Mese: Dicembre 2021

Happy New Year

On: By: Gianni Varetto

Another year has gone with poor propagation, just few DX on our Log and … too many troubles all around. Covid hit hard everywhere and we all went through a year of anxiety and fear.

New year is coming, let’s turn the page , be so busy loving your life that you don’t have time for hate, regret, or worry, but take a good care of you.

We hope you realize that every day is a fresh start for all of us. That every sunrise is a new chapter in our life waiting to be written….

..
Happy 2022 by WAP Staff. 

Enjoy Antarctica as much as we do!

HD9A/CE8, Punta Arenas,  Magallanes Province, Chile  WAP CHL-13

On: By: Gianni Varetto

José Vicente Jaramillo Valdivieso  (HC3TAC) has been active as HD9A/CE8  on 8 & 9 February 2014 operating from the Sub Antarctic Punta Arenas, Magallanes Province, Chile WAP CHL-13.

WAP did contact Josè (who now lives in Italy) and he confirm his past operation from there.
Hope is never lost … so Hams who need confirmation for their QSOs,  can now apply for QSL (only direct) to:

José Jaramillo Valdivieso
Via Sirtori 21,
10148  Torino (TO), Italy

TNX Josè (HC3TAC) for his availability

Christmas in Whalers Church,  Grytviken, South Georgia (WAP GBR-29)

On: By: Gianni Varetto

A post from Stefania Dimofte  on FB, bring us to the oldest Church in Antarctica,  and more precisely,  in the Sub Antarctic South Georgia Island.

“The Whalers’ Church” is a typical Norwegian timber church. It was commissioned, and largely financed, by Carl Anton Larsen and designed by his son inlaw , architect. The Church was prefabricated in Strømmen, Norway, and erected by the Station workers in their spare time. The two bells in the steeple rung out on 1913’ Christmas Eve. On the following day, Solveig Jacobsen, granddaughter of CA Larsen, was baptised by the pastor Kristen Løken.

 

December 2013 did mark the centenary of the opening of the Whalers’ Church at Grytviken Station (WAP GBR-29). A special commemorative service took place on Christmas Day 2013, with a congregation including members of Oyas Venner (Norway’s Friends of South Georgia) who arrived on the cruise ship Fram as part of a voyage to celebrate the Church’s anniversary.

 

On Dec. 26 2020, Stefania wrote: «Christmas in Whalers Church in Grytviken, South Georgia, the oldest church in Antarctica which was consecrated on Christmas Day 1913. As in old days we sang carols and we remembered those who once lived here. We remembered Sir Ernest Shackleton whose funeral took place here….»

Merry Christmas to all my friends who share the same love and interest for the White continent and its explorers!» ended up Stefania

6Ø ATS Marathon is going to end by Dec. 31st

On: By: Gianni Varetto

The  marathon dedicated to 6Ø ATS is coming to end. It was a wonderful six months activity, with many stations involved to give everybody a great chance and a nice mood in logging special callsigns.

While WAP is going to thanks all the activators for their efforts, it is good to remember  last chance to apply for Awards and Plaques expressly dedicated to this important event and to the WAP references liknked to that special callsigns

Awards are mostly free to get by mail, just folow the information at:  http://www.waponline.it/6oats-anniversary/6oats-awards/

Special wood or metal  Plaques and Cerificates are available on request  through Oleg, UA6GG/RG60ANT at www.dxtrophy.com

The first of this Awards has been already sent to the Russian operator of  RG6ØANT and to the Swiss operator of HB6ØANT.

Do not forget to look for RI6ØANT: Oleg Sakharov is actually operating from Wolf’s Fang Runway (WAP MNB-12) in Antarctica using his special callsign RI6ØANT ( WAP-335) untill dec. 31st 2021. QSL via RZ3EC.

At the expiring of that date, Oleg will continue to operate with his ZS7ANF callsign (QSL via ZS1ANF or RK1PWA)

We’re about Christmas time …

On: By: Gianni Varetto
WAP Staff wish all our friends, readers and followers  the very best wishes for  this year’s Christmas.
HF propagation  is not at his best shape  so we must listen carefully on air and the magic Christmas may bring  to everyone in Antarctica our warmest wishes.
 
Christmas it’s the one day of the year when we all act a little nicer, we smile a little easier, we cheer a little more. For a couple of hours out of the whole year, we are the people that we always hoped we would be.
 
Merry Christmas, Feliz Navidad, С Рождеством, Joyeux Noël, Frohe Weihnachten, क्रिसमस की बधाई , 聖誕節快樂 , Buon Natale

 Click “Auguri 2021” here below and you get our warmest  Christmas thought    Auguri-2021-by-gianni-varetto

 

Merry Christmas, Best of Season’s Greetings to you all, and your families.

God bless you.

Antarctica: Scientists discover a bacterial species with promising anti-melanoma properties

On: By: Gianni Varetto

Within an Antarctic sea squirt, scientists discover a bacterial species with promising anti-melanoma properties. ScienceDaily has secently pubblish an interesting item about a study done by Desert Research Institute:  New study brings important advances for Antarctic science and natural products chemistry
There are few places farther from your medicine cabinet than the tissues of an ascidian, or “sea squirt,” on the icy Antarctic sea floor,  but this is precisely where scientists are looking to find a new treatment for melanoma, one of the most dangerous types of skin cancer.

