Mese: Dicembre 2020

On Tuesday Dec. 22, the German Research Icebreaker Polarstern left the port of Bremerhaven. On board YL Theresa DC1TH and Felix DL5XL. They are now on the way direct down to Antarctica. DPØPOL/MM has already been reported  QRV on 20 mts CW.  

The current position is in off the coast France in the Atlantic Ocean. You can follow the ship in realtime at: https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/home/shipid:130195/zoom:10

TNX  Volker, DL8JDX

Theresa Thoma (DC1TH) from Fürstenfeldbruck started her Antarctic adventure on December 20th. As a member of the winter team, the 26-year-old radio amateur will work at the German Neumayer III research station (WAP DEU-Ø8) of the Alfred Wegener Institute’s Helmholtz Center for Polar and Marine Research (AWI), until February 2022.
Read more on: https://www.lifepr.de/pressemitteilung/deutscher-amateur-radio-club-ev/Abenteuer-in-der-Antarktis/boxid/829207?fbclid=IwAR0_IHugVjT0FHjW_6PIxDkSR4473E_GRajrqyB81GBxs1IMTASXS5kAhhc

WAP wish safe journey to the crew and researchers.  Merry Christmas on board!

Antarctica has been hit by the coronavirus pandemic as 36 people have tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday, December 21 at the General Bernardo O’Higgins Riquelme Research Station (WAP CHL-Ø2). The virus has now spread to every continent on the globe!
PCR swab tests given to Chilean researchers at the General Bernardo O’Higgins  Riquelme (pic aside) came back positive.
The Chilean workers appear to have contracted the virus following a cargo supply delivery on November 27.
The cargo, was delivered by the Navy Vessel Sargento Aldea, which returned to the port of Talcahuano three weeks later.
At least 26 army personnel have tested positive for COVID-19 as well as 10 other contractors and at least three crewmembers of the navy ship have also tested positive.
The Chilean army has said all non-essential staff have been transported back to Chile. The infected individuals are said to be in good condition and isolating.
The General Bernardo O’Higgins  Riquelme research  station is one of 70 permanent bases located on the icy continent, 13 of which are Chilean.
Read more at: https://www.express.co.uk/news/science/1375481/Antarctica-news-Covid-spread-2020-evg

Despite the current situation, the Czech Antarctic Research Program will continue with field research. An eight-member team has departed  from Prague on Wednesday, December 16th to Chile, where they will quarantine at a hotel, before heading on to Johann Gregor Mendel Station (WAP CZE-NEW) on James Ross Island in Antarctica

The eight-members of Czech scientists begin an expedition to the Antarctic. In early January, the team should arrive at the research station  (Pic aside) off the east coast of the Antarctic Peninsula. The aim is to examine the long-term impact of climate change on the outskirts of Antarctica. 

The expedition will be led by climatologist and polar explorer Kamil Láska from the Department of Geography, at Masaryk University’s Faculty of Science. The operation of the station will be overseen by technicians from Czechoslovak Ocean Shipping, František Vorel and Tomáš Spáčil.

Read more at: https://www.brnodaily.com/2020/12/16/brno/brno-scientists-depart-for-antarctic-research-expedition/

The team will collect data from about 20 weather stations in the vicinity of the base and return with the data and collected samples for further research. The team is expected to return in March. However, on their previous expedition this Spring, their return was delayed by a month due to disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

The Hamradio world, is looking for some HF operations on the bands  and in this case,  a brand new WAP reference will be issued…. Scientists, do not forget the importance of Ham radio activity which could enter into your technical studies!
More about Johann Gregor Mendel Scientific Station (WAP CZE-NEW) can be found at: http://antarcticfoundation.cz/en/czech-antarctic-station/ 

The vessel, known as ‘Orange Roughy’, completed its last trip among the long list of its scientific expeditions for the Australian Antarctic Division on Dec 12.
RSV Aurora Australis, the only Australian built icebreaker that served the country’s Antarctic program for 30 years has been decommissioned after nearly 150 voyages to Antarctica. The vessel, known as ‘Orange Roughy‘, completed its last trip among the long list of its scientific expeditions for the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) on December 12 as it now prepares to retire at a shipyard in Dubai, to be sold or leased.

The 312-foot orange icebreaker has been replaced by another giant vessel and the scientists are now planning to refurbish the ship, according to Associated Press. Aurora Australis started conducting maiden voyages in September 1989, after its launch from NSW shipyard, north of Sydney and gained popularity after it sailed to Heard Island, an external Australian territory around the year 1990.

