Mese: Aprile 2020

Good for collectors!
This year is the 200^th  Anniversary discovery of Antarctica. This important historical event is linked to Estonia because one of the first men to see Antarctica in 1820 was the Baltic German seafarer Fabian Gottlieb Benjamin von Bellingshausen, who was born in Saaremaa and who documented the discovery.

To commemorate this significant historical moment, Eesti Pank is issuing 750,000 two-euro circulation coins with a special Antarctica 200 design, of which 10,000 will be BU (brilliant uncirculated) quality and packaged as collector items on a coin card.

Eesti Pank is also issuing 10,000 coin cards issued, which will sell for 10 euros each

The coin and coin card will go on sale at 12.00 in the Omniva online shop

Coins and coin cards will be available from the Eesti Pank museum from 10.00 on 28 January

The two-euro commemorative coin dedicated to the 200th Anniversary of the discovery of Antarctica and the coin card were designed by the artists Tiiu Pirsko and Mati Veermets. The design shows the ship Vostok in which Admiral von Bellingshausen sailed around the world.

The coins are all legal tender throughout the euro area, so they can be used for payments like any other euro coin.

Additional information:
Mart Siilivask
Eesti Pank
Email: mart.siilivask@eestipank.ee

Full info at:  https://www.eestipank.ee/en/press/eesti-pank-issuing-two-euro-coin-commemorating-discovery-antarctica-20012020

TNX Volker DL8JDX

The 61^st JARE (Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition)  is on: It has started last  February 2020 and will last till January 2021,

Takashi Yamamoto, JA1AGS “Taka”  and , Hiroyuki Ujiie, JH7JCX “Hiro” are actually active as 8J1RL from Syowa base (WAP JPN-Ø3).

Few reports on the Clusters did show 8J1RL active mostly of FT8 and CW  but also SSB. They operate 15, 17, 20 and  30 mts

Every JARE campaign has a new QSL card.  A good chance to try to work 8J1RL this season as well, to improve our collections. Cards should be sent via JARL bureau as before,  with SASE  to JARL or via JG2MLI direct.

Reply will be made after April 2021 after returning to Japan.

 

TNX  Yath Yoshikawa  JG2MLI

See http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201912030028.html for more info and a nice interesting video of departures

More info also at the Japanese site:
https://cq8j1rl.exblog.jp/28013415/?fbclid=IwAR0FqfMB1Dde1Fax2NCopMLc4Oc_UMidx8Vj6JIsD5okuoccStr1fpGzou0

Japan owns four Research Stations in Antarctica:
Asuka Station, WAP JPN-Ø1

Mizuho Station, WAP JPN-Ø2

Syowa Base, WAP JPN-Ø3

Dome Fuji Station, WAP JPN-Ø4     

Every year, on the occasion of the International Day for Monuments and Sites, ICOMOS proposes a theme for the celebrations and activities to be organised by Committees, members and partners.

 “Italia Valley” Antarctic Memorial (MAVI) Cepparo-Bove, celebrates the day without forgetting its goal: a formal designation of a new HSM for the remaining ruins of the first Italian scientific research base in Antarctica, destroyed by the Argentine Navy, and abandoned for over 40 years. Ruins are still visible at Italia Valley.

IV3CCT, Prof. PhD Julius Fabbri (pic aside)  did launch the rebirth project of the very 1st Italian Antarctic scientific Base built in Antarctica.

Italia Valley (62° 10’South, 58° 31’ West)  is a small valley lying East-Northeast of Hervé Cove in Ezcurra inlet, on King George Island in the South Shetlands. The feature was named “Conca Italia” (Italian hollow) and used as the site of Base Giacomo Bove (sailor  and explorer, 23 April 1852 – 9 August 1887)  by the first private Italian expedition to Antarctica, 1975–76, led by Renato Cepparo.