In a new paper that was published dec. 1st 2021 in mSphere, a research team from DRI, Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), and the University of South Florida (USF) made strides toward their goal, successfully tracing a naturally-produced melanoma-fighting compound called “palmerolide A” to its source: a microbe that resides within Synoicum adareanum, a species of ascidian common to the waters of Antarctica’s Anvers Island archipelago.

Pubblished last december 1st  on   ScienceDaily: Your source for the latest research news

II6OANT (WAP-323) QSLs arrived from the printer

On: By: Gianni Varetto

Brand new QSL for the italian special event station joining the 6Ø anniversary of the Antarctic Treaty Signature’s celebration

QSLs arrived and now we’re going ahead to confirm the II6OANT (WAP-323) to the Hams who are aready requested direct cards.

The anniversary’s event will last till december 31st 2021,  so 10 more days  to work the several ones on air  and achieve the beautiful 6ØATS Diplomas or Plaques available WW.
In addition, WAP-323 is a new reference released to II6OANT and it’s valid for WAP-WACA Award as well.

QSL for II6OANT can be requested direct or via Bureau to I1HYW.

 

Enjoy Antarctica as much as we do

 

An “Igloo bar” at Concordia Station with IZ1KHY, Lt.Danilo Collino

On: By: Gianni Varetto

Thanks  to the collaboration of many volunteers, including our friend Danilo Collino IZ1KHY, the first Igloo Bar of the Antarctic Plateau,  has been created  at Concordia Station (WAP-MNB-Ø3).

Using a chainsaw, Danilo did cut the ice into blocks, which he then arrange likewise a eskimo technique and, layer by layer he completed the construction! The interior was large enough to accomodate over 6 people. At the opening party, there were 12 people inside to drink, so quite a large space!
The entrance recalls remotely the project launched by WAP,  to build a chapel at the Italian Base MZS (see … http://www.waponline.it/church-in-antarctica/)

.

This  Igloo Bar just built, remind us  another great “ice sculpture” made at Concordia Station by Daniele Karlicek an italian researcher. It was the Church of Daniele’s town, Muggia near Trieste in North West Italy. (See the video at the bottom of this page).

About his staying at Concordia, Daniele wrote: Beautiful initiative, the one of building a Church in Antarctica! I did it myself, by reproducing with ice, the Dome Church of my town (Muggia, in the Province of Trieste) at Base Concordia “Dome C” during my overwintering stay on last 2010-2011 Antartic Campaign.
Daniele Kalicek is a young Italian Researcher; he works for the Department of Geosciences at the University of Trieste, specifically in the laboratory of isotopic Geochemistry.

Well,  going back to the “Igloo Bar”, the pics posted on the web have won everyone’s acclaim. WAP is proud to share some of them with our readers and followers with the compliments for all those involved … architects of the ice!

(Pic aside shows Nicolas Giraud  (IPEV) , Rocco Ascione, station Leader  at Concordia and  Danilo Collino IZ1KHY to the right).

Talking about Radio, the tests made in recent days show that our signals arrive discreetely in Concordia while on the contrary, signals from Concordia are very low, at the limit of comprehensibility. According to his last message, Danilo is expected to try again HF (20 mts SSB)  from Concordia Station over the course of this week so, four more days. Check around 15,30-16,00 UTC 14140 +/-

 

Sunday dec. 19,  he will rerturn to MZS (WAP ITA-Ø1) and from there he will be on air again.

Lt. Danilo Collino,  IZ1KHY is an expert Mountain Scout of the Italian Army at his  third mission in Antarctica .

Many thanks to Daniele Kalicek for the the video below

R/V “Polarstern”, DP0POL/MM sails to Antarctica

On: By: Gianni Varetto

Few days ago the German Research Ship Polarstern set off  from Bremerhaven for Antarctica.  DPØPOL/MM (WAP-317) has already been reported on 40 mts CW.

On Sunday evening, the “Polarstern” was at the height of Portugal in the Atlantic and set course for the Canary Islands. From there it continues south through the Atlantic to Cape Town. The next stage then leads to research projects in the Weddell Sea and adjacent waters. The current position of the “Polarstern”  can be found on a daily updated map.

The German Antarctic Station Neumayer III (WAP DEU-Ø8) , will not be reached  by the “Polarstern” until March 23, 2022. This is why the Greenland container ship “Malik Arctica” will take over supplying the German research base on the Ekström Ice Shelf this season. The new antenna system for the QO-100 ground station on Neumayer III is also on board. According to current plans, the “Malik Arctica” will reach Neumayer III on December 21; the position of the ship can also be found on a map (slide section down).

The new wintering Team and technical staff for maintenance work during the current summer season, will travel by plane via Cape Town with a stopover at the Wolf’s Fang Air Field (WAP MNB-12)  to the Neumayer III research station. From Wolf’s Fang, Oleg, ZS7ANF , should show up on air  soon . 

