Mese: Settembre 2019

Here below, is a  bit of history on how Russia marked his presence in the Icy Continent with its several Scientific Bases at the beginning of international scientific expeditions to Antarctica.

The first plans for a Soviet Antarctic expedition were drawn up just before the second International Polar Year (1932-1933), but the expedition never took place. Soviet Antarctic expeditions began general, comprehensive scientific research covering the southern oceans as well as the Antarctic mainland in 1956, when preparations were begun for International Geophysical Year (IGY).

In February 1956 the participants in the Soviet Antarctic Expedition (SAE) established the Mirny observatory, a Scientific Station (WAP RUS-Ø7) on the Antarctic mainland.

In May 1956, observations were begun at Pionerskaya (WAP RUS-1Ø), an inland station located some 375 kms South of Mirny.

In October 1956 the Oasis Station (WAP RUS-NEW) began working, located at the Bunger Oasis, on the coast of Wilkes Land.

The inland station Vostok-1 (WAP RUS-14), Komsomolskaya (WAP RUS-Ø5) and Vostok (WAP RUS-13) were founded in 1957; the latter was located near the South Magnetic Pole.

In 1958 the Sovetskaya  (RUS-NEW) and Polyus Nedostupnosti (Pole of Inaccessibility Stations WAP RUS-NEW) began observations.

Between 1956 and 1958 eight stations were thus established under the IGY program. After IGY, observations continued at the Mirny observatory and the Vostok station.

In the following years a number of permanent, seasonal and temporary stations and bases were built.

As form 1968, Molodezhnaya (WAP RUS-Ø8) became the main base of Antarctic research as well as the Antarctic Meteorological Centre.

Year-round observations are now made at five stations of the Russian Antarctic Expedition (RAE): Molodezhnaya (WAP RUS-Ø8), Mirny (WAP RUS-Ø7), Novolazarevskaya (WAP RUS-Ø9), Bellingshausen (WAP RUS-Ø1) and Vostok (WAP RUS-13 which was temporarily closed in 1994). They measure meteorological and upper-air parameters, receive satellite information, an measure the levels of total ozone and of several other atmospheric trace gases. They also conduct a number of studies of the ionosphere.

Source: https://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/www/Antarctica/Ant-cat-Rus-Fed.html

We would like to remark that Russia is probably the solo Country that have always been “On the Air” since the Antarctic epic, with hundreds of very professional Radio operators that, still now are very active on HF  Hams bands. Our appreciation to the constancy and tenacity of  all Russian radio amateurs who are an example of professionalism!

Let us not forget that , to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Russian Robinson Club,  RRC club members Alexander/RW3RN and Oleg/UA3HK/ZS1OIN  have been active on last  December 2013, from the Russian Antarctic station “Bellingshausen” on the Island of King George signing RI2ØANT &.RI2ØANT/MM

 

It was on 20 November 1984 that China dispatched its first Antarctic research expedition team, and by the end of this expedition, the country established its first Antarctic research station, the Great Wall Station on 20 February 1985. So far, China has done 35 national Antarctic expeditions and established two year-round research stations, namely the Great Wall Station (1985) in West Antarctica and the Zhongshan Station (1989) located in the Larsemann Hills, East Antarctica; one inner land summer station, the Kunlun Station (2009) located on “Dome A”, the highest place in Antarctica and one camp, namely the Taishan Camp (2014) located in Princess Elizabeth Land.

The Chinese National Antarctic Program is largely organized into a 5-year program called “Chinese Polar Environment Comprehensive Investigation and Assessment Programs” (2015-2020). Regarding Antarctica, the Program comprises three parts: the Antarctic Marine Environment Survey, the Antarctic Terrestrial Environment Survey and the Comprehensive Assessment of the Antarctic Environment. The program is implemented through a series of surveys and assessments, involving various disciplines. In addition, China continues to conduct routine observations at the Great Wall Station (WAP CHN-Ø1)and the Zhongshan Station (WAP CHN-Ø2). To strengthen international cooperation in Antarctic research, international participants are encouraged to join in the Program through collaboration with national institutes and universities. Notably, China has been preparing to launch its fifth Antarctic research station, which is expected to be finalized by 2022.

After the establishment of the Great Wall Station, China obtained the status of the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Party. In order to implement the Antarctic Treaty, the Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources, the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty and other related legal instruments under the Antarctic Treaty System (ATS), China had been updating its domestic law-making process.

Read more at: https://www.ispionline.it/it/pubblicazione/chinas-antarctic-program-and-antarctic-treaty-system-23526

China have a lot of nice Ham radio operators and now China have 4 Scientific Stations in Antarctica; let’s hope to hear shortly some Chinese callsigns calling CQ from Antarctica!

