WFA 1929 First Byrd Antarctic Expedition

Here is a very rare 1929 WFA QSL card from the 1st Byrd Antarctic Expedition operated by Carl O. Petersen (Pete) from Little America, Bay of Whales, Antarctica. The station, known as "The Southern Most Radio Station in the World" was in operation from February 10, 1929 to February 19, 1930. The QSL was mailed from NYC February 19, 1930. This is the oldest Antarctic QSL known to exist. The Byrd Expedition was the first American expedition to explore Antarctica since the U.S. Exloring Expedition under Charles Wilkes in 1840.

This exploring expedition by Richard E. Byrd in 1928 may be considered the first of the mechanical age of exploration in Antarctica. The program was the first of its kind to utilize the airplane, aerial camera, snowmobile and massive communications resources.

Other Antarctic groups used radio communications before Byrd. However, Byrds use of communications equipment was much better than the others. Regular wireless communications were established with the outside world (as proof with the WFA QSL card for a QSO with W5JC in San Antonio, Texas).

Their transmitter was 2 204A tubes, TPTG (tuned plate, tuned grid) circuit, 500 cycle power supply, self rectified. Their receiver was a G.E. type AR1496-B, a tube with one screen grid, detector and 2 audio stages.

Read about this expedition at
http://www.south-pole.com/p0000107.htm

This is Howard F. Mason operating from WFA in "Little America".

Here is a November 28, 1929 Radiogram originating from WFA in "Little America".

QSL courtesy of W5ODD
From the estate of W5JC
Howard Mason Photo used with permission of ARRL
Radiogram Patrick Rigg Collection