Mese: Giugno 2021

Antarctic Treaty Signature 6Øth Anniversary

On: By: Gianni Varetto

Ham radio world is running to involve as many operato ras possible to use a special callsign to celebrate the  6Øth Anniversary of the Antarctic Treaty Signature.

So far, the following ones have already got the special call by the telecomm authorities in their respective Countries

ProgressiveCountrySpecial CallsignWAP ReferenceQSL info
1GermanyDR6ØANTWAP-314DL2VFR
2AustriaOE6ØANTWAP-315OE3MDA
3GermanyDQ6ØANTWAP-316DL1RUN
4GermanyDPØPOL/MMWAP-317DL5EBE
5FranceTM6ØANTWAP-318F8DVD
6UkrainaEM6ØKTSWAP-319IK2DUW
7HungaryHA6ØANTWAP-320HA6LT
8ArgentinaRG6ØANTWAP-321UA6GG
9SwitzerlandHB6ØANTWAP-322HB9DAX
10ItalyII6OANTWAP-323I1HYW
11RussiaR6ØANTWAP-324RZ3EC
12South AfricaRA6ØANTWAP-325RZ3EC
13BelgiumUE6ØANT (Instead of RB6ØANT)
WAP-326RZ3EC
14ChileRC6ØANTWAP-327RZ3EC
15JapanRJ6ØAN (instead of RJ6ØANT)
WAP-328RZ3EC
16United KingdomRK6ØANTWAP-329RZ3EC
17FranceRL6ØANTWAP-330RZ3EC
18NorwayRN6ØANTWAP-331RZ3EC
19AustraliaRT6ØANTWAP-332RZ3EC
20USARU6ØANTWAP-333RZ3EC
21New ZealandRZ6ØANTWAP-334RZ3EC
22AntarcticaRI6ØANTWAP-335RZ3EC
23UruguayCW6ØATSWAP-336CX8ABF
24UKGB6ØANTWAP-337GMØLVI
25BelgiumOQ6ØANTWAP-338ON1DX
26PolandSP6ØANTWAP-339SP3POB
27ArgentinaLU5DSM/ANTWAP-340LU5DSM (Radio Club DX S. MIguel)

Hams from several other Nations are in process to get the special callsigns. The list will became longer and we will update it when new entries will coming out.

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Eugene Shelkanovtsev RZ3EC (pic aside), Vice President of the Russian Robinson Club (About club – Russian Robinson Club (rdxc.org)) has just reported :

During the 6Øth Anniversary of ATS event,  12 different call (R.6ØANT) will be active from Russia starting from 1 October, from different regions. In addition 1 “Joker Station” will be on air  as well. More details will be available a little later».

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On the mean time, Karsten, DL1RUN has informed WAP that, DQ6ØANT is planing an activation day on 2021-june-23th . This is the day of Antarctic Treaty Signature. From the early morning to the late evening DQ6ØANT will be on air, working on all bands. Favorite Modes are CW and SSB.

All QSO’s are automatically confirmed via E-QSL. QSL cards via the office must be requested via the website https://60ant.de/en/qsl-anfordern-en.

More Information about this activity: www.60ant.de

Different Award Programs will be join the 6ØATS, stay tuned!

Antarctic in climate crisis despite Treaty

On: By: Gianni Varetto

When the Antarctic Treaty came into effect 60 years ago, its signatories had little idea how successful it would be. World leaders agreed to leave an uninhabited continent twice the size of Australia free from war, weapons and nuclear waste.
At that time, they declared that Southern Polar region, which is 98% ice and does not have an indigenous population, should belong to no Country and instead, be devoted to collaborative science. In the following decades, extra rules to stop companies mining minerals and drilling for oil turned Antarctica into the biggest nature reserve in the world.

Now climate change is undermining that success story. About 90% of the world’s surface fresh water is locked up in the Antarctic Ice Sheet and, as the planet heats up, glaciers whose collapse would deluge coastal cities from New York to Jakarta are melting and growing less stable.

World leaders have pledged to limit warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius this century, but their current policies will heat the world by almost 3 Degree Celcius, according to Germany-based research group Climate Action Tracker. A study published in the journal Nature in May found that a global temperature rise of 3 C would lead to an “abrupt jump” in the pace of Antarctic ice loss that would, in turn, trigger “rapid and unstoppable” sea-level rise.

