Mese: Febbraio 2024

WAP is proud to show an envelope posted directly from South Georgia, by Dr. Volker Strecke DL8JDX   on the last of his cruise to Antarctica.
The South Georgia Museum is located in the old whaling  Station of Grytviken (WAP GBR-29).  The building was once the whaling manager’s  home and office.

The  museum was established by Nigel Bonner in 1991 as a whaling museum. Its scope now embraces all the main areas of island’s history, including most aspects of South Georgia’s human heritage and natural history.

Exhibits include discovery, exploration, Shackleton, surveying and mountaineering expeditions, sealing in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the early days of whaling, techniques of modern whaling in the middle part of the 20th century, whalers’ social life, maritime history, and natural history. Displays also cover the 1982 conflict and subsequent British military presence until 2001.

GSGSSI has responsibility for the operational buildings and infra-structure associated with the museum. The South Georgia Heritage Trust took over the management of the museum in July 2006.

TNX  Volker DL8JDX

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Get more at: South Georgia Museum – Government of South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands

A press conference, a special post card cancellation ceremony, and a presentation of a quest route was held in Moscow in honor of the 90^th Anniversary of the heroic epic of the rescue of the Chelyuskints and the establishment of the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.
Speaker RMØL (ex RW3GW) Valery Sushkov, DX-peditioner on the Arctic and Antarctica. (see pic aside)

On February 13, 1934, the radio operator of the Chelyuskin steamship, Ernst Krenkel, sent a  radiogram to Moscow about the loss of the ship. 104 people, including 2 children, remained on the ice. From that moment on, an heroic air rescue operation began, which lasted 2 months. In April 1934, 7 polar pilots became the first Heroes of the Soviet Union in the USSR.
On February 13, 2024, at the Federal Information Agency of Russia “TASS” (Moscow, Tverskoy Boulevard, building 2, 2nd floor) a press conference was held, a special cancellation ceremony for a postal card with a stamp and a presentation of the quest route of the All-Russian Public Committee “Chelyuskintsy” “, dedicated to the celebration of the 90^th Anniversary of the Chelyuskin epic and the appearance of the title of Hero of the Soviet Union https://chelyuskincy.ru

At the end of the press conference, a solemn ceremony of special cancellation of a special postal card and a stamp with a limited edition and a presentation of the city memorial, historical, cultural and philaturist quest route in Moscow,  took place.

The author of the postcard, vignette stamp, special postmark, as well as a quest route in honor of the 90^th Anniversary of the heroic epic of saving the Chelyuskinites and the establishment of the title of Hero of the Soviet Union was a travel researcher, postal historian, author and director of the All-Russian project for the development of philaturism “POSTVENTURE & Postal Adventure” , member of the PKO RGS-OIAC and the Union of Journalists of Russia, Valery Sushkov (RMØL ex RW3GW).
Artist: Vladislav Serov, Designer: Natalya Pligina.
WAP readers and everyone interested, can pre-order a new postal card (edited No. 2, which plans to be released on April 13, 2024) with a vignette stamp and a special postmark in honor of the 90th anniversary of the heroic Chelyuskin epic and the appearance of the title of Hero of the Soviet Union by contacting the issuer: All-Russian Philatourism Development Project “POSTVENTURE & Postal Adventure”. Tel./WhatsApp: +7-950-805-22-11, E-mail: info@postventure.ru

Source: В Москве прошла пресс-конференция, церемония спецгашения почтовой карточки и презентация квест-маршрута в честь 90-летия героической эпопеи спасения челюскинцев и учреждения звания Героя Советского Союза | Русское географическое общество (rgo.ru)

TNX Oleg UA6GG (Polar DX Trophy)

John (SK), formerly VK2FR and VK2ANT, was a skilled radio Ham that spoke to many people around the world including those at Antarctic Bases and research stations over the last four decades.
His daughter Aimee sent WAP some photos from her trip to Antarctica. «It was absolutely amazing and such a special pilgrimage. Aimee and her hausband Adam visited Chilean station González Videla and Argentina’s Almirante Brown. Although there wasn’t anyone based at Brown at the time, it was incredible to see the station which was also home to hundreds of Gentoo penguins. I am keen to go back again and visit South Georgia Islands next time. I was just in awe of Antarctica, what a sacred place!».

