WAP and the Ham’s Antarctic Community are grateful to Dr. Ron E. Flick K6REF, for the New WAP Reference, USA-44 issued after his activity from the US Yesterday Camp.
Here is a brief story told by Ron, K6REF, when he did come back home after his season in Antarctica.
Returned from Antarctica on schedule tired and sore (with wrist problems that should resolve) after many hours of flying! We deployed over 30 seismometers over the Ross Ice Shelf to measure ocean swell-induced vibrations, and to determine the structural properties of this largest ice shelf in the world. Ham radio was part of the public outreach for this National Science Foundation (NSF) sponsored project.
I was able to operate from the McMurdo Ham shack (KC4USV, WAP USA-21) with about 450 contacts between 5 and 13 Nov 2014. We spent that time there training and getting equipment ready, and waiting for weather suitable to fly to the field camp.
On 15 Nov 2014 we departed McMurdo in an LC130 from Willy Field and arrived at Yesterday Camp (78° 57.35 South by 179° 53.19 West) located near the Dateline in the middle of the Ross Ice Shelf (RIS), which is the size of France.
We camped at Yesterday Camp in amazingly cozy mountain tents for 19 days. We had several larger heated work and eating tents as well, and after a few days the cold didn’t seem so bad! The temperature was about -25°C (-13°F) when we arrived, gradually warming to a balmy -10°C (+14°F) by the time we left. We drank some beer outside once during a cold snap, and by the time I got half my can empty the rest was turning into frozen slush!
I operated from Yesterday Camp as KC4/K6REF between 18 Nov and 3 Dec 2014, making about 150 contacts in 27 countries and 23 US states. I used my Yaesu FT847 barefoot with a simple wire dipole mounted on flag poles about 8 feet off the ice. Conditions were often frustrating with one-way in propagation. I spent almost an hour trying to reach TY2CD in Benin (where there are only two licensed amateurs), all the while hearing Wynand at 58, but with him utterly unable to hear me. There were a few pileups, especially from European stations eager to log a once-only Antarctica contact. Picture above show the science tent QTH shack with diplole antenna on flag poles.
Thanks for all the QSOs, and apologies if you could not get through! I’m especially grateful to Bill K7MT and Bob K4MZU for their relay help and general support, and to Bob KK4KT and Roy KR6RG for their perserverance and the timeless (old fashioned) phone patch to my wife Myra (boy, was she surprised!). Also thanks to Joe AB6RM for posting a publicity piece in QST and to many other hams who spotted KC4/K6REF on the DX sites!
TNX K6REF
QSLs for KC4/KC6REF (Yesterday Camp WAP USA-44) have to be requested to:
REINHARD E FLICK, K6REF, 10764 LOIRE AVE, SAN DIEGO, CA 92131. USA
For more information on the science see: https://scripps.ucsd.edu/centers/iceshelfvibes/taking-the-pulse and the pages linked from there .
Antarctic shelters are facilities open to all countries, to be used in cases of emergency or to support activities in the field. They are equipped with food, fuel (there are with generators and communication equipment), accommodation facilities and other logistics. On King George Island (aka Isla 25 de Mayo), just to the South of Argentine Base Carlini ,WAP ARG-20 (ex Jubany Base) on Potter Peninsula there is a Special Protected Area (ASPA 132) which extends from Potter cove to Stranger point.
The refuge houses a repeater of analogue / digital VHF of the latest technology powered by solar energy that provides telecommunications support from radio frequency to all the scientific and logistical personnel in the
Svea is located in the Scharffenbergbotnen valley in the Heimefrontfjella mountain range, about 400 km from the coast. It was built during the 1987/88 Antarctic expedition and was the first Swedish research station in Antarctica since the Snow Hill station in 1901 and Maudheim in 1949.
and is an excellent Base for small, transient research teams performing fieldwork in the area. The station, comprising two joined fibreglass modules, is about 12 m2 and has four beds and one pantry.
The story of Japan’s involvement in the Antarctic goes back to 1955, when it announced at a special committee on the International Geophysical Year in Brussels that it planned to begin research in the region.
Nanda Devi Hut is a summer shelter in the area of the Indian Maitri Base (WAP IND-Ø3).
Barton Refuge is a Hut of 3 by 3 mts with gas stove, food, water, dry clothing and dry boots. Located little East of Narebsky point at 62° 14’ 18” South, 58° 45’ 20” West, this Korean outfits is used as emergency shelter and for scientific purpose. Korea’s King Sejong Station (WAP KOR-Ø1) lies 2 km to the North-East.
level.