A second study, published in June in the journal Science Advances, found that an ice shelf that supports the 175,000-square-km (68,000-square-mile) Pine Island Glacier is breaking up into the water faster and faster. The glacier is responsible for more than a quarter of Antarctica’s contribution to global sea level rise and will melt faster if it collapses into warm waters. “If the ice shelf’s rapid retreat continues, it could further destabilise the glacier far sooner than would be expected”  the authors wrote.

Read more at: https://www.dtnext.in/News/World/2021/06/24035915/1302682/Antarctic-in-climate-crisis-despite-treaty.vpf 

Asuka Station, WAP JPN-Ø1

On: By: Gianni Varetto

Asuka Station, located at  71°31’29’’South, 24°07’50’’East, altitude: 980.3mts was established in March, 1985 in Dronning Maud Land, 670 km southwest of Syowa Station (WAP JPN-Ø3).

At present time Asuka Station is closed and covered under several meters of snow as well as the other Japanese Mizuho Station.

Asuka Station WAP JPN-Ø1 was operational from 1985 until 1991 to support field work in the Sør-Rondane Mountains. The Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition (JARE) made gravity measurements at many sites around Asuka Station based in the reference site using relative gravimeters more than 25 years ago. The determination of absolute gravity value at the reference site will bring accuracy improvement of the past gravity data.

Asuka Station is listed among the “Most rare Bases”, last check 21 july 2020 by IK1GPG. See: http://www.waponline.it/wap-awards/wap-wada-most-rare-bases/

Some notes about the Japanese presence in Antarctica

In 1955, during the international conference Japan announced its participation in the Artarctic expedition. Participants agreed that in Antarctica, they must create a station that will provide information about the South Pole as a whole. There already were various foreign stations in Antarctica, but Japan had proposed to establish a base in the area, which was 1,600 kilometers away from the other stations. After that, the discussion continued, resulting in the decision to build the station “Showa or Syowa” (WAP JPN-Ø3) on the island of East Ongul.

Ice is thick in this particular region, and therefore extremely difficult to access. In 2012, the latest research vessel “Siras” could not even come close to the shore. Since that time, Japan was the country that lost the war, some thought that it had the unfortunate fate. However, as a result, this place was favorable for study and research.

First, the base is located in a place where the Northern Lights may often be observed. In addition, a large amount of solar origin of meteorites was found near the Yamato Mountains, which are located 300 kilometers to the southwest of the base. The places, where ice that contain air masses over the last million years can be found, can be reached by snowmobile from the base of “Showa”. Later, other  Stations were built  in Antarctica: “Dome Fuji” (WAP JPN-Ø4) establisjed on January 29, 1957, “Mizuho” (WAP JPN-Ø2) established in July, 1970 on  Mizuho Plateau, 270 km south-east of Syowa Station,and  “Asuka” (WAP JPN-Ø1) established in March, 1985.

A fifth station is planned to be build near the “Dome Fuji”

June 21-2021, Winter Solstice. Happy “Mid Winter” to the Antarcticians

On: By: Gianni Varetto

Happy “Mid Winter”  to the Antarctician!

Monday 21 June, is the winter solstice in the Southern hemisphere. It marks the shortest day of the year.

In the Northern Hemisphere, the June solstice (aka summer solstice) occurs when the Sun travels along its northernmost path in the sky. This marks the astronomical start of summer in the northern half of the globe.
In the Southern Hemisphere, it’s the opposite: the June solstice (aka winter solstice) marks the astronomical start of winter, when the Sun is at its lowest point in the sky. In Antarctica today is  a great fest, the well known  Midwinter celebration!

… and here below, a video showing how Midwinter is lived in Antartica! It’s a last year (2020) video but sure someone will post one or more  of 2021 as well!

WAP sends greetings to the researches who are wintering over in the Icy Continent!

Gable Island, WAP ARG-23

On: By: Gianni Varetto

Gable Island (Isla Gable) is an Argentine island belonging to the Ushuaia Department of Tierra del Fuego Province of, Antarctica and the South Atlantic Islands in Argentina.

The island is located on the northern side of east-west Beagle Channel less than 300 metres (980 ft) from Tierra del Fuego island and about 1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi) from Chilean Navarino Island (WAP CHL-13) . The island has an irregular shape with many shoal banks extending into bays and open channel.