Aimee Sharpe wrote:  For as long as I can remember, I would listen to my father communicate over the radio, fascinated by the secret language of morse code as he bounced and beeped through the ionosphere until the early hours of the morning. His great love was Antarctica and it was his dream to travel there together one day. He was a proud member of the Antarctic Ham community and held several Antarctic Awards including WAP-WACA, WAP-WADA, Wireless Institute of Australia Antarctic Award as well as the United Nations Honor Roll.
After my father died suddenly in January 2021, I travelled to Antarctica in honour of him (see pic of Aimee aside). It was a sacred pilgrimage for me and an experience that irrevocably changed my life.
One of the happiest moments from the trip was landing at Almirante Brown, an Argentinian research base in the Antarctic Peninsula that is home to hundreds of Gentoo Penguins. I had a laugh to myself when I saw that the radio tower was the same size as the one that my dad built in our backyard… at least there weren’t any neighbours to annoy with this tower, and the penguins didn’t seem fazed!

The WAP Antarctic Activity Week has just begun and runs until next Sunday (18-25 February 2024). During this week, radio amateurs from around the world will be contacting the women and men who are away from their homes and families on the southernmost Continent.
-Ahead of the 21st Worldwide Antarctica Program’s Antarctic Activity Week, the Australian National Maritime Museum   received a special visit from Aimee Sharpe. She met with staff and volunteers at the museum to inspect the radios aboard our vessels and share her father’s story-  reported the Volunteers.

The Australian National Maritime Museum  is proud to have volunteer Amateur Radio Operators, who transmit and receive from the radio room of HMAS VAMPIRE (VK2VMP).
Those who are experienced radio amateurs and are interested in joining the team, please get in touch. www.sea.museum/support/volunteer. (pic on the right : Aimee Sharpe and Stirling Smith, Archeologist and Curator at the ANMM – Australian National Antarctic Museum in Sydney)

 

TNX Aimee Sharpe for joining us during the AAW and leaving us a great recall of our real good friend as John VK2FR was!

Beside the WAP’s Antarctic Activity Week which runs from 18th to 25th february, another important event recalls the WW Ham radio community, the so called “Dia de la Antartida Argentina” which is celebrate yearly on 22 february.

Historical reference:
“Dia de la Antartida Argentina” (Argentine Antarctic Day-Law 20,827) commemorates the inauguration, on February 22, 1904, of the Meteorological Observatory on Laurie Island, South Orkney, which would later become the Orkney Base (WAP ARG-15), a historical milestone that marked the beginning of the uninterrupted connection of Argentina in Antarctica.
Since this event, Argentina has maintained a permanent and uninterrupted presence on the Antarctic continent for 120 years.

On its “120^th Anniversary”  a “digital certificate with 5 contacts” has been issued to celebrate the event,  which will be held from February 22 to March 10, 2024.

This  Digital Certificate,  will be available for working five (5) stations of the Joint Antarctic Command.
Icebreaker ARA Almirante Irízar and the joint Antarctic bases listed below will be “On Air”  for the national and international radio amateurs (and SWL) community.

Look for the followings:
LU1ZA Orcadas Antarctic Joint Base (WAP ARG-15)
LU1ZD Gral. San Martín Antarctic Joint Base (WAP ARG-Ø8)
LU1ZG Belgrano II Antarctic Joint Base (WAP ARG-Ø6)
LU1ZI Carlini Antarctic Joint Base (WAP ARG-2Ø)
LU1ZR Petrel Antarctic Joint Base (WAP ARG-17)
LU1ZV Esperanza Antarctic Joint Base (WAP ARG-Ø4)
LU4ZS Vcom Antarctic Joint Base. Marambio (WAP ARG-21)
LU2ARM Joint Antarctic Command
LU2AIB/MM Icebreaker ARA Almirante Irízar

Date: February 22 to March 10, 2024.
Schedule: Subject to operational activities and tasks on  80, 40, 30, 20, 17, 15, 12, 10 mts
Modes: CW – SSB – FT8 – RTTY – PSK
Exchange: Only signal report (RST) is required

Task:  To obtain the certificate you must be able to contact 5 calls of the above list.
Operation:  Subject to time availability of Antarctic operators and propagation conditions.

Argentine and foreign Amateur radio stations will be able to download their QSL by entering the integrated system (QSLOG.AR) through the website www.qslog.com.ar  in the activities tab,  once the event has ended and the logs have been processed.
Hams should NOT send any logs. If you do not see your QSL/Certificate reflected, you must contact the event organizer in order to verify your QSO data.
SWLs could confirm the listening of each station, sending all the corresponding data to the email (qslantartida@fuerzas-armadas.mil.ar , lu3ia@hotmail.com)  subsequently downloading in the same way the corresponding QSL of each operator listened to.

