be built in the southern part of the Antarctic Peninsula on Horseshoe Island. Between 24 and 50 people are to be accommodated in the station, which is to operate all year round. The graphic shows the various buildings and structures planned. (picture aside)

Horseshoe Island which is almost 12 km long and 6 km wide  is located  at 67°51’South, 67°12’ West, in the southern part of the Antarctic Peninsula in Marguerite Bay, well below the Arctic Circle. Nearby are the British station Rothera (WAP GBR-12), the Argentine station San Martin (WAP ARG-Ø8) and at 67°48’30”South, 67°17’39” West,  the old Station Y also known as Horseshoe Base (WAP GBR-14), an inactive but relatively unaltered and completely equipped British research Refuge  of the late 1950s. It includes ‘Blaiklock’, a nearby Refuge Hut (WAP GBR-NEW), been designated a Historic Site or Monument (HSM 63), following a proposal by the United Kingdom to the Antarctic Treaty Consulttive Meeting.

According to the Turkish Polar Institute TUBITAK MAM PRI, which is responsible for the management and operation of the station, the TARS (Turkish Antarctic Research Station) should be able to accommodate up to 50 people after completion. After a two-year trial run during the Antarctic summers, it will be eventually operated year-round and will advance the national Antarctic research program. Research areas include climate and ice science, atmospheric and space sciences, biological and earth sciences, and the impact of human activities on Antarctica. These research branches are part of the Turkish Polar Research Program, which has been in force in Antarctica since 2017.

The planned station will be built with prefabricated components produced in Turkey. Within two years of receiving the green light, the station should be ready for operation. Currently, only containers for eight people are available on Horseshoe Island to serve as a summer research camp.

Turkey is one of the youngest Antarctic nations and is hitting the accelerator. A first Antarctic expedition with Turkish participation was launched in 2016 together with Ukraine.

After Turkey ratified the Madrid Protocol on the Environment in 2017, the way was clear for its own expeditions. Just one year later, the temporary research camp was set up on Horseshoe Island. This is now to be replaced by the new Station.

Read more at: https://polarjournal.ch/en/2021/02/25/turkey-plans-its-own-antarctic-station/?fbclid=IwAR0swBe8obRVjWKH_AWq4njql4H7YoF9xeDE8Sgrehw5Eh0YwthxlZfUfF4

Located at 66°14’59” South, 100°36’12” East,  Edgeworth David is a summer-only Station, a research outpost named after Sir Edgeworth David.

The Base is sited in Northen Bunger Hill (aka Bunger Lakes or Bunger Oasis), a coastal range on the Knox Coast in Wilkes Land, Antarctica, consisting of a group of moderately low, rounded coastal hills, overlain by morainic drift and notably ice free throughout the year, lying south of the Highjump Archipelago. The reasoning behind the minute amount of ice in the area is still relatively unknown and remains under intense debate amongst scientists today. It was opened in 1986 by the Australian Antarctic Division. It is temporary visited during the summer season and used for geological, geophisical, geomorphologogical and biological research.

Edgeworth David summer Base lies about 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) from WNW of  Polish Antoni Dobrowolski Station (WAP POL-NEW), at 66°15′South, 100°36′ East. Australia has maintained this  summer-only station  since 1986.

So far, WAP does not have reports of  HF activity by any Hams from this site

Pakistani researchers are keen to revive scientific exploration in the Antarctic region. Officials have expressed a desire to revitalize expeditions in Antarctica by Pakistani scientists in collaboration with friendly countries.

During 1991 and 1993, Pakistan established two scientific research stations: Jinnah Antarctic Station I and II (WAP PAK-NEW), and an automatic weather station called Iqbal Observatory on Sor Rondane Mountain. This achievement earned Pakistan the associate membership of Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) in 1992. More recently, Pakistani scientists have also participated in Chinese expeditions in Antarctica.

Pakistan’s Antarctic Program started nearly three decades back after the country sent its first expedition to the South Pole, backed by the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) that was established in 1981 by the Ministry of Science and Technology. In the early 1990s,.

