Mese: Settembre 2020

Bunger Oasis Station, WAP RUS-NEW

On: By: Gianni Varetto

Oasis Research Station 66°12’28” South, 100°45’00”East,  was built by the Soviet Antarctic Expedition  in 1956 and named Oazis (Оазис). The station has been visited periodically by Polish and other research teams. Official classification of the station is “inactive”. The station is only occasionally visited by tourists.
Picture aside shows the Research Station Oasis photographed in 1958 during the 3rd Soviet Antarctic Expedition of 1957-59.

The station was located in the east of Antarctica on the edge of a dry valley. Photographed in 1958.

As far as we know, nobody has been active for this old epic Russian Station. It will be interesting to know if someone have evidence of Ham radio operation from there, in this case a WAP reference will be given for sure.

The Station has been  handed over to Poland in 1959, who renamed the facility as  A.B. Dobrowolski Polar Station.

Refuge Cape Reclus, Antarctica, WAP GBR-36

On: By: Gianni Varetto

Also known as Reclus hut or Portal Point this Refuge was located at 64°30’ South, 61°46’ West , at Portal Point, Reclus Peninsula, Danco Coast, with  survey and geology purposes.

It was occupied from 13 Dec 1956 to 25 Apr 1958.

Party from Danco Island (Station “O” WAP GBR-11) wintered there 1957 to continue local survey work. 4 man party, led by Wally Herbert, completed the first traverse from Hope Bay to Cape Reclus from 9 Oct through 30 Dec 1957.

Pic on the right shows Cape Reclus refuge, 1957-58. (Photographer: Richard Foster; Archives ref: AD6/19/2/O3/2)

Thanks and credit to:  https://www.bas.ac.uk/about/about-bas/history/british-research-stations-and-refuges/cape-reclus-refuge/

Cape Reclus Refuge has been dismantled in Mar 1996 and transported to the Falkland Islands Museum, Stanley, Falkland Islands. (Erected as an exhibit Dec 1998, refurbished Nov 2007, re-built inside the new Museum 2014.)
Only concrete foundations remain at Portal Point. The ruins will anyway considered valid for WAP-WADA & WAP-WACA Award program.

On 14-15 march 2011, during his Antarctica Expedition, VP8DLM operated by Mehdi, F5PFP did activate this rare location to which a WAP reference number has been given as WAP GBR-36.

17th WAP Meeting 18-21 Sept. 2020

On: By: Gianni Varetto

For 17 years now, without interruption, Hams from Italy and few others coming from neighboring European Countries have joined a Multi Program Meeting  in Northen Italy at the foot of the Alps.

This strange 2020 with lots of problems connected to the Covid 19 did not stopped the enthusiasm of the organizers so that the 19th DCI Meeting (Italian Castles) among the  11th  IFFA (Flora and Fauna) and 17th Worldwide Antarctic Program (WAP) was held  last 18-21 September in the nice frame of  “Hotel Restaurant Commercio” Roccaforte Mondovì, at the foot of the Alps in another historical site in the province of Cuneo.

Perfect organization well managed by the group of ARI-Mondovì (Italian Amateur Radio Association) with several speakers who debated some of the most interesting topics of  DXing and the spasmodic search for the “New One”.
Antarctica and WAP have been carried on by Max IK1GPG and Betty IKQFM who shown the results obtained in terms of rankings and diplomas awarded to Ham radio fans of Antarctica from all over the world.
Since 40 years WAP continue to achieve success, thanks to a large group of  Hams and Chasers, Students and Antarctic followers. This make us very happy and  motivates us to continue despite our commitments and our work. WAP Awards, Antarctic bulletins, Directories, regular information posted on WAP website, are just some of the goals to which we are proud also because everything has been put online for free. Our passion to the Icy Continent  makes us forget the fatigue and we are always comforted by the satisfaction of knowing that there are many of us in the world with the same passion. Thanks to the hundreds radio amateurs  and friends who have collaborated and continue to collaborate with us, providing news and information.

(Pictures above show the authority in front of the 2010’s banner of the Meeting and the intervention by the Mayor of the city.).

Thanks to IK1QFM Betty, IK1GPG Max, KK3Q Floyd  and last but not least I1HYW Gianni

Thanks everyone WW for keeping the Antarctic  passion always alive.
Enjoy Antarctica as much as we do!

18 Sept. Chile celebrates its Independence Day

On: By: Gianni Varetto

Happy National Holiday Chile … and Happy celebration to the personnel at Chilean Antarctic Bases in Antarctica!

This public holiday is always celebrated in Chile on September 18th and marks the date when the Chilean people declared the independence from Spain in 1810.

Chile’s National Day,  along with Christmas, are the most important holidays time in the year in Chile.