TNX : Estado Mayor Conjunto de las Fuerzas Armada,  Comando Conjunto Antártico and LU3IA Alfredo Arcangel Amaro

Wilkins Aerodrome at 66°41’27″South, 111°31’35″East  is named after the legendary patron and pioneer of early Antarctic aviation, Sir Hubert Wilkins.

Wilkins Aerodrome is a major summer-only facility. is located approximately 70 km southeast of Casey Research Station (WAP AUS-Ø2) and serves as the Antarctic terminal for the intercontinental air service.

Situated in an area of Antarctica known as Wilkes’ Land, the aerodrome has been sited 700 metres above sea level to minimise the likelihood of melt, as the coast is relatively warm by Antarctic standards during the summer months.

The Wilkins site is approximately 70% exposed ice and 30% snow cover that is less than one metre deep. The foundation of the runway is natural glacial ice, rolled with proof rollers to ensure that the surface ice has suitable bearing strength and integrity to support the aircraft.

The runway surface is tillered by a snowgroomer to manufacture higher friction levels prior to each flight of a wheeled aircraft.

The facility operates between October and March each year. It closes for around six weeks at the height of summer, due to warmer temperatures causing sub-surface melt.

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So far, nobody has been operated Hamradio from Wilkins, which still remains unnumbered;  that’s why we hope one day or another some zealous Radio amateur can do it.

Chinese explorer and adventurer, Feng Jing, hiked to the Southern Pole of Inaccessibility (POI), which is the farthest point from all the coastlines of Antarctica.

With two assistants she reached the POI after 80 days on January 25, 2020. It is a remarkable achievement traversing over 1,800 kilometers in extreme conditions; one fascinating aspect to the trip is that there is a Lenin statue at the Pole of Inaccessibility! No one had ever reached the spot on foot before and also, very few people have ever visited this inhospitable spot.

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Have a look at the video below (start it  at min 2:09)

Pole of Inaccessibility (aka Polyus Nedostupnosti Station)

In 1958 the Soviet Union sent an expedition of scientists there, with the goal of establishing a Base Camp at 82° 06’ South, 54°58’East. Equipment and personnel were delivered by an Antarctic tractor convoy operated by the 3rd Soviet Antarctic Expedition. The station had a hut for four people, a radio shack, and an electrical hut. These buildings had been constructed on the tractors used during the traverse, serving as accommodation. On top of the camp structures,  they placed the Lenin bust. Next to the hut, an airstrip was cleared and a Li-2 aircraft landed there on 18 December 1958. The outpost was equipped with a diesel power generator and a transmitter. Pole of Inaccessibility Station performed meteorological observations from 14 to 26 December 1958.

On 26 December the outpost was vacated indefinitely. Four researchers were airlifted out, and the remaining 14 members of the party returned with the tractors. The Station was deemed to be too far from other Research Stations to allow safe permanent operation, so it was left to be used for future short-term visits only. The Pole of Inaccessibility has the world’s coldest year-round average temperature of −58.2 °C (−72.8 °F).

The camp was essentially abandoned and only a handful of people have travelled there. The camp buildings were buried by snow over the last 60 years, but incredibly Lenin is still visible and there unharmed having survived despite it all.

Read more about Pole of Inaccessibility at: The Pole Or Bust! The Loneliest (And Coldest) Lenin (rferl.org)

The 8th Soviet Antarctic Expedition visited the site on 1 February 1964 and left five days later.
The American Queen Maud Land Traverse, reached the Pole of Inaccessibility from Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station (WAP USA-21) on 27 January 1965. The crew were flown out by a Lockheed C139 Hercukes on 1 February. On 15 December 1965 a new American crew arrived by C-130 to make observations, refurbish the snow cats, and continue the Queen Maud Land Traverse, zig-zagging to the newly installed Plateau Station (WAP USA-13) where they arrived on 29 January 1966.
The 12th Soviet Antarctic Expedition visited the site in 1967.
On 19 January 2007, the British Team N2i reached the Pole of Inaccessibility using specially-designed foil kites.
On 27 December 2011, during the Antarctica Legacy Crossing, Sebastian Copeland, and partner Eric McNair-Landry, reached the Pole of Inaccessibility by foot and kite ski from Novolazarevskaya Station (WAP RUS-Ø9), on their way to completing the first partial east–west transcontinental crossing of Antarctica of over 4,100 km (2,500 mi).
The station building is surmounted by a bust of Vladimir Lenin facing Moscow. It is almost entirely buried by snow, with little more than the bust visible. 
Following a proposal by Russia to the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting, the buried building and emergent bust, along with a plaque commemorating the conquest of the Pole of Inaccessibility by Soviet Antarctic explorers in 1958, has been designated a Historic Site or Monument (HSM 4).

