We must be grateful for this operation, to the personnel of the Polar Ship Laura Bassi, docked at the port of Trieste, preparing for next Antarctic Campaign.
Prof. PhD Julius Fabbri IV3CCT, has really spent a lot of time to get necessary permission to operate from onboard with the invaluable help of OGS (https://www.ogs.it/it) . With the Hams from ARI-Grado, particularly to the President Andrea Regolin IV3VFR and colleagues of Grado Radio Club, it has been reached a great goal!
The icebreaker belongs to the Experimental Geophysical Observatory (OGS), headquartered in Trieste, northeastern Italy and this activity, aimed to put “On Air” the Italian Icebreaker for the 1st time, has been a fantastic success!
The activation is being held to mark the following anniversaries:
– 40th Anniversary of the National Antarctic Research Program (PNRA);
– 50th Anniversary of the inauguration of the Giacomo Bove Station (WAP ITA-Ø2). The motor vessel C. Colombo set sail from Trieste on 13 November 1975 bound for Montevideo with 30 tons of prefabricated material to build the G. Bove, Station. The journey continued aboard the Norwegian ship Rig Mate, headed towards the Antarctic Peninsula
– 20th Anniversary of the Italian-French Concordia Station (WAP MNB-Ø3);
– 64th Anniversary of the entry into force of the Antarctic Treaty.
Prof. Julius Fabbri said: «On Friday, September 26, 2025, with the ARI-Grado and the representative of the Adri-Antartica Association, we did activate the R/V Icebreaker Laura Bassi, thanks to the kind welcome of the OGS-Trieste. I sincerely thank everybody who did help us; OGS, ARI-Grado, and WAP for their valuable collaboration. We did operate SSB & CW on 17-20 & 40 mts SSB, CW and FT4.»
Special thanks to:
Prof. Nicola Casagli (President of OGS);
Dr. Franco Coren (Director of the Naval Infrastructure Management Center of the National Institute of Oceanography and Experimental Geophysics)
Dr. Roberto Romeo (Project Manager)
Captain Vincenzo Caso (Captain of R/V Laura Bassi).
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Briefly, Prof. Julius Fabbri add: «I am very grateful to Gianni Varetto I1HYW@WAP(Worldwide Antarctic Program), to ARI-GRADO IQ3AZ, to Andrea IV3VFR, Giacomo IV3CLI; Claudio IV3DXW and Alessandro IV3CTT».
IV3CCT/MM made 500 QSOs; 45 Countries worked! (See the table here aside)
QSL will be available by e-QSL and Direct. (More info on QSL route will be given later)
Check more about OGS at: https://www.ogs.it/it