Peter I Island at the end of the world


Peter I Island

68 ° 50'S, 90 ° 35'W
Area: 158 km ²
Volcano
Highest point:
Lars Christensen Peak, 1755 meters d.n.m.
IOTA AN-004
Grid Locator: EC41qd
ITU Zone 72 CQ zone 12

In 1987 they held the first expedition to the island radiometer Peter I. It was discovered on 10 January 1821 Russian Captain von Bellingshausen, who came 15 miles from its shores and has called Tsar of Russia. The first Norwegian expedition took place in 1927, the crew was in search of water we rich whale. Once surrounded the island in search of accosting two men tried to send a boat ashore, but without success. A new expedition managed to land in 1929, expeditionary frozen ground implanted in their country's flag, claiming the island as Norwegian territory. (The claim was suspended under the Antarctic Treaty as all other claims of territories south of parallel 60: France Adélie Land, Antarctica Argentina for Argentina, Australia for the Australian Antarctic Territory, British Antarctic Territory England, Norway Queen Maud Land , New Zealand Ross Dependency). The island remained unvisited for many years, rich in whale waters rumor proved groundless. Norwegian amateurs only dreamed continually get it out into the ether, along with Bouvet Island.

After long efforts LA-DX-Group has obtained the support of the Norwegian Polar Research Institute to draft a new travel organization. Major sponsorships and logistics have been awarded Northern California DX Foundation, numerous other clubs in the United States, European countries and Japan, the major companies producing equipment, and countless individuals. On January 10, 1987 Einar Enderud, LA1EE and Care Pedersen, LA2GV, together with five Norwegian scientists on a scientific expedition and radioamatoricesc to the island, where they managed to land on 22 January, after 38 years of Norwegians since last visit. A day they appeared in bands like 3Y1EE and 3Y2GV. A new country was born, the 317-to the list of DXCC!

Of the two stations at least one was always running. Hami enthusiasm from all over has been huge. At the close stations on February 2 in logs gathered about 17,000 links, mostly banda 20 yards, including a third in CW, SSB and about two thirds in 48 QSOs on RTTY. During business operators were transported by helicopter on board only a few times to take a shower.

Way home went uneventfully. Honoring QSL cards fell to 15 amateur volunteers under the leadership of LA6VM, who had to show true detective skills in the effort to decipher handwritten logs sometimes late hours of the night!


Peter Island is apparently the most isolated place on earth. Is so isolated that until February 1994 - our arrival there with our wireless devices - per month lunar landings were more than were landings on Peter!

Although the island is only 450 kilometers from Antarctica, it is most of the year surrounded by sea ice with a width of 10-20 km. Until helicopters became available only chance to land on the island was to be patient, resourceful and lucky enough to find a hole in the ice to penetrate through it and hope that you'll be able to go back there before to be condemned to starve or eat penguins. Without the helicopter is extremely difficult to land and then leave the island. Along almost the entire coast 50 kilometers in length glaciers end in steep cliffs with a height of 50 meters. Additionally jagged ice chunks crowd, forming huge crevasses. When ice slide on ice shelves, she leaves behind her at the cliff area 90 meters wide filled with foamy an obstacle abrasive cold and virtually impenetrable. Ice chunks seldom or faster pace waves.

The island itself is very picturesque, it is about 21 kilometers long and 9 kilometers wide and an area of about 120 km2. It is covered in 95% ice. Near its center stands a stunning mountain to a height of 1700 meters, which more majestic glaciers that slide to the cliff edge. The predominant color is soft white, interrupted only sometimes gray of volcanic rocks, too sloping to allow snow accumulation. It is an incredibly beautiful landscape, but awfully weird. Some icebergs are blue dark, a sign of age. How many bears one large solitary see lying. In the distance, to the edge of the horizon looming huge masses of ice, some as big as a city, are part of a landscape seemingly immutable, but when you look next time no longer in place. Fauna and flora are rich who knows what Peter I. Some penguins, thousands of Antarctic petrels, nice yellow lichen, that's all. It is very cold, very windy, very far. Far from what? Far from everything, to the world. Here's a crazy combination particularly attractive for amateur radio.

Peter I Island at the end of the world Rating: 4.5 Diposkan Oleh: Anonymous

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