It is located at 54° 54′ South, 67° 29′ West, and as an approximate area of 22 km and its population is 50 inhabitants The islands surface is mostly covered by Magallanic forest.

Arbitration of 1977 (followed the one of 1971) awarded the Gable Islands to Argentina and delimited their adjacent waters, but was declared void by this country, although accepted by Chile.

Finally, the 1984 Treaty of Peace and Friendship definitively recognized Argentine sovereignty over these islands.

Gable and the other surrounbding islands are all comprised in WAP ARG-23

DPØPOL/MM will join the 60th Anniversary of the Antarctic Treaty Signature

On: By: Gianni Varetto

The German Research Icebreaker Polarstern with the Call DPØPOL/MM (Op: Andreas, DL3LRM) will be active again in November/December 2021, still on time to join the 60th Anniversary of the Antarctic Treaty Signature. DPØPOL/MM will be WAP-317 and the chasers will get a nice oportunity to collect another brand new WAP reference

So far, the following references has already been given to the Stations who have got the special callsign by the authorities in their Countries:
Germany         DR6ØANT                WAP-314

Austria            OE6ØANT                 WAP-315

Germany         DQ6ØANT                WAP-316

Germany         DPØPOL/MM           WAP-317

Other Countries, like Bulgaria, Chile, Italy,  UK, USA and Russia have promised to join the event and are actually planning the request for a special callsign.
As soon as we have more info, we will issue to each one a related WAP-reference.

WAP asks those interested to participate in the event with a SES , to send a mail to:

Volker DL8JDX (info@strecke.de) or to

Gianni I1HYW (varettos@tin.it) in order to pre-register the eventual participation and issuing the WAP Reference number, related to the Special Callsign.

The Fifth Ocean

On: By: Gianni Varetto

Update your atlas: Southern Ocean recognised as world’s fifth ocean by Nat Geo cartographers
Earth comprises 71 per cent of water and those familiar with geography know that there are four oceans surrounding the landmass. Four? No, now there are five oceans. The National Geography cartographers have now identified the Southern Ocean as the fifth ocean on the planet.

The development comes on the occasion of World Oceans Day which was marked on June 8. The new ocean has been identified by the National Geography Society which has been making maps since 1915 and had so far recognised the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, and Arctic oceans.

Thanks and credit to:  https://www.indiatoday.in/science/story/southern-ocean-recognised-as-world-s-fifth-ocean-by-nat-geo-1812850-2021-06-09

Royal Society Base,  Halley Bay, Halley I Research Station, 3 names for the same site (WAP GBR-15)

On: By: Gianni Varetto

Bill Ashley KF5BRB has sent a very rare QSL of VP8CI, active from Royal Society Base built at 75° 31′ South, 26° 36′ at Halley Bay, West Weddell Sea on January 6th 1956

 

Let’s retrace a bit of history

Beginning with its dispatch of Halley on his geomagnetic cruise of 1699 to 1700, the Royal Society has played a sporadic, ad hoc, but nevertheless considerable role in the scientific investigation of the South Polar regions. In three ventures: Ross’s geomagnetic survey of 1839 to 1843, the first Scott expedition of 1901 to 1904 and the British contribution to the International Geophysical Year of 1957 to 1958, made major contributions to the planning and support of Antarctic scientific programs. Throughout, it has given backing to polar expeditions but has been consistent in putting science before geographical discovery. It has numbered some 20 Antarctic scientists among its Fellows.

The original Royal Society Base was founded on 6 January 1956 by an expedition of the Royal Society as part of International Geophysical Year (IGY) 1957–58. The bay where the expedition decided to set up their base was named Halley after the astronomer and Fellow of the Royal Society, Edmond Halley. The year 1956 also marked the tercentenary of Halley’s birth. In 1977, the name of the base was amended from Halley Bay to Halley as the original bay had disappeared due to changes in the ice shelf.

The original station, Royal Society Base, was founded in 1956 for the IGY by an expedition from the British Royal Society. The bay where the expedition set up their base was named Halley Bay, after the astronomer Edmond Halley. It was a traditional hut with a pitched roof. FIDS (Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey)   took over the operation of the station on 14 January 1959 when  the Royal Society Base  was renamed into Halley Bay or Halley I Research Station (referenced by WAP as GBR-15). A new main hut and dog kennels were built close to the original IGY buildings in February 1961, by which time the latter were completely covered by snow. It was closed early 1968.

