Mese: Marzo 2018

Demise of Shri. Subhajit Sen – Member 37th ISEA

On: By: Gianni Varetto

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.
He met with an accident during convoy operations at Ice Shelf and suffered a major trauma late evening of 26th March 2018.
He was immediately rushed towards the Expedition Vessel and Doctors joined with medical help around 23:15 hrs (UTC+01). Unfortunately, attempts to revive him went in vain and he bid farewell due to fatal injuries to this mortal world at 00:12 hrs (UTC+01).

The  student participant  Shri Subhajit Sen,  was deputed to Antarctica  a member of the short term Team of the 37th Indian Scientific Expedition to Antarctica (ISEA) in November 2017 and was 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”.

Shri Subhajit Sen  was an intelligent young scientist, adorable personality with many facets and an energetic member of the team who would bring smile to many faces, would go an extra mile to help others and would stand by in the hour of need, is no more with us– is the sad comment of the Indian Antarctic Center – Shri Sen will always remain in the hearts of fellow Antarcticans and remembered with fondness. His contributions to Antarctic Sciences will always be admired.

 

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.
Read more at:  http://www.ncaor.gov.in/news


On behalf of the WAP community, sure to interpret the sentiment of the thousands of Hams, Antarctic chasers, Scientific colleagues  as well as all the Antarctic followers, worldwide, we send our deepest condolences to the family and to everyone in the NCAOR Department.
His soul rest in peace.

For condolences to family and friends write to condolence.sen@ncaor.gov.in

Happy 50th Birthday Palmer Station! WAP USA-23

On: By: Gianni Varetto

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.

Located on Anvers Island near the Antarctic Peninsula, Palmer Station (64° 46’S, 64° 03’W) is named for Nathaniel B. Palmer, who in 1820 on a sealing expedition in his 47-foot (14-meter) ship the Hero became the first American to record sighting Antarctica. The original station was built in 1965. In 1967, the U.S. Navy began construction of the current larger and more permanent station approximately a mile east of the original site. The first building at the new station, the biology laboratory, opened its doors to science in 1970. Today, two main buildings and several smaller structures make up Palmer Station and provide housing and research facilities for scientists and support personnel. Of the three U.S. Antarctic stations, Palmer is the only one that is accessed routinely during the winter.

Palmer Station Webcam is mounted on a tower overlooking the smallest of the United States Antarctic stations, as well as Arthur Harbour and the Bismarck Strait beyond. Palmer station webcam at: https://www.usap.gov/videoclipsandmaps/palwebcam.cfm

Thanks and credit  to National Science Foundation (NSF)

And now … a quick tour of Palmer Station WAP USA-23

Argentine Chapels in Antarctica

On: By: Gianni Varetto

Humans have left their mark on the once virgin continent, Antarctica. In the research bases we can find a number of services that many less isolated places do not have. School, Post office, Hospital, bowling alley or ATM are some of the services we can find in the Icy Continent,  and among all these buildings, Churches could not miss.

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.

Antarctica has several places of worship, and has a growing demand for religious services and worship spaces in its territory. Despite the saying “below 40 degrees south there is no law; below 50 degrees south there is no God”,  the exploration of the continent was closely related to religious activities and had numerous religious (for example, Jesuit geophysicists). Some of the first religious buildings are protected as historical monuments.

Shortly,  WAP will start to publish history and picture of the Catholic Chapels that have been built in most of the  Argentine Research Stations in Antarctica, even if the articles previously published  on the old WAP website have been recovered by Floyd Larck KK3Q are already available through http://www.waponline.it/articles/church-archives/.

Thanks to Marambio Foundation (http://www.marambio.aq/), thanks to Juan Manuel LU4CJM, Roberto LU3CQ, Horacio LU4DXU for providing descriptions and pics,.

French Port Martin Station, WAP FRA-Ø7, Antarctica

On: By: Gianni Varetto

The coastal region of Terre Adelie was discovered and named by the French Dumont D’Urville expedition which landed on Debarquement Rock in the Dumoulin Islands at the northeast end of the Point Geologie Archipelago, on January 21, 1840. Terre Adelie was the subject of a territorial claim by France in 1924. This was further defined by a parliamentary decree in 1938 “to cover all islands and lands lying south of latitude 60°S between longitudes 136° and 142° east.”

French Antarctic research station, Port Martin, 66° 49’ 06” South, 141° 24’ 02” East was established at Cape Margerie on the coast of Adelie Land, Antarctica, by the 3rd French expedition on January 20th  1950 and was occupied for two winters, during which time the coastal islands were explored and ground control astrofixes observed with astro-labes and theodolites. Inland traverses were made using Weasel vehicles and dog teams. During unloading for a third winter, the base was destroyed by fire on the night of January 23, 1952. Fortunately no one died or was injured. The Port Martin station (WAP FRA-Ø7) was abandoned and actually, in addition to being the site of an abandoned French research base with scattered artifacts, is the name of the adjacent anchorage. Port Martin is Antarctic Special protected Area (ASPA) No.166 and HSM 46.