So far the only operations from 2 of the 4 bases, have been put on the air by Russian operators:
R1ANF/A from Great Wall Station (WAP CHN-Ø1) on last September 1999 and R1ANP/A from Zhongshan Station (WAP CHN-Ø2) on last October 2010, so we are missing some real Chinese Hams operating HF some days to give the Antarctic chasers a chance to put them on the log! In addition Kunlun Station and Taishan Camp are brand two  new ones!

Dome-Fuji Station, 77°30’South, 37°30’East was established in January, 1995 to conduct deep ice-core drilling at the highest dome of Dronning Maud Land, some 1000 km away from Syowa Station. After completing 3035 m deep drilling, the station is being closed temporarily.

Dome Fuji (also called Dome F or Valkyrie Dome) with an altitude of 3,810 mts or 12,500 ft above sea level, is the second-highest summit or ice dome of the East Antarctic ice sheet and represents an ice divide.

 

January 2019 saw the conclusion of WindSled’s Unexplored Dome Fuji expedition. The Spanish team of four, led by Ramón Larramendi, completed a 2,500km return journey from near to Novolazarevskaya base to Dome Fuji (3,768m) in 52 days traveling in a series of customized sleds with built-in living quarters and powered entirely by kites.

See  a 2,46′  video by clicking  here
Since the project’s inception in 1999, the WindSleds have been used on 11 expeditions, covering more than 20,000km in Antarctica, Greenland, and Canada.

 

On the Hamradio wise, Dome Fuji (WAP JPN-Ø4) was last time on the by  8J1RF on 2003-2004  (44^th Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition) operated by JAØWJN Ichio Obinata (Obi).

Since that time, nobody else have been active from there.

Colombia works on establishing a scientific station in Antarctica. Military forces are set to support “Admiral Padilla Summer Station” that will accommodate the various Colombia Antarctic Program (PAC) organizations as well as Colombia’s National Technical Committee for Antarctic Issues.

Colombia plans to set up its base at a point along the Gerlache Strait, a body of water 100 miles long and 20 miles wide that separates the Palmer Archipelago from the Danco Coast on the western side of the Antarctic Peninsula.

Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Peru, and the United States already have bases in that area.

 

Colombian Navy (Armada Nacional) will test icy waters after announcing plans to establish a naval base on Antarctica; five to 10 years is the allocated time frame for Colombia to establish a permanent presence on the icy continent with a base that will be shared with international scientists to monitor the effects of climate change.

The strategic objective is part of the Navy’s Colombia Antarctic Program (PAC), operational for more than three decades, and which is currently conducting the 4^th  Scientific Expedition with researchers on board the ARC “20 de Julio”. Colombia makes it once a year to Antarctica with its own ships, an accomplishment only four nations in the world have achieved.

As a member nation of the Antarctic Treaty, the ARC “20 de Julio” has invited naval officers from Mexico, Spain, Peru, Ecuador, Argentina and New Zealand to work alongside them, as well as a team of Colombian scientists researching this remote continent’s biology, oceanography and geology. The ARC “20 de Julio” is a fully-equipped ship for both military and scientific operations. A helicopter does photogrammetric mapping and zodiacs collect cold-water samples.

Source: https://thecitypaperbogota.com/features/colombias-navy-plans-to-establish-permanent-base-on-antarctica/18932

During this Antarctic Winter Season there are at least 4 Stations active:
Neumayer III (WAP DEU-Ø8), Davis (WAP AUS-Ø3), Scott (WAP NZL-Ø1) and Syowa (WAP JPN-Ø3). It is worthwhile looking for them in FT8 or in WSPR using http://www.PSKReporter.info  and WSJT-X Software. See also: http://www.wsprnet.org

DPØGVN, Neumayer III, Op: Andreas, DL3LRM

See  http://www.qrz.com/db/dp0gvn

VK0HZ, Davis, Op: Matt, VK5HZ

See  http://www.qrz.com/db/vk0hz

ZL5A, Scott, Op: Adam, ZL4ASC

See  http://www.qrz.com/db/zl5a

8J1RL, Syowa, Op: Yath, JG2MLI

See  http://www.qrz.com/db/8j1rl

Good hunting! Volker, DL8JDX Antarctic Overwintering Expeditions:

1.AE Georg Forster 1988-1989 Y88POL (WAP DDR-Ø1)

4.AE Georg Forster 1990-1992 Y88POL (WAP DDR-Ø1)

13.AE Neumayer II 1992-1994 DPØGVN (WAP DEU-Ø2)

About the impression that  new generation of Hams, are using FT8, FT4 and other digimodes that really depersonalize the genuine SSB contacts as we were use to made, Volker said: -yes sure CW or SSB are the original contact modes. But other possible opportunities in getting in contact with Antarctic wintering station in FT8 or WSPR would be of interest for other polar station hunters anyway.
TNX Volker, DL8JDX