Black Island, satellite site, WAP USA-NEW

Black Island, USA Telecommunication Facility is listed on WAP-WADA Directory as USA-NEW.
The satellite site located on Black Island in Antarctica at 78°07′South, 166°08′East is commonly referred to as the Black Island satellite receiving station. (Picture aside show Black Island facility, 27 October 2014. Thanks and credit to Peter Rejcek, USAP Photo Library)

Situated about 25 miles south of McMurdo Station, it serves as the primary communications hub for the U.S. Antarctic Program, utilizing large microwave dishes to facilitate satellite data, phone, and internet services. The station is on the summit of Mount Melania, a rounded hill about 330 meters high at the northern end of Black Island in the Ross Archipelago. It lies east of Mount Ewart and North of Melania Ridge.

When Black Island was initially used to transmit and receive communication signals, there were fewer satellites viewable in the sky and it was the only location feasible. However, today there are more satellites viewable from Ross Island, making this location a better location due to its easier accessibility. The antennas and dishes at Black Island are still in place and used as well.

This location proved unsuitable for the long term, as the satellite service was to be changed/relocated so that it would be inaccessible behind Mt. Erebus. The Black Island facility also included other HF and VHF towers and systems, a 16′ x 32′ Jamesway shelter for temporary housing, fuel tanks, a 1200 Watts ORMAT JP-8-fueled closed cycle vapor turbine generator, and a wind turbine and battery storage system. Concurrently with the Black Island installation, the SPSDL was also installed in 1984-85 to provide data communication between Pole and McMurdo using low earth orbit satellites.

The plan is to move all communications to Ross Island and remove the station on Black Island over the next several years.