No independent expedition was sent by Pakistan after 1993 reportedly due to lack of funds and the government’s attention. “Scientific research in Antarctica is a future investment for any government that offers manifold opportunities and benefits technologically, economically and even diplomatically” explained Dr Hina Saeed Baig, Director General of NIO. “Pakistan’s Antarctic Programme is more than just a national achievement as it offers long-term benefits, elevates the country’s status and helps improve local expertise and technology.”

Jinnah Antarctic Station (JAS) – (WAP PAK-NEW) is an Antarctic scientific research Station operated by the Pakistan -Antarctic Programme. Pakistan signed the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) in 1991.
Location: Sør Rondane Mountains, Queen Maud Land, in Eastern Antarctica
Established: 1991 Launch: National Institute of Oceanography
Led: Pakistan Navy Support: Ministry of Science & Technology
2001: Data operational system was linked to the Badr-B satellite
2002: SUPARCO scientists installed supercomputer-equipped Facility
2005: Pakistan Air Force engineers and scientists built a small airstrip and a control room to monitor Flights to and From Pakistan
2010: Pakistan’s government approved a plan to expand the JAS Facility into a permanent operational Base

More info at: https://gulfnews.com/world/asia/pakistan/pakistan-eager-to-revive-antarctic-expedition-1.74813273

Hope one day some Pakistani Ham radio will  performing HF activity from there!

Bob, K4MZU has just received all the logs from Buzz W3EMD (pic aside on his operation site when aboard),  for  the activity as VP8DPC/m and C6AMD/mm.

The reason he used VP8DPC/m  (instead of /MM, according to his thinking) is because he was right off shore in South Georgia territorial waters. In a way, he is correct as here in the US you can only use /MM  in international waters. «In this case,  we know he was /MM off shore from South Georgia»  said Bob K4MZU.

Buzz did operate from febr/16 – march/11 2016 aboard the Antarctic M/V Orion, cruising around South Georgia Island and the Falkland Islands.

M/V Orion  is listed on WAP-WACA Directory (under call VP8DPC/MM), therefore is valid for WAP Awards. Callsign C6AMD/MM will be add accordingly on the Directory.

QSL(s) is now to be requested through Bob K4MZU at:

ROBERT HINES,  1978 SNAPPING SHOALS RD, MC DONOUGH, GA 30252, USA

Starting October 15, 1956, the Soviet Union built a Scientific Station by the name of Oazis (Оазис) at the shore of the Algae (Figurnoje) Lake in the center of Bunger Lakes or Bunger Oasis’s area.  The Oazis Base located at 66° 16′ 29″ South, 100° 44′ 49″ East, consisting of two wooden houses ca. 20 m² each and a few smaller buildings, was able to accommodate  eight people. The station was handed over by the Soviet Accademy of Sciences to Poland on January 23, 1959, and was renamed Antoni  B. Dobrowolski Station. It continued to be occupied for a few weeks only thereafter.

The still in place magnetic observatory building (“Oasis Station Observatory”), along with a plaque commemorating the establishment of Oasis Station in 1956, has been designated a Historic Site or Monument (HSM 10) following a proposal by Russia to the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM).

WAP does not have evidence of any Ham Radio activity from there so, the Soviet Union’s  Oazis Station (aka Bunger Oasis Station) at  66° 16′ 29″ South, 100° 44′ 49″ East, remains unnumbered as WAP RUS-NEW.

The Base,  63°33’07” South, 57°22’40”West (a small Chilean Antarctic Refuge located in Duse bay, Trinity Peninsula, Antarctic Peninsula.)  is a cabin with a machine house, bathroom and storage. It is located about 36 km away from another Chilean base, General Bernardo O’Higgins Riquelme Station (WAP CHL-Ø2) on which it heavily depends.

Currently the installation is regularly maintained by Chile, for use as an emergency shelter, allowing 8 people to survive in it for 20 days in the event of an accident. Initially it was the British “Station V”, erected as a satellite base of the “Station D” located in Hope bay (WAP GBR-Ø4).

Station D was then assigned to Uruguay in 1997 and renamed Ruperto Elichiribethy Station (WAP URY-NEW).

As part of a plan to remove or transfer abandoned facilities, in cooperation with the Antarctic Treaty System, on July 29, 1996, Station V was transferred to Chile, which renamed it General Ramon Cans Montalva Sub Base who later became Jorge Boonen Rivera.

