[amsat-bb] North and South Pole Gridsquares

[Norm n3ykf]

There is a provision for "overnight" at the pole via flight in. Other
packages are ski or dogsled in, out via helicopter. Guides, Sherpas
and champagne included.

Skiing in provides the most flexibility. Some periods of wx up there
are quite predictable and will support human life.

Not sure where they'd drop a party to start.

Today the extreme has become mundane. Help is an phone call away from
anywhere on the planet.

On Tue, Jul 26, 2016 at 8:35 PM, John Toscano <tosca005 at umn.edu> wrote:
> Well, according to that web page, "The duration of our visit is largely
> determined by weather conditions and will likely last between 45 minutes to
> 2 hours." So you would have to be very lucky to get a satellite pass in
> range so that you could have a QSO while there. Of course, there would
> likely be plenty of aurora activity, so you might manage an aurora scatter
> contact on 6 or 2 meters without a satellite. That company does offer an
> overnight stay option, but NOT at the North Pole, but at the "base camp" a
> short helicopter ride away. But a contact from there would not do the job.
> Your GPS needs to read 90.0000 degrees of latitude. I wonder what longitude
> reading you would get?
>
> On Mon, Jul 25, 2016 at 1:34 PM, Norm n3ykf <normanlizeth at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> http://polarexplorers.com/expeditions/north-pole/north-pole-flights
>>
>> 16900 Euros. Layover at pole possible. Who is up for a vacation? Pack
>> your cold wx gear.
>>
>> By the web page description, it's a much visited place.
>>
>> On Mon, Jul 25, 2016 at 2:23 PM, Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK)
>> <amsat-bb at wd9ewk.net> wrote:
>> > Peter,
>> >
>> > The VUCC rules are silent on the maximum number of grid locators
>> > that can be given with a single contact. Reading over the latest
>> > copy of the VUCC rules I could find, in a November 2014 PDF at:
>> >
>> > http://www.arrl.org/files/file/DXCC/VHF%20UHF%20Rules20141pdf.pdf
>> >
>> > section 4(e) refers to stations that claim to operate from more than
>> > one grid locator simultaneously. There are two examples cited,
>> > the boundary between two grid locators or a four-grid intersection,
>> > but the VUCC rules do not state these are the only examples of
>> > operating from more than one grid locator simultaneously.
>> >
>> > VUCC rule 4(f) explains how to document operating from more than
>> > one location, again giving examples of the two most-common ways
>> > this would happen (two or four grids). The GPS would need to have
>> > a display with 90 degrees North or South to establish a location
>> > at either pole. Otherwise, the operator would have to provide
>> > ARRL with other documentation that is sufficient to show the
>> > station was at the North or South Pole. Documentation other than
>> > GPS might require a change in the VUCC rules, in that case.
>> >
>> > Logbook of the World, on the other hand, would be trickier. LOTW
>> > is configured to accept up to 4 grid locators for an individual
>> > station location. An operator could attempt to define a series of
>> > station locations, covering 4 grids at a time, that will cover all
>> > of the grids at either pole. Multiple QSOs are currently required
>> > in LOTW for those operating at a US county or state boundary,
>> > a Canadian provincial boundary, or any international boundary.
>> > LOTW only allows for 1 DXCC entity, one US county and state, or one
>> > Canadian province per station location. I know this from my 2010
>> > operation at the Peace Arch on the Canada/USA border between
>> > Seattle and Vancouver, operating from a few US state lines, and
>> > a few county lines over the past few years.
>> >
>> > Then again, using a QSL card that lists all of the grids covered at
>> > the North or South Pole may be easier than trying to make all of
>> > the station locations and QSOs to satisfy LOTW. Add in some
>> > photos of a GPS receiver on the QSL card, to help anyone who sees
>> > the QSL card know where the station was located. :-)
>> >
>> > 73!
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK
>> > http://www.wd9ewk.net/
>> > Twitter: @WD9EWK
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > On Mon, Jul 25, 2016 at 5:48 PM, Peter Laws <plaws0 at gmail.com> wrote:
>> >
>> >>
>> >> As fun as that would be, VUCC rules only allow for contacts from
>> >> within a single grid, from the line between two grids, or from the
>> >> corner of 4 grids.
>> >>
>> >> You could always petition the ARRL to change the rules, though.
>> >>
>> >>
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