A replica of the actual ruins, has been rebuilt at Cervignano del Friuli (Udine) by students, Civil Protection and many associations at high school “IISS Arturo Malignani” in Northern Italy. It is called ex situ conservation, and describes the reconstruction of that old Antarctic site. A preliminary step for a future formal designation of a new HSM (Historic Site and Monument) within the ATCM (Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting).

​​Participating in the national competition was the idea proposed by Prof. PhD Julius Fabbri (j.fabbri@virgilio.it) on the occasion of the International Year of Cultural Heritage 2018. The “UNESCO Project” is part of the “radio-school-Unesco”, and was promoted by the “Adri-Antartica Cultural Association”, partner of the Municipality of Cervignano del Friuli, in agreement with the School. The competition was attended by nine classes with participation of student’s parents and the whole town who did help to carry out the project. In all, at least five teachers and about one hundred or more students attended.

On February 24^th  2018, the “first stone” of the Memorial was laid and some students spoke on the radio with the special callsign II3BOVE (WAP-271).

The activity aims to recover the historical memory of the Italia Valley in the Antarctic Peninsula, a strategic and naturalistic place where, in 1976, Renato Cepparo founded the first Italian Scientific Base in Antarctica (pic aside), which he named after the nineteenth-century explorer Giacomo Bove, brave officer of the Italian Royal Navy.

From 07 March 2018 the IISS Arturo Malignani of the Bassa Friulana is a UNESCO associated school by the project of construction of a new visitor center called the Antarctic Memorial “Valle Italia” (MAVI), Cepparo-Bove.

The International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), is a global non-governmental organization associated with UNESCO. Its mission is to promote the conservation, protection, use and enhancement of monuments, building complexes and sites (https://www.icomos.org/en/about-icomos/mission-and-vision/icomos-mission).

ICOMOS works for the conservation and protection of cultural heritage places. It is the only global non-government organization of this kind, which is dedicated to promoting the application of theory, methodology, and scientific techniques to the conservation of the architectural and archaeological heritage.

Now, more than ever, the theme of Shared Cultures, Shared Heritage, Shared Responsibility is important as an expression of the global unity in the face of the ongoing worldwide health crisis.

Alexander Solodov, RX3ABI  arrived at Mirny Base (WAP RUS-Ø7) on last mid March and has just started to be on air signing RI1ANM.

He is wintering at the station till the beginning of 2021. Alex is actually working on his antenna and is active from time to time …. sure we can contact him in the near future !

Keep an eye to the Packet Cluster…
TNX François, F8DVD

Mirny is Russia’s first Station on theIcy  Continent, located right on the Antarctic Circle, at 66° 33’ 11” South, 93° 00’ 35” East,  Mirny was opened on February 13, 1956 by the 1^st Soviet Antarctic Expedition.

The first overwintering party had 92 members, and the station included a pigsty that supplied fresh pork. Now it houses up to 50.

The Australian Antarctic Division will use the MPV Everest to resupply its Antarctic stations and sub-Antarctic Macquarie Island next summer.

The Ice-Class Multi-purpose vessel is operated by Dutch company Maritime Construction Services, and is capable of navigating in ice up to 1 metre thick.

AAD General Manager of Operations and Safety, Charlton Clark, said the end of the Aurora Australis’ contract and the delayed arrival of Australia’s new icebreaker RSV Nuyina, means an alternative ship had to be contracted.

“The MPV Everest was selected after a call for proposals and was identified as providing the best value for money,” Mr Clark said.

“The 140 meters long ship was built in 2017 and will be used for a minimum of 90 days next Antarctic summer season.”

Thanks and credit to AAD

Read more at: http://www.antarctica.gov.au/news/2020/new-plan-for-australian-antarctic-shipping?fbclid=IwAR3pLJ3fRLaYaj-5x83Hmaxk2O9BqrSXZQdS5E6A0T922V1hEcbIslZzzvk
We’ll be looking forward working MPV Everest  on HF Ham bands, sometimes when in operation on the Antarctic or Sub-Antarctic waters! For sure, a brand new /MM station to add to the WAP-WADA score!