Chile is one of 12 nations that first signed the Antarctic Treaty in 1959.
Picture on top shows the Scientific Research Station O’Higgins (WAP CHL-Ø2) , named after Chile’s independence leader, on the Antarctic Peninsula.

Station V (View Point) WAP GBR-NEW

On: By: Gianni Varetto

View Point 63°33’ South, 57°21’ West, is a 150m long eastern tip of a promontory on Antarctica.

It was the location of the British research Station “V”, which was active intermittently from June 3, 1953 to November 25, 1963 and called Seal-catcher’s Arms or View Point Hut, with the intention of searching in the survey, meteorology and geology. Established as a satellite base for Hope Bay (Station D) WAP GBR-Ø4 , the construction of the first hut started on June 3, 1953, the second was established on March 20, 1956.

On July 29, 1996 the “Station V” was transferred to  Chile who renamed it General Ramon Cañas Montalva Sub Base (WAP CHL NEW … never been activated). In reality, this is a small Chilean shelter, actually known as General Jorge Boonen Rivera Base (formally General Ramon Cañas Montalva) administered by the Chilean Army.

View Point, situated 6.79 km east of Skomlya Hill and 6.45 km southeast of Boil Point  was discovered by a party under J. Gunnar Andersson of the Swedish Antarctic Expedition 1901-04. So named by the Falklands Islands Dependencies Survey (FIDS) following their survey of the area in 1945 because from this promontory, good panoramic photographs were obtained.
Picture aside (1956) shows  interior of old Base “V”  hut at View Point,  Thanks and credit:  BAS archive (Photographer: Hugh Simpson, medical officer; Archives ref: AD6/19/3/D25)

Source: https://www.bas.ac.uk/about/about-bas/history/british-research-stations-and-refuges/view-point-v/ 

Keeping Antarctica free of COVID-19 means longer stay for Aussies

On: By: Gianni Varetto

The battle to keep Antarctica free of coronavirus will see Australian expeditioners spend up to an extra four months on the ice-covered wilderness.
Antarctica is the only continent without a single recorded COVID-19 case.
Members of the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) are based at isolated stations and sub stations around the South Pole. Stringent precautions taken by the AAD and the 28 other nations with polar bases have stopped the pandemic reaching Antarctica.

Read more at:
https://www.9news.com.au/national/coronavirus-keeping-antarctica-covid19-free-means-longer-stay-for-australian-expeditioners/87b4a867-0a2e-48ac-9268-20933dd426a8

Sir Edmund Hillary’s Antarctic hut , a  virtual reality tour  by NZAHT

On: By: Gianni Varetto

WAP suggests the Antarctic hunters and followers  to visit and join the  Antarctic Heritage Trust https://nzaht.org/ and sign in to receive the always interesting monthly newsletters.

On the recent september issue, NZAHT is delighted to officially launch a unique virtual reality (VR) experience of Sir Edmund Hillary’s Antarctic hut. Developed in partnership with Auckland University of Technology (AUT) the VR was recently launched in person by New Zealand’s Prime Minister Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern, who described the experience as “deeply moving”.
Donning a headset, people are invited to step inside Hillary’s Hut and to explore the first building at what is now New Zealand’s Scott Base (WAP NZL-Ø1, picture aside).

A fully immersive experience, which includes a guided tour through ‘A’ hut, it celebrates New Zealand’s first presence in Antarctica as part of the Trans-Antarctic Expedition and International Geophysical Year.
As part of our commitment to sharing the world’s greatest polar exploration stories the Trust is utilizing virtual reality. It is a powerful medium to allow people to access Antarctica’s remarkable history of exploration and the legacy of the expedition bases, which the Trust cares for on behalf of the international community.
It is a ground-breaking project in terms of its scale and approach with more than a dozen AUT students and staff contributing over 4000 hours to the project.  AUT Associate Professor Barbara Bollard, who helped collect the data to create the experience, says it was a privilege to be involved in bringing the hut to life.  “It’s one thing to read about a place or see photos, but to interactively walk around and experience it as if you are there, really cements the connection. It creates a greater awareness and appreciation of the importance and value of these places.”

Read more at: https://nzaht.org/the-explorer-september-2020/

Nuclear-powered «Sevmorput» gears up for Antarctica voyage

On: By: Gianni Varetto

The world’s only civilian nuclear-powered cargo ship will later this year bring construction material to the coast of Antarctic aimed for Russia’s Research Station Vostok II (WAP RUS-NEW) in inland Princess Elizabeth Land.