Picture of  Halley Bay Station (see above)  shows a view of snowed up station complex taken from the met mast, Jan 1957. (Photographer: George Hemmen; Archives ref: AD6/19/3/C/Z6).

 

The date shown on VP8CI’s QSL is Aug. 17th 1957. Also VP8CR did operate from Royal Society Base in 1957  

 

TNX Bill Ashley KF5BRB

Thanks and credit  to BAS (British Antarctic Survey)

Polar Awards, what a passion!

On: By: Gianni Varetto

Recently, Volker, DL8JDX did achieve two new Polar Awards.

The North Pole &  South Pole – DX Trophy (NSP).

Rules and conditions here below:

DX TROPHY AWARDS GROUP gives out the trophy “NORTH & SOUTH POLE TROPHY”

for two-way QSO’s / SWL ‘s at various stations in Antarctica below 66°South and the Arctic above 66° North, for any period of time on any bands.
To get  the trophy, the requirement is:

Arctic:  30 different stations   including at least 20  different islands and 5 nations (e.g.: Russia, Denmark, Norway, Canada, Sweden, USA/Alaska ..) located above 66 degrees

Antarctica: 20 different stations including at least 10 different bases and 5 nations (for example: Russia, China, Argentina, Chile, USA), located above 66 degrees.

For those with connections from the North and South Geographic Poles: (for example: КС4AAA and  RØPOL) there will be a special sticker.

Awards can be requested with different modes:

CW, SSB, DIGI, MIX (CW/SSB), ALL (CW/SSB / DIGI)

Free-form application: CALL – DATE- BAND- MODE-QTH.

Confirmation: QSL or LOTW / Сlublog scans.

The trophy is made of glass 2.5D printing, size 250 x 200 mm.
Information about fee and delivery  and other details can be requested by e-mail at:

mydxtrophy@gmail.com

Another one jut received  by Volker DL8JDX is  the Russian Antarctic Bases Award (RABA), issued by the famous  Russian Robinson Club.

The  Awards program  of RRC (http://www.rdxc.org/rrc/awards_e.htm) foresees  several choices of different and interesting  certificates and plaques  related to the passions of each radio amateur. To get more, check: http://www.rdxc.org/rrc/AWARDS/raba_e.htm

TNX DL8JDX

Heritage Expeditions – MS Hanseatic  former “ Grande Dame”  of Polar Exploration

On: By: Gianni Varetto

 is excited to announce the world-renowned Polar exploration vessel formerly known as MS Hanseatic and Society Adventurer will be joining the fleet from May 2022.

Rechristened Heritage Adventurer, this iconic and beloved expedition ship will see Heritage Expeditions forging new ground while taking the experiential exploration as synonymous with to stylish new heights

Here a  Press release that announce the program: «Heritage Adventurer, with its legendary history of Polar exploration firsts and superior ice capabilities, will take centre stage as our new flagship effortlessly adding new levels of comfort and sophistication to the authentic, intimate small group expeditions Heritage Expeditions was founded on.

The vessel’s rechristening to Heritage Adventurer marries the history of this incredible vessel with the legacy of HMS Adventure’s explorations alongside the HMS Resolution during Captain Cook’s second expedition of the Pacific.

Work is about to begin to get the vessel ‘Heritage ready’ and over the coming months we will be working closely with the owners to co-ordinate an overhaul and refurbishment in preparation of Heritage Adventurer joining our fleet.

Built in 1991 at Finland’s Rauma shipyard and specifically designed for Polar exploration, Heritage Adventurer is 124-metres long, boasts a 1A Super ice class and an impressive history of Polar and remote region exploration.

Originally designed to accommodate 184 guests, we plan to operate Heritage Adventurer with a maximum of just 140 guests to create a spacious, comfortable on board experience and continuation of the exceptional, personalised expedition experience Heritage Expeditions is renowned for. While a fleet of 14 Zodiacs ensures all guests are able to maximise their expedition experience.

Our first season with Heritage Adventurer‘s will begin in the Russian Far East, including Wrangel Island, in May 2022, before venturing south through the South Pacific to New Zealand, the Subantarctic Islands and down into the heart of Antarctica, the Ross Sea».