The refuge consists of a hut enabled as a room and a second machine house, bathroom and storage. Currently the installation is regularly maintained by Chile, for use as an emergency shelter, allowing 8 people to survive in it for 20 days in the event of an accident. For this purpose, the station has an electric generator, as well as fuel, food, water and gas. In September 2005 three soldiers of the Chilean Army died in the vicinity of the Refuge, when their snowmobile fell into a crevasse.

It was February 2004 when WAP did launch the idea of an Antarctic Activity Week. From that time, every year several Hams and Clubs, join the annual 8-day event, which purpose  is to recognize and bring attention to the scientific communities and the work they do in the Antarctic.

Here below, just some of the comments coming from participants:

From  KØANT- Antenna Club in Johnson County, Overland Park, Kansas-USA

This is the 18^th year of the annual happening, and the 11^th year that The Kansas Antenna Club in Johnson County has supported this event.
Club founder and call sign Trustee, Jim KB­­­ØMZF did send a message to the Club members: «Unfortunately, due to COVID-19 protocols, the Kansas City authority  has indicated that are not currently allowing groups such as ours, to conduct events in our headquarters. So, our AAW outing to there, will not be available as an activity. We are disappointed, because it has always been a fun way to share HAM radio with the public, but we do of course understand their need for that policy this year.  However, if you are a Member in good standing, you still have permission to use our KØANT Club call sign to make contacts from your home station at any time during the 8-day event.  You are invited to participate and help our Club support»

From K4A, PHILIP W FINKLE, K6EID from Marietta, Georgia-USA

Just completed this years AAW, made 696 QSOS all on digital FT4 and FT8.

Here’s my annual stats since 2007: This year we had bad solar activity for 3 days that pretty much killed most propagation.

Year      QSOs
2021      696
2020      737
2019      952
2018      457
2017      776
2016      340
2015      338
2014      545
2013      473
2012      783
2011      916
2010      635
2009      699
2008      712
2007     1101
I have already reserved K4A for 2022, said Phil!

From Volker DL8JDX, Altötting, Germany

Thanks again for organizing the AAW 2021. It was fun again working many AAW Special Event Stations. During this AAW and during this Antarctic Summer Season, I could work following stations:
12 WAP SES Stations:
EH3ANT              WAP-292
EM25VER            WAP-312
IB2ANT                WAP-308
II2ANT                 WAP-030
II5ANT                 WAP-025
II8WAP                WAP-297
IR1ANT                WAP-002
K4A                       WAP-073
LZ18ANT              WAP-311
OE18AAW           WAP-309
PF88ANT             WAP-307
TM18AAW          WAP-310

7 Antarctic/Sub-Antarctic Stations:
RI01ANT              RUS-11
LU1ZG                 ARG-06
VP8LP                 GBR-25
VP8NO                GBR-25
VP8/SQ1SGB      GBR-40
ZS7ANF              MNB-12
DP1POL              DEU-08

2 Antarctic Research Ships:
RX6A/mm           Akademik Tryoshnikov
DP0POL/mm      Polarstern
Looking forward to the next upcoming season, said Volker!

Congrats to everyone who did join the 18th AAW, and don’t forget to aplly the “free” 18th AAW Award,  available online (TNX IK3GER)
See: http://www.waponline.it/antarctic-activity-week/aaw-2021/

For those who had not yet  the luck to work Oleg, ZS7ANF from the Wolf´s Fang Runway, would be useful to know that he is almost every day in the evening hours on 10115 (+/-)  in CW.

Wolf’s Fang Runway,  WAP MNB-12,  is located at  71° 31′ South, 08° 48′ East , 1127mts  AMSL,  3000mts  long track strip on the the ice.
See  http://white-desert.com/wolfsfang-runway-logistics/ and you will get more.

Oleg ZS7ANF is expected to be also active from Whichaway Oasis Camp, WAP MNB-11 in a little while.

Thanks to Dr. Volker Strecke DL8JDX who did provide few pics of  a detail that many of the chasers  may have missed!

It is particularly worthy of note that the WhichAway Camp (built in 2010) is in the Schirmacher Oasis at the Lake Podprudnoje at  70° 45′ 49″ South, 11° 36′59″ East,   exactly at the same position where the Georg Forster Hut  (at 70°46′ South,   11°37′ East)  was until 1993.