Polar  I/B  “Sevmorput”. Photo credit: Thomas Nilsen

Later this year, the “Sevmorput” is due to sail to Antarctica with a shipment of construction material for this brand new Base which will be called Vostok II Station

Rosatom, Russia’s state nuclear corporation, informs in a Facebook update that the «Sevmorput» later this year will sail across the globe with construction materials aimed for the country’s Vostok II Research Station in inland Antarctica. 

Founded by the Soviet Union in 1957, the old Vostok station (WAP RUS-13) is the place on earth with the lowest ever reliably measured temperature with −89.2 °C. The station is 1,253 km from the South Pole. The «Sevmorput» will deliver the cargo on the coast from where it will be transported into the frozen continent. 

Thanks and credit to: https://thebarentsobserver.com/en/industry-and-energy/2020/02/nuclear-powered-container-ship-sevmorput-gears-antarctica-voyage

It will be great to have a chance to contact  I/B Sevmorput on HF bands,  during his way down to Antarctica. The ship will enter on WAP WADA Directory if it will be put on the air. Russian radio amateurs did never disappoint us. They know how to operate professionally at any latitude and with even modest means . The world of radio amateurs trusts in them, hoping they can operate HF  on board!

ALE 2020, Antarctic Season cancellation

On: By: Gianni Varetto

With more than 30 years of experience, ALE (Antarctic Logistic & Expedition)  is the leader in polar expeditions and the premier provider of deep-field experiences, private retreats & logistical services supporting responsible tourism in Antarctica.

In a press release signed by David Rootes on behalf of ALE’s Partners, the Company regrets  to announce that after careful deliberation of the issues and uncertainty from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we have taken the difficult decision to cancel their  2020-21 Antarctic season.

ALE feels that the  correct action now is to cancel our season, limiting the potential spread of the virus, ensuring our most vulnerable populations are kept safe, and ensuring we do not inadvertently bring COVID-19 into Antarctica.

Ale is now looking into  2021-22 schedule to identify ways to accommodate guests who may wish to carry over as well and those who are already planning to travel with us during the 2021-22 season. Revised 2021-22. Dates & Rates will be released on September 18, 2020.

 TNX Adam Brown K2ARB for the information.

Read the full statement at: https://antarctic-logistics.com/

Deep grief for Dr. Vilas Jogdand

On: By: Gianni Varetto

NCPOR condoles the death of  Dr. Vilas Jogdand, Leader of  Maitri Station during the 35th Indian Scientific Expedition to Antarctica (2015-16).

He was a meteorologist with the India Meteorological Department, posted at Pune, Maharashtra.

Born, 10 Dec 1970 died on 02 September 2020

Vilas Jogdand, a meteorologist with the Weather Forecasting Division of India Meteorological Department (IMD), Pune, died of suspected coronavirus infection on Wednesday. He was 50 years old.

Jogdand had last reported to duty 10 days ago.

He had been undergoing treatment at YCM Hospital, a dedicated Covid hospital, in Pimpri. Jogdand had undergone a Covid-19 test, the results of which are awaited.

With his rich experience in meteorology, Jogdand was among the recommended experts to participate in the upcoming Indian Scientific Expedition to Antarctica (ISEA).

He had earlier represented IMD at the 31st and 35th ISEA expeditions, in 2012-2013 and 2014-2015, respectively. He was the Leader of the expedition in 2015–2016.

During these expeditions, organised by the Ministry of Earth Sciences, scientists visit and stay at the Maitri station  (WAPO IND-Ø3) in the South Pole and carry out scientific experiments.

Source: https://www.msn.com/en-in/news/newsindia/vilas-jogdand-meteorologist-and-former-leader-of-indias-antarctica-expedition-dies/ar-BB18GzF9

WAP and Antarctic community join the family’s condolences for the premature loss of Dr. Vilas Jogdand

Ernest Shackleton’s Cross

On: By: Gianni Varetto

Hope Point, 54° 17′ South,  36° 29′ 15″ West,  is a rocky bluff,  20 meters (70 ft) high, which forms the north side of the entrance to King Edward Cove.

Hope Point (South Georgia) is the site of a monument erected by Sir Ernest Shackleton’s men, the memorial cairn and cross at the end of King Edward Point, beyond the British Base (WAP GBR-24),  face the Cove since 1922.

The cairn and cross in memory of Sir Ernest Shackleton  at King Edward Point was erected by the crew of the Quest Expedition on their return from the South. They were unable to attend Shackleton’s funeral as they had set off on the expedition thinking the body was bound for England.

Photo: The Wilkins Collection (c) Ohio State University

British Antarctic Survey research Station “M” King Edward Point (WAP GBR-24) is located on Hope Point, the cove’s northernmost headland. Abandoned whaling station Grytviken (WAP GBR-29) is located on the cove’s western shore.