Antarctic Activity Week is about to begin
50 years of research in Antarctica. From 16 February to 30 April 2026, the radio and award event ‘50 Years of German Antarctic Research (50ANT)’ will take place, which the USKA is pleased to highlight.
The 23rd Antarctic Activity Week (AAW) begins on 16 February 2026. This date marks the start of the ‘50 Years of German Antarctic Research’ event. The occasion commemorates the opening of the GDR base laboratory at Schirmacher Oase in 1976. This station laid the foundation for a permanent German research presence in Antarctica, which continues today at Neumayer Station III. The initiative aims to raise awareness of the peaceful use of Antarctica.
Between 16 February and 30 April 2026, the special stations DAØANT, DM5ØANT and DP5ØANT will be active. From 1 April 2026, DM50GFS and DP2ØØGVN will expand the range of stations. DM50GFS commemorates the 50th anniversary of the ‘Georg Forster Station’. DP2ØØGVN will be operated to mark the 200th anniversary of Georg von Neumayer’s birth.
All five special stations count towards the 50ANT diploma program. Awards are available at the ‘Easy’, ‘Difficult’ and ‘Perfect’ levels, as well as in the CW, Phone, Digital and Mixed categories. The diplomas and dQSLs can be downloaded free of charge from the project website. During AAW week, from 16 to 22 February 2026, the stations DAØANT (WAP-128), DM5ØANT (WAP-364) and DP5ØANT (WAP-365) will also be active for the AAW 2026 award.
