A new IOTA island activated

While working at Rothera base I got the chance to go to Fossil Bluff for a few days rest. Fossil Bluff is a field station which operates in the Antarctic summer, its primary role is a refuelling point for Twin Otter aircraft operating from Rothera.

The base is located on the eastern side of Alexander Is, on the edge of the King George VI ice shelf and is accessible only by air. There is no runway as such, the ski equipped aircraft land on unprepared snow and the drums of fuel lie in lines on the snow. The base is a small wooden hut which sleeps 4 with a diesel generator and stove.

Conditions were very poor; Europe was only workable for about 1 hour a day on 20M. 17M was much the same, this is only to be expected at midsummer in the Antarctic. Long path may have fared better in the morning, but mountains rise steeply in that direction. I managed to make many IOTA chasers happy with this new one, sadly those who missed out will probably have a long wait for the next activity.

More information about Fossil Bluff and British Antarctic Survey is available at

 http://www.antarctica.ac.uk/

Dates of operation

06 December 1994 to 12 December 1994

Location

Fossil Bluff, Alexander Is, Antarctica

IOTA Reference

AN-018 Palmer land west, first activation

Position

Latitude 71°20' S, Longitude 68°17' W

QSL Manager

GM0LVI

Rig

Yaesu FT-990, 100 watts

Antenna

20m sloping dipole and 17m dipole

Online logbook

No, paper logging used

The hut at Fossil Bluff, looking to the south west.

Looking towards the north west (Europe). The 20M sloper is hanging from the mast at the left of the building. The mast was constructed by attaching an alloy pole to a ladder and propping it against the building.

Me operating, look at the Panda eyes! It's so bright during the summer you wear sunglasses or goggles continually and end up looking like a Panda.

 First view of Fossil Bluff from the Twin Otter.

Twin Otter departing after refueling, the fuel is in the 45 gallon drums on the right of the picture.

Oh dear! That's a skidoo fallen into a melt pool. In summertime meltwater pools form on top of the ice shelf, hidden by a layer of snow.

The QSL card, still available from Dave GM0LVI.