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For the life of the domed station, the QSL card featured an image of the station that was adapted from an early-70s artist’s conception of what the place might look like. Hey, I was one of the folks who helped adapt that drawing before my first trip to Pole for the third winter in that new station.
Anyway, the old comms with its ham shack in the dome is now a pile of rubble waiting to be recycled. The new COMMS otherwise known as the SOC (Station operations center) doesn’t even have any radios in it…just microphones and computers which control radios elsewhere. And the new room designated as the ham shack is located in the B1 “emergency pod” as a backup comms room. During my 2005 winter I spent many hours in that tiny room doing the weekly teleconference with my supervisors up north…but that is another story.
Anyway, Pole now has a new QSL card. I just received a copy from Nick Powell, satcom engineer, and NSF manager Jerry Marty. Have a look…http://www.southpolestation.com/postcard/qsl.html#07
And scroll up the page for a look at the earlier QSL cards, back to the IGY days 🙂
I recently spoke with Nick. He let me know he mailed a card to me from the Pole around November 13th 2006. About how long does mail usually take to arrive in the states from the pole? I haven’t received it yet. I am sure it’s in route. Just curious about how much longer it may take. This is the first mail I have ever received from the pole. So, I am thinking of putting the card and envelope in a frame and hanging it on the wall in the shack! 😀 Thanks and 73, Sam
Sam,
As you can see from the scan, my card was postmarked 29 November, I received it 8 December. But in my experience that means nothing. The mailbag with your card may be frozen in or still sitting on the ice runway somewhere. I hope not…Hi Bill
The site you linked to said: once upon a time ham radio was the only way to talk to the folks at home.
Yes, indeed. I’m an American who wintered over at Scott Base in ’59 and we didn’t even have ham radio there. But, if necessary we could walk or drive to McMurdo where the ham operators were kind enough to allow us to make calls. I think the callsign there was KC4USV if I remember correctly and the QSL card was exactly like the first one on the linked site (except for the callsign, of course), a penguin with headphones at a morse key.
I remember seeing about QSL Cards but I didnt pay much attention to them….now I’ve gone and looked them up.
Do I have this right?:: 2 stations contact each other for the first time, record the info on the card, then mail the cards to each other?
all I started out with was looking up these cards…..then I was think it would be a quaint hobby…..hhhmmmmm, might even get into a starter set for $3k or less….then I run into sites like…
..and now I’m lost. I guess I always had the idea that it was a dead hobby or for those with a ton of spare time. Damnit, now I’m wholly interested. 🙂
Do I have this right?:: 2 stations contact each other for the first time, record the info on the card, then mail the cards to each other?[/quote]
Pretty much. Most Hams record there contacts in a log book and then later use that info to fill out the cards. It was once required to keep a log book for your station. Now that it’s no longer required most still do. I do because it’s needed for qsl’ing and to help you remember other QSO’s important or not.
A QSL card can be for any contact (QSO). Local or long distance(DX). You can exchange qsl cards if it’s the first contact or the 100 contact with the same station.
I keep qsl cards to collect them and as a souvenir from my best QSO’s. Others may keep them for the same thing or they use them for awards in contest. You also need them for awards like WAS ( worked all states ) or The Antartica Award ( which is what I am trying for to) and many more.@Baghdad Jim wrote:
all I started out with was looking up these cards…..then I was think it would be a quaint hobby…..hhhmmmmm, might even get into a starter set for $3k or less….then I run into sites like…
..and now I’m lost. I guess I always had the idea that it was a dead hobby or for those with a ton of spare time. Damnit, now I’m wholly interested. 🙂
Ham radio ( Amateur radio ) can be really addictive. I have been addicted for 8 years now. A license is required to become a Ham. You need to study and take a test for the license. Morse code is required as of now but they have recently dropped the morse code requirement. It takes effect in late January or Febuary maybe. There are Clubs in the U.S. who can assist you in all this. There should be one around your home town. As far as building a station, it can cost anywhere from 20 bucks ( lower power qrp station) to as much as you can spend. Ham radio has a REALLY WIDE range of activities. Hams are also like family. We share a common bond and really work together to help our fellow hams. The best ham radio site with a large and active forum is http://WWW.QRZ.COM. That’s the place to start if you want to become a ham. THis hobby is surely not dead. It’s growing every day. So, if you have any more questions, ask away. My ham radio callsign is KG4HEB you can find me here or at http://WWW.QRZ.COM . If or when you become a ham you can find me on 20 meters 🙂 . 73 (best wishes), Sam KG4HEB
Sam, thanks a load for the info….I dont know if they’ll let me set something up out here just yet but oh well..that’ll be for later. Now I’m sitting here trying to do these reports and I keep switching back and forth from QRZ 🙂
Happy New Years all! we hit it in 5 hours! 😛I would say you could put up a small vertical or dipole when the time comes. They don’t take up much room and there not something that’s going to catch everyones eye. There have been several troops and Iraq citizens operate from there. I would highly recommend you get in touch with a Radioman (That’s what we called them in the Navy) or a Communications Officer there. Let them know what you are interested in or what you want to do. If one of them happen to be a Ham operator they may let you get on the air as a 3rd party. They would have to stay in the shack with you while you use the equipment but it would be really great and a whole lot of fun! Hey…if you do run into a ham there and get to work the HF bands. Maybe I’ll hear you and we can have a QSO on the bands! 73, Sam KG4HEB
Here’s some more info that may be of interest to you. Some Hams and a club in Baghdad : Douglas Webster, an american who is retired Air force callsign is YI9A. He is currently in Iraq and handles licensing also. Jose Castillo, a Chief Petty Officer in the U.S. Navy. Currently in Iraq I think and callsign is YI9BAA. The Iraq Amateur Radio Society callsigns YI1IRQ, YI1BGD and web site, http://www.iraqi-ars.org/. A couple civilians, YI1GAK and YI1AM . You can look up these callsigns on http://www.qrz.com to get more info such as e-mails. 73, Sam
You may have heard. But, recently Ham Radio in IRAQ is QRT ( off the air). They say it’s do to security reasons. You can read about it at http://www.qrz.com . I hope your still interested and working towards a license. 73, Sam KG4HEB
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