Making an HF contact into Antarctica is always a great DX! One of the very active spot on the Icy Continent is the Blue one Runway (or Novo Runway aka DROMLAN), an Airbase managed by ALCI (Antarctic Logistics Centre International) that works during the austral summer from late October to beginning of March, as a logistics service provider in the Dronning Maud Land Air Network (DROMLAN) since its inception in 2002. It offers a full range of services for the flights from Cape Town to Antarctica.
These include chartering suitable aircraft and helicopters when necessary, additional equipment for aircraft with required safety and rescue equipment, providing all necessary permits, licenses and insurance for this type of flight, handling of crew, passengers and cargo at Cape Town airport, supply of aviation fuel in Cape Town and Antarctica. ALCI make sure that both aircraft and crew comply with all International standards on safety and operations and that aviation activity in Antarctica will not be detrimental to the environment.
In this very important site, Ham radio activity has never been left out. Three unforgettable operators; OlegSakharov ZS1ANF, Slava Savkin RD3MX and Alex Shmarin UA1PAW have been active from Novo Runway (70° 49’ 31” South, 11° 37’ 41” East) since 2007 giving thousands of Hams a real new one or a great DX, tying up their callsigns to the history of Radio communication from the Antarctic.
Thanks to Nick Shapkin RK1PWA, we have just received the last printed QSL of RI1ANR that confirms the QSOs of 2015-2016