Since then, it ferried scientific researchers, transported food supplies and fuel for several expeditions in the Antarctic ocean. 

Read more at:
https://www.republicworld.com/world-news/australia/australian-icebreaker-rsv-aurora-australis-retires-after-150-voyages-to-antarctica.html

Located at 82°00’ South, 155° 00’ West, Siple Coast is the middle portion of the relatively ill-defined coast along the East side of the Ross Ice Shelf. Siple Coast  is the grounding line of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, where the ice meets the ocean and starts to float, becoming the Ross Ice Shelf. It is as far south as the ocean reaches anywhere in the world.

Few days ago, a traverse has left Scott Base (WAP NZL-Ø1), with a  Team of six  for a 1200km journey across the Ross Ice Shelf to the Siple Coast, where they’ll drop stores for scientists who will camp there! Click the button below, to see a short video Drilling for climate, ice and ocean history’s Team will work at Siple Coast field camp (1000 km from Scott Base) where they will use hot water to drill through the Ross Ice Shelf, then sample the ocean below and recover sedimentary cores from the sea floor.

(See location 862AB on the map) This season’s main objective is to develop an understanding of the nature of the sea-floor sediments. Future retrieval of deep sediment cores will help inform multidisciplinary studies of the stability of the Ross Ice Shelf during past warm periods. Drill holes at the Siple Coat will also support the United States Icefin project. Icefin is an under-ice robot designed to explore ice-ocean environments here on Earth and ultimately on Jupiter’s icy moon named Europa.

Source: https://www.antarcticanz.govt.nz/uploads/images/201920-Science-Poster.pdf

Thanks and credit to: GNS Science, Victoria University of Wellington

Station N (1) Bay of Isles

A small expedition consisting of W. N. Bonner and B. Stonehouse, funded by Falkland Islands Dependencies Government and administered by FIDS, did allocate letter ”N”  to the station set  at 54°03’South, 37°23’West, at Ample Bay, Bay of Isles, South Georgia . The initial though, even if that was later considered a private expedition, Station N (1) was set to study Biology and was occupied from 1953 through 1955.

The buildings consist in a main hut and small store hut. Main hut had burnt down by 1974. Debris were removed  in the Antarctic season 2005/06.
(Thanks and credit: https://www.bas.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/British-Antarctic-Stations-Refuges-v6.2-2016.pdf  )

 

Station N (“2”) Anvers Island (WAP GBR-28) & Old Palmer Station (WAP USA-33)

On Anvers Island, the British Antarctic Survey built and operated a Station (Base N “2”) Anvers Island at Arthur Harbour, 64°46’ South, 64°05’ West,  with purpose of  survey and geology. (Pic aside show the Base as it was in 1955)

It was occupied from 28 Feb. 1955 until 10 Jan. 1958. Closed in 1958 when local work completed. Pic aside show Base N, Anvers Island, 1955-56. (Photographer: Alexander Rennie; Archives ref: AD6/19/3/C/N1)

Thanks and credit to: https://www.bas.ac.uk/about/about-bas/history/british-research-stations-and-refuges/anvers-island-n/

The Hut at Station (Base N “2”) was loaned to the U.S. Government on July 2, 1963, which converted it into a biological laboratory and added a new building (the red one on the pic aside) in January 1965 for use by American scientists at the nearby Palmer Station.

Palmer Station  “Old” (WAP USA-33) and “New” (WAP USA-23)

The actual facility (WAP USA-23) at 64°46’27” South, 64°03’10” West is practically the second Palmer Station and it’s located on Anvers Island (pic to the left).

“Old Palmer”  (WAP USA-33) built about 1965, was about half a mile to the northwest adjacent to the site of the British Antarctic Survey “Base N”, built in the mid-fifties. The site is on what is now known as Amsler Island. Rapid recession of the ice due to global warming revealed Amsler Island as a separate island in 2004.

Amsler Island was the original site of the United States Antarctic Program research base Palmer (Old Palmer, WAP USA-33) from 1965 until the current station approximately 0.8 km (0.5 mi) away was constructed in 1968.