Thanks and credit: Archive TAAF ( http://archives.taaf.fr/spip.php?article6871)

 

 

 

It’s worth to know that that, later in 1952, a small wooden hut was built on Ile des Petrels and occupied by seven men under Marret’s command; they overwintered in 1952/53 and enlarged the hut to serve as the new base site. That wooden building, known as ‘Base Marret’ (pictures aside) has been designated as HSM 47 (Historic site or Monument).

The movie in French language shows  Port Martin Antarctic Station  before the base was destroyed by fire in 1952 ,  is now 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).

TNX Mehdi F5PFP

Petrel island is now the site of the new main French Station, named after Dumont D’Urville (WAP FRA-Ø1), subsequently built 62 km (39 mi) west of Port Martin and opened on January 12, 1956 to serve as the center for French scientific research during the Antarctic International Geophysical Year 1957-1958. The station has remained in active use ever since.

DL8JDX Volker Strecke, an Antarctic Veteran

On: By: Gianni Varetto

Volker Strecke DL8JDX is a great friend and an Antarctic veteran who did participate  to several Antarctic Expeditions from 1988 through 1994.

He did operate as Y88POL at Georg Forster Station WAP DDR-Ø1 (1988-1989 and 1990-1992) and been also active as DPØGVN from Neumayer II Station WAP DEU-Ø1 on 1992-1994.

He enjoy hunting stations, so,  at the end of the last 15th Antarctic Activity Week, Volker wrote:

-I would like to thank WAP for your every years organization of the Antarctic Activity Weeks. Due to a lot of QRL I do have not always time, but during the AAW this year I managed to do 16 QSOs with 11 different WAP Stations.

So looking forward to continuously supporting the WAP-.

Thanks, Kind regards and best 73,

Volker Strecke, DL8JDX

Happy and proud to have Volker DL8JDX on the list of the thousands of WAP supporters!

Inside Scott Base WAP NZL-Ø1

On: By: Gianni Varetto

Have you ever wondered what it’s like inside Scott Base (WAP NZL-Ø1) in Antarctica?

Take a quick trip around our base and visit the Hillary Field Centre (named after Sir Edmund Hillary), Hatherton Lab (named after scientist Trevor Hatherton), TAE (Trans Antarctic Expedition)  Hut, a part of the original Scott Base and more!!

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 and Cedit to: http://www.nzaht.org/explorer-bases/hillarys-hut-scott-base#

Read lots more at: https://polar-news.com/antarctic/history/254-saving-hillary-s-historic-antarctic-hut-at-scott-base

TM15AAW, WAP-285 by François F8DVD

On: By: Gianni Varetto

Thanks to F8DVD, always present since the 1st edition of the Antarctic Activity Week, 15 years ago!

He wrote: -15th AAW is over since few weeks. Propagation wasn’t so good but always nice to work so many friends with special call commemorating Antarctic activities-.

François sent WAP two samples of his brand new QSL cards; both looks great!

Here below a brief description of the subject choice while TM15AAW QSLs are in process of print.

This year, I choose 2 pictures of Port Lockroy base (WAP GBR-Ø1), the British station established in 1944.
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 station is small and basic, compared to its modern day counterparts such as Rothera and Halley, but the spectacular mountain scenery, abundant wildlife and historical interest make Port Lockroy WAP GBR-Ø1 well worth a visit.

 

73 de François  F8DVD/TM15AAW

Five US Scientists rescued in Antarctica

On: By: Gianni Varetto

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.

The provided Irizar’s assistance is framed in the spirit of the commitments of  the Antarctic Treaty which implies cooperation and assistance to human life on the White Continent and its surrounding waters

Because of the icy conditions of Joinville Island (in the Weddell Sea), the ship waiting for the scientists could not approach the camp to return them back to the Continent. For this reason, the National Science Foundation ( the Antarctic Program of the USA) required the help of the “Irizar” equipped with Sea King helicopters to assist the isolated US professionals and  to rescue them and their camp.

The polar ship, which is doomed to the Antarctic Summer Campaign (CAV) that carries the defense portfolio, acted at the request of the Argentine Foreign Ministry and went to Joinville Island to rescue the scientists.

The location was quite close to Base Petrel (WAP ARG-17) and Base Esperanza (WAP ARG-Ø4) that Argentina has in the Gulf of Erebus and Terror. (Erebus and Terror Gulf is a gulf on the southeast side of the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula, bordered on the northeast by the Joinville Island group and on the southwest by the James Ross Island group).