Pictures to the Left and to the Right show how the place looked in 1989 (L) , and on the right a picture of 1991

And below, how the Whichaway Oasis Camp looks today:

TNX Dr. Volker Strecke, DL8JDX operator at:

1988-1989  Y88POL  Georg Forster Base  Schirmacher Oasis  WAP DDR-Ø1

1990-1992  Y88POL  Georg Forster Base  Schirmacher Oasis  WAP DDR-Ø1

1992-1994  DPØGVN  Neumayer II Base  Ekstroem Shelf Ice  WAP DEU-Ø2

Thanks to Mehdi F5PFP for having shown an old QSL card of VP8AR who did operate from Leith Haurbour in 1950,  WAP is happy to issue a reference number for this unreferenced Brithish station in the South Georgia islands.

Leith Harbour, Britain’s abandoned whale hunting stations is now WAP GBR-41. The New reference  will be add to WAP-WADA Directory on its next release (June 2021).

Between 1909 and 1965, the whaling station of Leith Harbour on South Georgia was one of the busiest whaling stations in the world, with more than 48,000 whales processed into oil for margarine, bone meal for fertiliser and other products. A film crew was granted access to the abandoned whaling stations, and a new BBC4 documentary shows the remains of whaling life, and the wildlife that is re-colonising Leith Harbour.

Leith Harbour whaling station and Stromness Bay, in South Georgia, is part of British overseas territory in the southern Atlantic Ocean. The station was established in 1909, and finally abandoned for good in 1965. It is now off-limits to visitors due to dangerous buildings and high levels of asbestos. At its peak Leith Harbour housed 500 men and was the biggest whaling station in the world. A steam-saw on the bone loft used for cutting up the skulls and spines of whales, which were boiled to extract oil. Up to 29 tonnes of oil could be extracted from each whale by putting its blubber, meat and bone through different industrial processes. In 1933, 37% of the fat in British margarines was from whales.
WAP has actually  no evidence that, other than VP8AR in 1950 someone else did operate Ham Radio from there. So far, it looks like no one operated from Leith Harbour after this one. (Pic aside shows an aerial view of Leith harbour)

Read more and watch the nice pics to “The Guardian” site, to which we say Thanks and credit: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/gallery/2014/jun/10/britains-whale-hunters-in-pictures

Leith Harbour WAP GBR-41 was a whaling station on the northeast coast of South Georgia, established and operated from 1909 until 1965. It was the largest of seven whaling stations, situated near the mouth of Stromness Bay.

Read also: https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-27734930?piano-modal

Thanks to Joe De Gasperin I2YDX a keen Dxer and Antarctic Chaser for submitting a rare and old QSL of the Polar ship ARA Francisco De Gurruchaga worked way back in jan 15^th 1976. LU8ENT/MM is listed in WAP-WACA Directory under the Polar Ship section, therefore valid for WAP Awards.

A brief profile of this Polar ship:

Francisco de Gurruchaga (previous name; USS Luiseno) is an auxiliary ship of the Argentine Navy.

In service since 1975, she worked in the tasks of  support to Antarctic campaigns, and rescue. In 1976 she set out from Ushuaia to the South Shtetland Islands to rescue the crew of the sinister M/V ARA Zapiola. That same year, Francisco de Gurruchaga supported the oceanographic vessel ARA El Austral and later the ARA Diaguita, both with a waterway. During the Malvinas War she operated from the Isla de los Estados, being the protagonist of the rescue of 390 men from the sinking of the ARA General Belgrano cruiser. In 1985 she captured the Japanese fishing vessels Fuki Maru 51 and Dae-Wang, opening fire on the former for disobedience. She repeated catches in 1986 with the Chidori Marú and Ainnia fishing vessels. In 1999 she was part of the first combined exercise with the United Kingdom after the Falklands War, called “Millenium” .

https://youtu.be/_K7txd-377A

In 2010 she was assigned to Ushuaia as a new seat, from there she began new functions such as search and rescue, and resupply of Control Posts and Maritime Traffic around the Isla de los Estados. In a difficult mission, she rescued the shipwrecked from the Polish sailboat Nashachata, seriously damaged in Sloggett Bay, having to withstand winds of 100 km/h and waves of 6 meters high during the operation. In December 2011 she helped injured kayakers on the Isla de Los Estados, then in May 2013, the veteran ship was again assigned to the Puerto Belgrano Naval Base, where it received important maintenance tasks.