WAP USA-33, “Old Palmer” (Pic to the right) served as a base for those building “New Palmer”, which opened in 1968. Old Palmer was designated as an emergency refuge for the new station in case of disaster, though this perceived need disappeared over time. It was dismantled and removed from the Antarctic as part of the National Science Foundation’s environmental cleanup efforts in the early 1990s. According to Mehdi F5PFP, Old Palmer Station at Arthur Harbour  was active on air by KC4AAC 1963 &  KC4USP 1965 .

 

WAP did issue a separate reference to “Old Palmer Station” at Anvers Island/Amsler Island  11 years ago (2009) to recognize the two distinct evolution phases of the history of both Palmer Bases .

Station N (2) was re-open by the British in support of air facility 1969-1971 (pic to the left).

On 28 Dec 1971 the station has been destroyed by fire while being renovated by BAS. Debris was removed by the members of the US Antarctic Program in 1990/91. Only concrete foundations remain.

The Skiway on Marr Ice Piedmont was used 1969-1973 and then intermittently  until 15 Nov 1993, and once in Dec 1999.

Air operations have been transferred to Adelaide (Station T) WAP GBR-13 in 1973 when the skiway found deteriorated.

WAP has received  some fresh info from Lee (DS4MNJ). Lee wrote: «We anchored near the Jangbogo Station. Unfortunately I cannot get away from the Araon ship. We will stay here for 3 weeks. Some scientists has their own project for this area. Everything is going on as scheduled».

Lee sent us some pics which we are happy to share with the readers. After stopping by at Jangbogo Station (WAP KOR-Ø2) Lee is expect to reach King Sejong Base (WAP KOR-Ø1)at beginning of January for a long stay.

TNX Lee DS4MNJ/DT8A

We did ask Lee for any chance  to work /MM from onboard the Korean Icebreaker Araon. We are now waiting an answer.

Icebreaker Research Ship Araon

IMO 9490935, MMSI 441619000, Call Sign DSQL7.

The vessel departed from Lyttelton, Nz on 2020-11-24 13:25 LT and is currently anchoring at Jang Bogo Antarctic Research Station in Terra Nova Bay in Antarctica.

The ice-breaking research vessel Araon was built in 2009 and is sailing under the flag of Korea. She did explore the South and North Pole regions on several missions since 2009 as part of global efforts to examine the cause of global warming and study the Arctic & Antarctic  ecosystem.

The Araon, 7,487-ton , has a carrying capacity of 2901 t DWT and her current draught is reported to be 7.6 meters. Her length overall (LOA) is 111 meters from bow to stern ,her width is 19 meters. Araon  can cut through 1-meter thick ice- The vessel can accommodate around 85 crew and researchers.

Eugene RZ3EC informs WAP that  Alexei RX6A is actually operating /MM form on board of  the Russian scientific research icebreaker  “Akademik Treshnikov” (aka Akademik Tryoshnikov) on the way to Antarctica.

DX Clusters alteady report activities on FT8 & SSB on 10, 12 and 30 mts

Icebreaker AKADEMIK TRYOSHNIKOV (IMO 9548536, MMSI 273359440,  Callsign UBXH3) was reported two days ago by MarinecTraffic Terrestrial Automatic Identification System as sailing in the Atlantic Ocean.

The current position reported of AKADEMIK TRYOSHNIKOV is at 12° 25′ 49.152″ North, 19° 26′ 12.876″ West off the coasts of West Africa. The vessel is en route to the port of Cape Town, sailing at a speed of 14.4 knots and expected to arrive there on Dec 14, 08:00. as on 2020-12-02 06:45 UTC .

Akademik Tryoshnikov sailing under the flag of was built in 2012. It’s carrying capacity is 6634 t DWT and her current draught is reported to be 8.6 meters. Her length overall (LOA) is 133.53 meters and her width is 23.25 meters.

This vessel is equipped by tech laboratories able to process results of oceanographic researches, atmospheric soundings and other scientific experiments on research and development projects, studying natural processes and phenomena in the ocean as well as delivering consignments and rotating the personnel of Antarctic Stations; removing trash and waste from the Antarctic.

For those interested,  Akademik Tryoshnikov can be tracked by: https://www.myshiptracking.com/vessels/akademik-tryoshnikov-mmsi-273359440-imo-9548536 or on  http://www.vesseltracking.net/ship/akademik-tryoshnikov-9548536

“Akademik Treshnikov” (aka Akademik Tryoshnikov) is valid  for WAP WADA & WAP WACA Awards program as well as for Polar Challenge (FT8 contacts are not valid for Polar Challenge)