Speaking as a Radioamateur, I must say that it is a real shame that, for some years in Antarctica, the Hamradio culture has no longer had the importance it once did.
That several expeditions, like these ones over the last 50 years to the Pole of Inaccessibility Station, were not accompanied by radio operators to give radio amateurs from all over the world the chance to contact a place so full of history, let me say,  is truly a shame! Let’s hope that, before too long, a new expedition could operate HF from Pole of Inaccessibility Station (HSM#4)!

To all the Hams collecting Polar Ship, WAP reminds that Fragata ARA Libertad is valid for WAP Awards  as well as for Polar DX Challenge.

February 10, 11 and 12, 2024, the Argentine Ship Fragata ARA Libertad will be on air  for 3 days. It will be a chance, an opportunity not to be missed!

Within the framework of a great celebrations, the ARA Frigate Training Ship “LIBERTAD”, will moored at Mar del Plata Naval Base to honor the 150th Anniversary of the founding of the City of Mar del Plata.
LU8AEU will be on air CW, SSB, FT8, FM on 10,20,40, and 2 meters at 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m LU time  which correspond at 14:30 through 24:00 GMT. A Memorial QSL will be issued to a single contact

LU8AEU will be operated by volunteer members of the Auxiliary Radio Amateur Service of the Navy, from the Mar del Plata Naval Base.

Argentine and Foreign Amateur Radio Stations will be able to download their QSL by entering the QSLOG.AR integrated system, through the website www.qslog.com.ar  , once the event has ended and the Logs have been processed.

In case you do not see your QSL coming up, you must contact the event organizer in order to verify your QSO data.

The SWL stations will be able to confirm the listening of each station, sending all the corresponding data to the email (arasaraeventos@gmail.com ) subsequently downloading in the same way the corresponding QSL of each operator listened to.

TNX Armada Argentina and the Friends of Fragata Libertad.

 

An interesting article  published at: https://polarjournal.ch/en/2024/01/31/meet-the-czech-scientists-who-convinced-their-government-to-go-to-antarctica/?fbclid=IwAR3oKt7Ny65_Hs8NENd4R-10MJgaub-HbZ398NfRtyBobNotHLV_OQLPDAE remind us that one of the rare Antarctic Station “Gregor Mendel” (WAP CZE-NEW), has been recently reopened . The main part of the expedition team has left on 24 January for the Mendel Polar Station on James Ross Island, where they  will arrive around Febr. 9th to spend two months there.

Actually the Czech team consists of 24 participants; nine researchers (two of them women, one of them from Charles University), one doctor, four technicians and a two-member film crew consisting of Petr Horký, a traveller and documentary filmmaker, as well as an experienced polar explorer who has made expeditions to the three poles of the Earth (North, South and the Cold Pole), and Jan Šimánek, a cameraman. They will be shooting a unique documentary about the Czech Antarctic Research Programme for Czech Television.

It’s a great news for the “Antarctic Chasers”; let’s hope  it could be possible that in a near future some Ham radio operation could be performed down there as well. The station is the property of Masaryk University in Brno and was named after the father of modern genetics, the meteorologist Gregor Johann Mendel

Some members of the expedition are at the Eco Nelson Base (WAP CZE-Ø1) on Nelson Island. This smaller expedition will last at Echo Nelson six weeks in total, of which,  almost four weeks will be spent working on King George Island and Nelson Island. At the end of this part of the expedition, two participants will travel to the Ukrainian station Vernadsky (WAP UKR-Ø1) on Galindez Island to continue working on the joint Czech-Ukrainian research project, and will return to Europe in early May.
TNX Český antarktický výzkumný program

Mendel Polar Station is a “New One” for Radioamateurs WW, who are collecting contacts in HF with the Antarctic Bases.  WAP did suggest the Český antarktický výzkumný program that it will be great if Mendel Polar Station coul be “On Air” for the 1st time. Testing HF propagation from Antarctica is not only an exercise, but something of science!
They are good and clever guys, let’s hope that our appeal will be heard!

See the interesting video at: Czech researchers depart for new Antarctic station | Radio Prague International