On WAP-WADA Directory, among the South Africa references, we have WAP ZAF-01 (E-Base, South Africa’s logistical Base) at 70°18’ South, 02°24’ West. Reference has been given on 28-november-2002 following the activity of ZS7/ZS4AGA.
Then, we have WAP ZAF-11 (SANAE Summer Support Base, aka Neumayer Emergency Station) reference given following the activity of ZS7/DL1LLL on 24-September-2012.
Well, having made this premise, everybody should know that, on 20 February 2009 the German Station “Neumayer II” (WAP DEU-Ø2) a permanent German Antarctic research Base on Atka Bay opened in 1992 in replacement of the old Georg von Neumayer Station, did close.
The station which became increasingly deformed by snow and ice movements after 2007, was therefore uninhabitable since then. At the time, the station was moving with the shelf ice at about 200 meters per year towards the open sea.
On February 20, 2009, the German Neumayer II Station was officially handed over to South Africa (SANAE), in a ceremony marking its closure, as Germany opened (at the same time) its new permanent research base, the Neumayer Station III (WAP DEU-Ø8).
The South Africans then dismantled Neumayer II and built their Summer Support Base (also known as Neumayer Emergency Base) at the same location 70°37’ South, 08°15’ West on Atka Bay.
The 1st operation from the new SANAE Summer Support Base at (WAP ZAF-11) was made by Lars Lehrnet DL1LLL signing ZS7/DL1LLL on October 2012, followed by DPØGVN/P performed on January 8 & 9-2019 by Felix Riess DL5XL and Matthias Maasch DH5CW.
(see: https://www.waponline.it/neumayer-emergency-base-also-known-as-sanap-summer-base-wap-zaf-11/ and https://www.waponline.it/atka-bay-skiway-camp-wap-mnb-new/ )
Yesterday December 20-2025, Oleg Sakharov ZS7ANF did show up from there (WAP ZAF-11), first on 20 mts then 30 and 40 mts CW.
Just to complete the view of the detailed historical chronology, here below is what is well reported about ZAF-11 on ZS7/DL1LLL’s QSL.
SANAP (South Africa National Antarctic Program) will continue to use this facility as a replacement for the old South African E-Base (WAP ZAF-Ø1). E-Base is short for “Emergency Base” and it is used as a logistical facility in order to support supply operations to SANAE IV Base in Antarctic summer.
In 2009 a team of 16 people arrived onboard SA AGULHAS in order to take down Neumayer II and install the new E-Base right on top of it, above the snow. The remains of Neumayer II Base, large hollow metal tubes which once hosted living shelters and laboratories, are buried under tick ice. Today just the garage is used as a storage facility by SANAP
TNX Lars, DL1LLL, Felix DL5XL & Volker DL8JDX
By the way, Oleg ZS7ANF is supposed to be there for a couple of days, living in a yellow tent in front of the SANAE Support Base WAP ZAF-11. (see pic above)
TNX Oleg UA6GG @ DX Trophy