ARA Francisco De Gurruchaga is listed  in the all major auxiliary ships transports, colliers, tankers, scientific vessels, tugs, in service with the Argentine Navy

25 years ago, February 6^th  1996, Ukraine took over the operation at Base Faraday (or Base F), WAP GBR-Ø7 of the United Kingdom which was sold by the UK for a symbolic one pound. The cost of disassembling the base with good environmental practices and standards would have been too costly.

The  National Antarctic Scientific Center of Ukraine did a great job to renew the Base which is one of the most active in Antarctica, Over there,   research programs are performed all year round in several fields:  of meteorology, upper atmospheric physics, geomagnetism, ozone, seismology, glaciology, ecology, biology and physiology .

Vernadsky Station (WAP UKR-Ø1) is located at the marine tip of Galindez Island in the group of Argentine islands of the Wilhelm Archipelago.

The base has a wonderful Orthodox Chapel inside, the St. Volodymyr Chapel (properly Grand Prince St. Vladimir, equal to the Apostles) a small Eastern church which serves the Vernadsky Research Base.

To celebrate the event,  a special callsign  EM25VER (WAP-312) has been issued and in addition, a special free digital certificate Award, “25th Anniversary of the Ukrainian Antarctic Station Akademik Vernadsky” will also be issued. It can be requested by sending an email to Pavlo Tarasovych UT1KY at ut1ky@ukr.net after having had at least one contact with EM25VER, which will be on air , all bands, all modes also during the Antarctic Activity Week.

QSL direct or via Bureau to UT1KY

Yesterday, Jan. 31, 2021 another group of German scientists did fly with an Airbus A350-900 directly from Hamburg to Port Stanley, Falklands. There they will be picked up by the Research Icebreaker Polarstern in order to conduct research projects in the Weddel Sea.

In March 2021 the R/V Polarstern will bring the old Neumayer 3 Winter Team and the Summer Team to Port Stanley. From there they will be flying home. 

All details here:  https://www.awi.de/en/about-us/service/press/single-view/klimaforschung-im-suedpolarmeer.html  

Volker, DL8JDX has sent some links about the currently ongoing 15 hours direct flight from Hamburg to Port Stanley, Falklands. They will did land today around noon time.

https://www.lufthansagroup.com/de/newsroom/meldungen/lufthansa-startet-mit-polarforschern-zu-ihrem-laengsten-passagierflug.html

https://www.awi.de/en/about-us/service/press/single-view/klimaforschung-im-suedpolarmeer.html

https://www.travelandleisure.com/airlines-airports/lufthansa-launching-longest-flight-ever

https://mobile.twitter.com/flightradar24/status/1355976422532276224

LH2574  Live Position Mo. 1.2.2021 

https://www.spiegel.de/reise/lufthansa-startet-laengsten-nonstop-passagierflug-a-264a3e07-e732-4a15-8d72-68fcc0ba218b

Thanks DL8JDX, Dr. Volker Strecke

MPV Everest  did arrive in Hobart, Tasmania,  to commence work for the Australian Antarctic Program, resupplying Australian stations and changing over personnel this summer.

The Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) has chartered the vessel to undertake two voyages to Casey (WAP AUS-Ø2), Davis (WAP AUS-Ø3) and Mawson (WAP AUS-Ø4) research stations in Antarctica.

The first voyage has departed for Casey research station on 9 January after cargo and equipment has been loaded for resupply, and expeditioners board the vessel.

Built in 2017, the 140-metre long MPV Everest is an ice-strengthened ship with the ability to break sea ice up to one meter thick, and an international crew experienced in polar conditions.

Maritime Construction Services (MCS) has announced, that it has been awarded a contract by The Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) for Supply Services in the Antarctic region. With the ICE Class 1A Super characteristics of the MPV Everest, this is the best equipped vessel worldwide to provide these services in Antarctica.

No Ham operation have been performed from onboard