Mese: Ottobre 2025

WAP Antarctic Bulletin nr. 3Ø9 issued October 23th, 2025 is available to download.

On this issue you can find information about the Stations actually active in Antarctica and Peri-Antarctic sites, other then the planned or previsioned operations as well as in addition,  the most significant events in recent and/or past weeks.

TNX Max IK1GPG & Betty IK1QFM
Antarctic Season 2025-2026 has just begun; Stay tuned for possible spots which can report something interesting …

.

Click on the link aside to open last WAP Bulletin (pdf format) WAP-Bull_309

Enjoy Antarctica as much as we do!

Hidden beneath the biggest ice mass on Earth, hundreds of subglacial lakes form a crucial part of Antarctica’s icy structure, affecting the movement and stability of glaciers, and consequentially influencing global sea level rise.

Thanks to a decade of data from the European Space Agency’s CryoSat satellite, researchers have identified 85 previously unknown lakes several kilometres under the frozen surface surrounding the South Pole. This increases the number of known active subglacial lakes below Antarctica by more than half to 231.

The reasearch, published in Nature Communications, is significant because active subglacial lakes, which drain and refill on a cyclical basis, offer a rare insight into what is happening far below the surface, at the base of the ice sheet. The research also identified new drainage pathways underneath the ice sheet, including five interconnected subglacial lake networks.

Read more at: https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/FutureEO/CryoSat/85_new_subglacial_lakes_detected_below_Antarctica

The Expedition Headquarters of Fyodor Konyukhov, the Fyodor Konyukhov International Travel Center, and the POSTVENTURE & Postal Adventure All-Russian Philatery Development Project, with the support of the Primorsky Regional Branch of the Russian Geographical Society, the Ministry of Marine & Bottle Mail (Traditions of Postal Communications LLC), and the Seafarer International Maritime Club, have released a limited edition of the postal issue “The Fyodor Konyukhov Expedition’s Solo Antarctic Station on Smolensk Island.”

The “Single Antarctic Station on Smolensk Island” postal set, was presented by Ship Mail, Bottle Mail, and Polar Mail, includes an envelope, card, maximum card, vignette stamp, special postmark, and a duplicate of the Glass Bottle Message Certificate with an international registry from the Ministry of Marine Bottle Mail.

The author and head of the postage issue “The Single Antarctic Station on the Island of Smolensk of the Fyodor Konyukhov Expedition” was the head of the All-Russian project for the development of philatourism “POSTVENTURE & Postal Adventure”, a researcher and traveler, and a historian of the post, Valery Sushkov. The postmaster of the philatelic issue was Fyodor Konyukhov himself. The designer of the issue was Natalia Pligina.

The postal, set can be ordered through the contacts of the POSTVENTURE & Postal Adventure All-Russian Philately Development Project: E-mail: info@postventure.ru  or by phone/WhatsApp: +7-950-805-22-11

In December 2022, the traveler Fyodor Konyukhov, with the support of the Russian Geographical Society and Nikolai Savelyev (Poseidon Expeditions), did plan to deploy a one-person Antarctic station on the island of Smolensk (Livingston), of the South Shetland Islands.

Fyodor Konyukhov said: «Now my goal is Antarctica, where I plan to set up a new research station on the island of Smolensk and stay longer. In silence and solitude, I will continue to do research, paint pictures and keep diaries»

With the support of RUSARC, the first single Antarctic Station in modern Russia on the island of Smolensk will be set. This will be a base for scientific research and a new stage in the exploration of the harshest continent, where Fyodor Konyukhov plans to spend 4 months alone in 2025-2026.

The crossing of the Drake Passage will take place on the schooner AMAZONE, one of the most challenging stages of the expedition. This will involve about four days of open ocean, where the expedition members and Fyodor Konyukhov plan to send a Message in a Glass Bottle.

The first landing point will be the Antarctic Bellingshausen Station (WAP RUS-Ø1), located on the island of Waterloo, where the Russian winterers live and work, and where the southernmost church on Earth, the Church of the Holy Trinity, is located. Next, a team of 15 people will travel to Smolensk Island, where they will establish the first Russian single-person polar station under the leadership of Fyodor Konyukhov. This is a place where the history of great geographical discoveries meets modern Polar research.

TNX RMØL (ex RW3GW) Valery Sushkov

Over the weekend, the NZ Team gathered for the time-honoured flag ceremony, marking the official handover from the winter team to the summer crew. The winter flag was lowered and the summer one raised; a symbolic moment that celebrates the shift in season and team.