He has also announced the special call sign RI60ANT (WAP-335)  to commemorate “6Ø years of the Antarctic Treaty”.

TNX DL1AX  and Info AWI Bremerhaven,

When did Antarctica become a continent?

On: By: Gianni Varetto

Antarctica, the fifth-largest continent, is commonly known for penguins, massive calving ice shelves and failed exploratory expeditions.
But this frozen swath on the bottom of the world wasn’t always so isolated; it was once part of a larger supercontinent. So when did it become its own continent?

Today, Antarctica is the largest block of ice on Earth, covering more than 5.4 million square miles (14 million square kilometers). Hidden beneath the ice, the rocks of Antarctica reveal the dynamic history of the continent.

“Antarctica is a continent just like any other that has a wide variety of landscapes (mountain ranges, valleys and plains) all shaped by its geologic history,” said Libby Ives, a doctoral candidate in geosciences at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. “Much of this geologic history remains a mystery because less than 1% of the continent has rocks exposed that could help us tell this story”.

Read more at: https://www.livescience.com/when-did-antarctica-become-continent

Russia  6ØATS event , QSLs are ready

On: By: Gianni Varetto

Eugene Shelkanovtsev, RZ3EC informs the chasers that QSLs for the Russian activity at 60th Antarctic Treaty Signature’s Anniversary are now ready.

Hams wishing to get “direct QSL”  can get single callsign QSLs for each of the 10 callsigns used during the event (which will end next dec. 31st).

Pic aside shows the wonderful mix of these printed cards.

To those preferring to receive confirmation via Bureau, a cumulative callsigns card have been designed an available as well.

QSL direct could be requested to:

Eugene Shelkanovtsev, RZ3EC

P.O. Box 70
Orel 302028, Russia

TNX RZ3EC

Our Lady was prayed at MZS

On: By: Gianni Varetto

December 8, Feast of the Immaculate Conception.
Gianfranco Santovito, actually at MZS (WAP ITA-Ø1) sent  Happy Feast of the Immaculate Conception to all the Antarctics.

Gianfranco wrote: There is no church at MZS (Mario Zucchelli Station), but there is no lack of moments in which religious faith can be shared. Last night, to celebrate the Immaculate Conception, some of us went to a small “sanctuary” that has been set  on the hill behind the Base for years,  to recite an Hail Mary and an Our Father.

TNX Gianfranco Santovito and Daniele Guidi

KI7ATZ  Peter Becker Ph.D. an  Antarctic veteran

On: By: Gianni Varetto

WAP did receive a huge number of Antarctic QSLs by KI7ATZ  Peter Becker Ph.D  who has got a great experience when he was at the US Palmer Station for 5 months in 1970. Dr. Peter Becker  sent us a brief  comment of his experience down South:  «A Ham could operate on a “Station License”, then with no license. At the time,  Palmer Station (WAP USA-23) was KC4USP,  R/V HERO was KC4USN and Byrd Longwire Station (WAP USA_Ø3) was KC4USA. Notice that KC4USA ha salso been used by several other US Bases in Antarctica .

We did phone patches nightly for staff and Navy staff!  When not doing that we ran QSO’s for the popular Antarctic Station QSL seekers.

We had boxes of surplus Collins KWM 2A’s Transceivers with 1000 watt 30S-1 linear amplifiers… so when something stopped working, we just opened another unit!  We also had the USN Antenna Farm,  so we used what ever one they were not using,  in addition we were also allowed to use AFRS (Armed Forced Radio Service) bands and we spoke to friended in Okinawa and other SE Asia stations.


As a Polar Scientist, I routinely used it on Icebreakers in Polar Waters at both ends! The Palmer Trip was a joint NASA and NSF Office of Polar Programs as well as support for Dr. Steven Shabicas Doctoral work on Keyhole Limpets at Palmer.

I was active in polarscience from 1968 to 1998 and ran the Arctic Nuclear Waste Assessment the last 5 years while finishing my Ph.D. in 1995 in Physical Oceanography and then 3 more years as a Post Doc at Battelle MSL in Sequim, WA under DOE.. so many miles, many ice camps in both regions, and diving in both regions up to 1989.

TNX to KI7ATZ  Peter Becker Ph.D.

Over 100 volcanoes scattered across Antarctica

On: By: Gianni Varetto

ANTARCTICA is home to a number of volcanoes that are hidden beneath its icy surface, with some scientists suggesting that an eruption could cause global sea levels to rise.

Believe it or not, over 100 volcanoes are scattered across Antarctica. At the moment, there are only two active volcanoes in Antarctica: Mount Erebus and Deception Island.

While scientists who work in and study Antarctica say that the volcanoes are unlikely to pose any real threat anytime soon, some have suggested that their eruption could have a knock-on effect around the world.

Thanks and credit to: Antarctica volcano warning after scientists suggest eruption could cause ‘sea level rise’ | Science | News | Express.co.uk

See an interesting video about Mount Erebus one of the active volcanoes in Antarctica.  Credit  PBS Terra