Stranded on South Georgia

When returning to Antarctica from the UK in late 1993, I was asked if I could visit Bird Island to service the communications equipment. Of course, I didn't have to give that request much thought!

I joined the ship RRS James Clark Ross in Montevideo, Uruguay. The passage was about 5 days. We were unable to land for several days due to bad weather. After I did land the ship had to leave in a hurry with a medical emergency, leaving me behind on Bird Island with the station personnel. I was picked up by a Royal Navy ship a few days later and taken to Stanley in the Falkland Islands.

I had a considerable amount of work to do on the island, so my operation was limited. The location is badly screened by mountains to the north, east and west so working Europe and North America is difficult. Conditions had to be good to work anyone, on several days I was calling CQ endlessly with no success.

More information about South Georgia and British Antarctic Survey is available at http://www.antarctica.ac.uk/

Dates of operation

24 October 1993 to 01 November 1993

Location

Bird Island, South Georgia

IOTA Reference

AN-007

QSL Manager

GM0LVI

Rig

Yaesu FT-990, 100 watts

Antenna

2 ele tribander and 40m sloping vertical

Online logbook

No, paper logging used

The base on Bird Island. The 2 ele tribander is in the centre left.

Me operating on CW, the gear above is the base HF equipment.

RRS James Clark Ross moored alongside the disused whaling station at Grytviken.

 King Edward Point, South Georgia.

HMS Newcastle, my transport back to the Falkland Islands.

Keith VP8CKB with a Wandering Albatross chick.

Grey-headed Albatross (I think!)

Evening shot of RRS James Clark Ross moored at Grytviken.

The QSL card, still available from Dave GM0LVI.