Students of the “Malignani Institute” reconstruct the basement perimeter of the Italian scientific outpost built in Antarctica in 1976 by the Cepparo’s Expedition. It’s called MAVI (Memoriale dell’Antartide “Valle Italia”, Cepparo-Bove) and it’s a Memorial to not forget . The Ministry of Cultural Heritage (MiBACT) is one of the sponsors of this “National Antarctic Memorial, Renato Cepparo”
President of Adri-Antartica, Prof. Julius Fabbri, Ph.D. with the Cultural Association “ Adri-Antartica” in collaboration with the Municipality of Cervignano del Friuli (UD) and the School “Malignani 2000” member of the UNESCO network are pleased to announce the inauguration ceremony of the Antarctica “Valle Italia” (MANI), Cepparo-Bove, on Friday 25 May 2018 at the headquarters of the “A.Malignani” Technical Institute in Ramazzotti street , 41 – Cervignano del Friuli (Udine). The event falls into the National Competition of the MIUR “Future Present”, in agreement with UNESCO Youth – second edition –school year 2017/18
DJØHO/MM has been confirmed as being located on the German icebreaker and Research Vessel R/V Polarstern!
The Hut (67° 32′ South, 67° 12′ West) was built in 1957 and used as a satellite and advance base for survey and geological parties for personnel based at Horseshoe Island Station “Y” (WAP GBR-14). It was also used by parties from Detaille Island Station “W” (WAP GBR-26) and Stonington Island Station “E” (WAP GBR-Ø5). The sea ice around the island had proved unreliable during the previous two seasons, limiting the amount of sled travel and survey work that could be carried out from base.
designated as Historic Site No. 63 under the Antarctic Treaty, 19 May 1995 (included with Horseshoe Island Station). The site has been cleaned up and minor repairs completed in Mar 1997.
International Thwaites Glacier Collaboration will incorporate other nations’ research to time a potential collapse and assess implications for sea level rise, coastal infrastructure.
search collaboration, called the International Thwaites Glacier Collaboration (ITGC), was announced at the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) headquarters in Cambridge, England. The collaboration’s scientists will begin their first research season in Antarctica in October 2018, establishing a logistical support structure for future work. The collaboration will continue until 2021.
Yuri Sushkin N3QQ (aka UA9OPA) informs that next September 20-23rd 2018, several Radioamateurs will join the “RRC Anniversary meeting” in Orel, Russia, 200 miles from Moscow. A wonderful opportunity to have lot’s of fun and meet all RRC hard core guys!
Thanks to Bhagwati VU3BPZ and Rajesh VU3LBP, few envelopes are now coming at the end of the XXXVI Indian Scientific Expedition to Antarctica.
collecting Antarctic stamps, Covers , Antarctic ship covers, Polarogrammes, or any other envelopes or post cards coming from Antarctica is undoubtedly a great satisfaction … same as receiving QSLs after an Ham Radio contact with an Antarctic Base!
Norbet Trupp VK5MQ, is currently operating from Macquarie Island as VKØAI. He uses an Icom IC-7300 with vertical and has been already reported active on 20, 30, 40 & 80 mts bands in FT8 Mode.
resent worldwide.
Casey Research Station (WAP AUS-Ø2):
Starting his career as a Certified Swiss Mountain Guide, Henry Perk acquired his commercial pilots license and Ham license while guiding in the Canadian Rockies.
While in Antarctic each summer in the 1990’s Henry operated from many large and small locations as Siple Dome Station (WAP USA-18), Vostok Station (WAP RUS-13), WASA (WAP SVE-Ø4), ABOA (WAP FIN-Ø1), South Pole Station (WAP USA-21), McMurdo (WAP USA-22), Dome Charlie (WAP USA-Ø5), and many others.
The iceberg graveyard in Petermann Bay in Antarctica provides plenty of opportunity for whales, seals, penguins and other seabirds to feed along. Wind and current have created an iceberg graveyard here. The ice groans and sighs. The icebergs crackle and sparkle, buck and roll in the brilliant sunlight, reflecting every shade of blue.