The assistance was made through four flights with Sea King helicopters in a successful way, and the scientists will be transported during this journey to the US ship Laurence M. Gould.

Source: https://www.argentina.gob.ar/noticias/el-rompehielos-almirante-irizar-rescato-cinco-cientificos-estadounidenses-varados-en-la

Francisco de Gurruchaga Naval refuge (WAP ARG-28)

On: By: Gianni Varetto

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.

The Refuge  is placed in Harmony Point, Nelson Island, South Shetland Island. The administration depends of the Argentine Naval Army. The shelter was built on December 15 of 1954.
This Area was originally designated as Site of Special Scientific Interest No. 14 under Antarctic ATCM Recommendation XIII-8 (1985), after a proposal by Argentina, because this is an excellent example of maritime Antarctic communities of birds and land ecosystems present in the South Shetland Islands, making it possible to carry out long-term research programs without damage or harmful interference.

TNX Juan Manuel Pereda LU4CJM

Ruperto Elichiribehety Station (WAP URY-NEW)

On: By: Gianni Varetto

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.

Ruperto Elichiribehety Station (WAP URY-NEW)   is located in Hut Cove, South East of Hope Bay in the North East part of the Antarctic Peninsula (63°24′09″S 56°59′28″W) next to the Argentine Esperanza Base (WAP ARG-Ø4).
The Station can accommodate 7 people, and it is dedicated to support scientific projects in the surrender areas. It was a former British Station D, known as Trinity House.

 

Spanish navy Captain dies in Antarctica

On: By: Gianni Varetto

The commander of a Spanish Navy Rsearch Ship has died in Antarctica after apparently falling overboard.

Javier Montojo Salazar, Captain of the frigate Hesperides, disappeared on Friday night when the ship was near the Juan Carlos I° research Base on Livingstone Island.

Spain’s Ministry of Defence said a search and rescue operation was launched using “all available resources” but the body of the 53-year-old sailor was recovered from the sea six hours later.

Though the pages of WAP website, on behalf  of the community of the Icy Continent and Hams,  we want to express our deepest condolences to the family and colleagues of Javier Montojo Salazar

Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5457727/Spanish-navy-captain-dies-Antarctica-falling-sea.html

A secret Penguin supercolony in Antarctica’s found at Danger Islands

On: By: Gianni Varetto

Pygoscelis Adeliae is commonly known as the Adélie penguin, after the wife of French explorer Jules Dumont d’Urville, the man who first documented them in 1840. Though they are not especially uncommon, scientists have been concerned that their Antarctic population has been on a steady decline for the last 40 years. Now, a new study conducted by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) has revealed a previously unknown “supercolony” of more than 1.5 million Adélies living in the Danger Islands, a remote archipelago on the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula.

“Until recently, the Danger Islands weren’t known to be an important penguin habitat,” says Heather Lynch, an ecologist at Stony Brook University who co-led the study, in a release. The remoteness of the archipelago, named by English captain James Clark Ross after he almost crashed into its ice-covered rocks in 1842, makes it hard to access.

Remote images gave researchers a fresh look. In 2014, Lynch and colleague Matthew Schwaller, a scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, spotted some telltale guano stains in satellite photos of the islands. To ground-truth their suspicions, Lynch and an international team of ecologists got on a boat. Upon their arrival in December 2015, the group was confronted with hundreds of thousands of penguins nestling amid the icy rocks. Using neural network analysis of drone images they took of the colony, the scientists were able to determine the size of the population, as well as how changing temperatures and sea ice are impacting the island ecosystem. Their results, published this month in the journal Scientific Reports, show that there are currently more than 750,000 breeding pairs of Adélie penguins in the Danger Islands, more than the rest of Antarctica combined.

Thanks and credit to:  http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-43250744 and https://www.theguardian.com

More about Novolazarevskaya Station WAP-RUS-Ø9

On: By: Gianni Varetto

Question did arise when crossing the web (https://www.comnap.aq/Members/Shared%20Documents/COMNAP_Antarctic_Station_Catalogue.pdf) and finding out this paragraph:

In 1962, in 100 km southwest of the main buildings one more panel house was constructed for accommodation of geophysical equipment and the fourth magnetic pavilion near it. Already by the time of the 20th expedition, around 15 service and living constructions were located in the station territory.

Oleg Sakharov UA1PBA/ZS1ANF/RI1ANF was helpful to understand a bit more, so thanks to him,  now the story is more clear.

First station named “Lazarev” was constructed on the ice shelf, no so far from the barrier, yes, around 100 km from the actual Novolazarevskaya, which means “New Lazarev”.