New Zealand is redeveloping its Scott Base in Antarctica (WAP NZL-Ø1), replacing its 12 buildings with three interconnected, sustainable structures designed to support scientific research for the next 50 years. The project is the largest ever undertaken by Antarctica New Zealand, with a budget of NZ$498 million, and will involve upgrading the wind farm and creating new laboratories, living quarters, and engineering workshops. Construction on the new base is expected to begin following the final design stages.

.

Thanks and credit to: Antarctica New Zealand https://www.antarcticanz.govt.nz/ 

.

Once in the past (25-30 years ago), Scott Base was quite active on HF, giving the Hams and Antarctic Chasers a chance to have ZL5 on their Logs. 
Since 2002, we have’t got reports of any activity from there!
The reason, could be found in new communication’s tools made HF radio out of fashion. For us, Old Timers is not so.

HF contacts from any part of the world to Antarctica is always wanted, a strong emotion for the large WW Ham Radio community. Our is an appeal, a pray to restore the good habit of being “On Air” from the one of most wantedi sites in Antarctica which is Scott Base  (WAP NZL-Ø1).

As the chasers know, Russian Robinson Club has been able to set several DX-peditions to Antarctic and Sub-Antarctic sites and as far as we know, there are still many more remote Antarctic and Arctic places, Islands and settlements to be activate: RRC can do it!

Recently, 120 RRC members are meeting at the Russian Robinson conference, concluded a few days ago in the city of Oryol.
The TOP of the RRC operators, a WW known DX Group, joining together is just wonderful!

The most know names of the DX arena; UA9OBA, RZ3EC, RA1ALA, RW3RN, R3CA, RK7A just to mention a few, have been there.   

TNX Oleg UA6GG@DX Design & Polar Trophy

.

WAP is happy to see our longtime friend Yuri Zaruba UA9OBA, Eugene Shelkanovtsev RZ3EC and all the well known names of DX scenario looking always so well in a very friendly atmosphere.

.

Ham Radio outside of politics … Radio, Science, Sport and Music must be and are the real spirit of the whole Ham Radio family without forgetting that Antarctica is a land of peace, study and research in the brotherhood of peoples!

.

Picture on the Left: RZ3EC

Picture on the Right: RW3RN, R3CA, UA9OBA

500 QSOs  and 45 Countries worked! Great success for the first activation of the Italian  R/V OGS Laura Bassi!

On Friday, September 26, ARI Grado OdV did activate the Research Vessel Laura Bassi, the Italian icebreaker moored in Trieste (locator JN65VP), together with the Adri-Antartica Cultural Association, thanks to the collaboration of the OGS, which kindly granted permission. A team of five radio amateurs took turns connecting 45 Countries, totaling 500 QSOs.

The idea of ​​activating the R/V Icebreaker OGS Laura Bassi, launched by the Worldwide Antarctic Program (W.A.P.) to Adri-Antartica President Julius Fabbri IV3CCT, was proposed to the OGS, which granted authorization. For the “First time On Air” activity, the call sign IV3CCT/MM has been used.

As soon as the Ham Team boarded on the Ship, an officer explained the ship’s characteristics, including a tour of the lifeboats and a description of the equipment used to stabilize the vessel during core drilling. The icebreaker also serves as a container carrier for logistics at the MZS (WAP ITA-Ø1) and Concordia (WAP MNB-Ø3) Stations. The aspect that most impressed the Radio Amateurs, were the three HF radios the ship is equipped with, and their three vertical antennas. On board are two Sailor 6301 MF/HF transceivers and another JRC model WRC-12 NCM2150 emergency radio, also in MF and HF, all with telephone receivers.

The activation was performed with a single station, a vertical antenna positioned at the bow and identical to the one already present on the ship. The bands used were 15, 17, 20, and 40 meters SSB, CW, and FT4.

QSL for the operation on board of the icebreaker have to be requested only direct to I1HYW, while  e-QSLs will be handled by ARI-Grado IQ3AZ. Correct information are reported on QRZ.com

Thanks to:  WAP www.waponline.it , to Prof, Nicola Casagli (OGS President ), the Ship’s Scientific Director, Dr. Franco Coren; Project Manager,  Dr. Roberto Romeo Project Manager ; Capt. Vincenzo Caso, and all the radio amateurs who contributed to the splendid success of the activity.

President of OGS Nicola Casagli sent IV3CCT Julius Fabbri the following msg:
Dear Dr. Fabbri, Thank you for your message and, above all, for the excellent outcome of the first radio activation of the Laura Bassi R/V on Friday, September 26th. On behalf of the OGS, I would like to express our gratitude to you, the ARI of Grado, and the W.A.P. for your collaboration and enthusiasm.
We look forward receiving and sharing your report as soon as the final article is published.
We remain available for any further initiatives that can strengthen this positive bond with the amateur radio community.
Regards, Nicola Casagli