On one of the thirteen Argentine Research Stations in Antarctica, Esperanza Base (WAP ARG-Ø4), we find the Chapel of San Francisco de Asís. The Esperanza base is inhabited all year round by civilians and is considered by the Argentines, as the southernmost city of the country, although it is only a small village. Besides the church, the base also has a school, a museum, a bar, a casino and a hospital with permanent maternity service and where enough Argentines have come to the world.
The Post Office was part of the Research Base known as Dakshin Gangotri (WAP IND-Ø1). It was set up during the third Indian expedition to the Antarctic but after six years of rigorous service, the place was decommissioned. The whole place got buried under the heavy blanket snow and is now marked as a historical site. The Post Office became operational on February 24, 1984 and was part of multiple support systems at Dakshin Gangotri. The other facilities included an ice-melting plant, accommodation, recreation facilities, laboratories, storage, a clinic and a bank counter. The Dakshin Gangotri Post Office was established under the Department of Post Office at Goa on January 26, 1988. Scientist G. Sudhakar Rao was appointed as the first Honorary Postmaster. He had gone to the Antarctic as a member of the Seventh Indian Scientific Expedition in 1987. In the very first year of its foundation, almost 10,000 letters were posted and cancelled in the Dakshin Gangotri post office..
Opened on February 6, 1955, Grussac Naval refuge (65° 10’ 33” South, 64° 08’ 10” West), on Petermann Island, was originally named to Hipólito Bouchard. , It takes its current name in homage to Paul Groussac (1848-1929), a French writer and historian based in Argentina and author of an allegation about the Argentine sovereignty of the Falkland Islands. Close to this Argentine naval refuge ( an old corrugated iron shack in rusted colors), lays a simple cross monument, an unreadable metal plaque with just one word “John” recalls the dead of a man of the British Antarctic Survey, who tried to get here over the sea ice in 1982..
Faruk Ozlu said on Wednesday.
A scientific expedition will next year try to find the Endurance, the ill-fated ship of Antarctic explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton. The vessel sank in 1915, crushed by sea-ice in the Weddell Sea and lost in 3,000m of water.
Scientists in Antarctica have harvested their first crop of vegetables grown without earth, daylight or pesticides as part of a project designed to help astronauts cultivate fresh food on other planets.
Indian Antarctic Program did start in 1981 with the first Indian expedition to Antarctica, a huge geo-political achievement. Dr. S Z Qasim, Secretary of Department of Environment and former Director of NIO was selected as the leader of the 21 member Team.
carry out scientific work Dakshin Gangotri was built in eight weeks by an 81 member Team. With help from the Indian army they did complete the construction in January 1984.
Great job is done by several worldwide Polar Philatelist Societies, just available on the web to learn and share the common interest in stamps, covers, and postal history. An interesting site with lots of links and information can be found here: 
Happy Easter from WAP Staff
With deep sorrow we (at WAP) knew at this moment that a young researcher engaged in the Antarctic campaign at the Indian Maitri Base, was victim of an accident in the Ice shelf.
Born on 13th April 1994, Shri. Subhajit Sen did pass away on Tuesday the 27th March 2018 while at Indian convoy route to Maitri Station , Antarctica in service to the Nation.
expected to return back home by April 2018. Through a competitive process, he was selected for the expedition based on his research project “Deformation – Fabric in Sub-glacial Till Exposed in Schirmacher Oasis”.
With profound grief and sorrow we at the Indian Research Base, Maitri Antarctica and at National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research, Goa condole the death of Shri Subhajit Sen and pray to God almighty for his soul rests in peace and for strength courage and solace to the family.
Officially opened on 20 March 1968; the US Palmer Research Station (WAP USA-23) on Anvers Island focuses primarily on Antarctic marine biology and zoology.
Christianity was first established in Antarctica by Captain Aeneas Mackintosh who erected a cross on Wind Vane Hill in 1916. The first religious service was conducted in Antarctica in 1947 by William Menster with about 2,000 people from different Christian denominations in attendance. Research and whaling stations were erected in the large area of Antarctica in the early 1900s. Since then, several scientists are attending the area especially during summer while a few people stay over during winter. The extended stay in the region can be stressful and challenging for researchers. The Jesuit geophysicists have contributed to the growth of religion in the continent through Antarctica mission work. The religion in Antarctica dates back to the discovery of the continent in 18th century. However, Christianity was the first religious practice in the continent.
entirely available online. It is an excellent testimony of the daily life conditions in Antarctica in 1950s in which clearly appear FB8AX (René Gros from 7mns10s to 8mns 00s then Mario Marret from 9mns53 to 57s).