Lazarev moved to the open ocean together with ice shelf and it does not exist right now. This is to say the original buildings of the Lazarev  Station were located   100 km away to the actual location and the name  Novolazarevskaya was given after the construction of the actual Base in the new actual site and  Lazarev was  the name of the old 1962 Base.

UA1KAE/2 being reported from Lazarev Station in 1962 was probably the solo one to operate from there from that site.

Report from the  6th Soviet Antarctic Expedition   says that, from the place where the Old Base was unloaded,  the road to a new station with a length of 100 km was found. During the construction of the first three main buildings (DES, office and residential building), the construction of magnetic pavilions was underway (in order to have time to conduct magnetic observations in parallel with the old station prior to its closure.

TNX Oleg Sakharov,  UA1PBA/ZS1ANF/RI1ANF

Question: Does anyone of our readers have a scan copy of UA1KAE/2 QSL card of October 1962‘s activity with evidence of Lazarev Base, or any old pics of Lazarev Station?
If so, please send one to WAP trough I1HYW (varettos-at-tin.it),  TNX

Antarctica Educational Video

On: By: Gianni Varetto

Antarctica, the southernmost continent on Earth, was not discovered by people until modern times. It is the fifth largest continent and the coldest, windiest, driest place on Earth. Antarctica is famously home to penguins and visited by scientists.

Antarctica – Facts and Figures – Geography for Kids. Even if the video is 5 years old and some datas have changed since then, it’s always useful for those who wish to review the geography.

KA4RXP/MM’s update & story

On: By: Gianni Varetto

John Landrigan KA4RXP/MM, departed the port city of Bluff, New Zealand on February 9, 2018 aboard the Soviet registered expeditionary vessel Professor Khromov also known as the M/V Spirit of Enderby. During the set up prior to sailing I met Viktor, the ship’s Communications Officer and Ivan, the ship’s electrician. Their assistance was crucial to what success I was to enjoy.

The night of departure contact was made with JI1TIF in Tokyo and then VK4XXL in New South Wales. The power was at 100 watts from the Yaesu 897. Later that evening a 12 volt 25 amp power supply for the backup Icom transceiver was pressed into service to consolidate the auto-tuner power supply, the SCS Pactor modem supply and the Rigblaster Blue supply into one source. The power supply had been tested in Memphis but I forgot to switch it to 240 volt input. It promptly made a loud cracking noise. Shortly after that an attempt to email everyone resulted in another catastrophe. The SPE amplifier was switched in on low output and during a prolonged session of connecting with fairly constant repeating, a failure occurred in the auto tuner. The transmitter then interfered with a guard channel on a radio on the bridge radio and everything had to be shut down.

Inspection of the auto tuner revealed one severely burned relay and probably another burned relay next it. Multiple power supply combinations had been required at the dock to get the tuner operational and there may have been a surge voltage during that particular Winlink transmission that may have led to such a violent RF arcing and distortion of one of the relay housings.

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.

The next day Ivan brought back the power supply that he had repaired. I don’t how or what he did but Richard, this guy needs to be hired by you. Viktor helped trace through possible surviving tuner circuits and felt I could use 7 MHz and 10 MHz. Transmitting at only a 100 watts, caused no further interference.

We did a Zodiac boat tour around Snares Island, made a landing at Enderby Island in the Aucklands Group and made two landings at Macquarie Island. All the Australian philatelic items were postmarked there and are being held for mailing from there in late March.

Rough seas caused us to skip a landing at Cape Adare. We then proceeded to McMurdo Sound and found a previously cut channel by the ice breaker Polar Star had completely re-frozen and blocked us some 12 miles out from McMurdo. Re-tracking, we went to Cape Evans and landed at Scott’s Hut. I brought all the New Zealand Dependency philatelic items with me and will sign and date them for that landing. I will have them postmarked at the Ross Island Dependencies window at the Main Post Office in Christchurch once we return. The Italian Base had previously closed due to heavy ice.

I reinstalled the tuner and it seems to manage without incident on 40 and 30 meters. Reception is very spotty and I have not been able to make any contacts. On February 23 and 24 I heard K7GI in Tuscon and K6MYX in San Diego booming in at S9++. Craig was fighting S9 noise levels on his end and none of the Australian or New Zealand Stations were hearing me from my grid square RB32. Also heard K7UI.

Hope continues ever onward that perhaps this will make it via Winlink prior to us reaching Christchurch.

TNX John Landrigan KA4RXP/MM

We should traverse the remaining 500 nautical miles to reach Campbell Island during the day of March 3, Seas are very rough and biggest roll so far is 27 degrees. 55 degrees is when you really start to pray.

I am looking forward to the International DX Contest on Saturday and Sunday.

John KA4RXP/MM Grid Square RD01xu