Volker Strecke DL8JDX is a great friend and an Antarctic veteran who did participate to several Antarctic Expeditions from 1988 through 1994.
Nestled alongside Scott Base (WAP NZL-Ø1) in Antarctica, is Hillary’s Hut, a small building that’s played a big role in New Zealand’s history. Hillary’s Hut was the first building constructed at Scott Base. It was built by a team led by Sir Edmund Hillary in 1957 and it was from here that Sir Ed later led the historic expedition to the South Pole.
Thanks to F8DVD, always present since the 1st edition of the Antarctic Activity Week, 15 years ago!
Port Lockroy is situated on Goudier Island in the Palmer Archipelago (64°49’S – 63° 30’W) about 700 miles south of Argentina and Chile. The bay was discovered during Jean-Baptiste Charcot’s French Antarctic expedition in 1904 and was named after Edouard Lockroy, a French politician and Vice President of the Chamber of Deputies, who assisted the explorer in obtaining government funding for his expedition.
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.
request of the Argentine Foreign Ministry and went to Joinville Island to rescue the scientists.
Francisco de Gurruchaga Antarctic Naval Refuge (62°14’03.0″ South, 59°10’02.0″ West), also known as Armonia Refuge or Harmony Haven has been recently referenced with WAP ARG-28 following the activity of Juan Manuel Pereda who did operate from there as LU4CJM/Z from Jan. 8th through 22nd 2017.
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.
The commander of a Spanish Navy Rsearch Ship has died in Antarctica after apparently falling overboard.
Oleg Sakharov UA1PBA/ZS1ANF/RI1ANF was helpful to understand a bit more, so thanks to him, now the story is more clear.
Viktor, the ship’s Communications Officer and Ivan, the ship’s electrician. Their assistance was crucial to what success I was to enjoy.
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.
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.
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.
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.
As the base was named after British explorer Robert Falcon Scott, the New Zealand flag was raised on a flagstaff that had been used by Scott at Hut Point in 1903. Originally established to support the privately run Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition of 1955-58, it was to accommodate both the New Zealand party and a party of New Zealand scientists attached to the expedition who also contributed to the International Geophysical Year. These parties were the first to spend winter over at Scott Base. At the Completion of the expedition, Scott Base became the property of the New Zealand Government in agreement with the Ross Sea Committee. Source: 
II3BOVE is one of the Special Callsign to be aired, along with several others, within the initiatives of the 15th Antarctic Week 2018 scheduled from 17 to 25 February. In particular II3BOVE (WAP-271) aims to remember the first Italian Scientific Base in Antarctica, set in January 1976 by Cav. Renato Cepparo (I2VZP) and named after Giacomo Bove, the Italian explorer who at the end of 1800 sailed to the South to arrange an expedition on the Antarctic Continent. The Base, was active until 20th February 1976 as I1SR/MM.
only eight months after its construction and now only a stone path remains to remember its foundations. II3BOVE wish to recall the facts and remember the memory.
activity promotes with scientific research.
Cape Circoncision (Norwegian: Kapp Circoncision) (54° 23′ 48″ South, 3° 17′ 30″ East) is a peninsula on the north-western edge of subantarctic Bouvet Island.
Special callsign II3MNA WAP-205 is on the air during the15th Antarctic Week 2018 operating from MNA – “Museo Nazionale dell’Antartide” in Trieste, Italy. QSL via IQ3TS
Trieste exposition is organized in a surface of 600 sq. meters, where valuable collections, attractive sceneries and multimedia products, underline current scientific subjects, like climate change, anthropic impact on the environment, biodiversity and space research. This Museum is divided in three sectors: the first one is devoted to Antarctic historical cartography, including valuable ancient maps; the second sector is dedicated to the conquest and exploration of the Antarctic continent, highlighting the three pioneers, protagonists of the most difficult adventures of the world: Scott, Shackleton and Amundsen; the third and last sector is focused exclusively on the Italian expeditions from the 900’s until nowadays organized and realized by “Progetto Nazionale delle Ricerche in Antartide” (PNRA).
Jean Pierre Hubert ON7ZM, was in Antarctica in Feb 2009 with F5PFP; a great expedition still on the memory of many DXers and Antarctic hunters. Together they did activate several remote sites and Research Bases, some of them very rare!