May 28, 2022
NEWS UPDATE – A video has now been produced showing the expedition journeying through the Arctic. Although in Russian language, it’s still worth a watch. UA9KDF is also now also sending out QSL cards.
The polar snowmobile expedition R150WS from the “Legends of the Arctic”, which activated Rykachev Island in the rare group of islands in the Kara Sea – Kara Sea Coast East group, IOTA AS-104, finished at the end of March in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug.
The expedition went on the air from Rykachev Island and was dedicated to the 150th anniversary of the creation of the Russian weather service (Weather Service).
The team included Igor Znamensky UA9KDF (Tarko-Sale, YNAO), Andrey Korobeinikov UA9LDD (Tyumen), Andrey Moiseev UA0BA (Norilsk), Viktor Kuzyakin RW0BG (Norilsk), Alexey Bystrov RT9K (Dudinka) and Andrey Prudnikov RT9K (Surgut). Participants traveled on snowmobiles to the island and back 2980 km. During four days of work on air R150WS from Rykachev Island 5635 QSOs were made with correspondents from 69 countries of the world. Of these: CW – 3294, SSB – 1323, FT-8 – 1018. Bands: 20m – 2878, 30m – 609, 40m – 489, 15m – 570, 12m – 8, 17m – 1072 QSO’s. Very good result!
The expedition installed a commemorative plaque on the island to Mikhail Aleksandrovich Rykachev, director of the main geophysical observatory, in honor of the 150th anniversary of the creation of the Russian weather service.
While on about. Rykachev, an ice reconnaissance was carried out and an attempt was made to reach Isachenko Island (AS-050) ~160 km to the north. It was possible to make the transition only 23 km to the islands of Kruzenshtern. In this part of the Kara Sea, there are a lot of cracks, hummocks, and there is ice drift. According to information from the captains of the icebreakers “Yamal” and “Vaigach”, an “ice river” was noted in that area – a severe and dangerous phenomenon. After all, snowmobiles are not an amphibian and not a vehicle capable of crossing open water… The activation of a rare group of islands by Sergey Kirov is a goal for future expeditions!
The route of the expedition was difficult and ran through the snows of Yamal and Taimyr, frozen rivers and lakes, and the ice of the Kara Sea. Negative temperatures below -30*C and below, spending the night in the tundra and on the ice, piercing wind while riding snowmobiles… Victor Kuzyakin RW0BG got frostbite of fingers of the second degree, Andrey Moiseev UA0BA fell on the ice from a snowfield, split his helmet – as a result of a concussion and a bruise sternum. Traveler Aleksey Bystrov was injured on the way home, 150 km from Sopochnaya Karga. They, together with Andrei Korobeinikov UA9LDD, fell into a ravine, managed to jump off the snowmobiles, but Alexei was hit by an overturned sled. As a result, the shoulder joint was knocked out, a fracture of the humerus. In this state, he drove for almost 200 km more. Now Aleksey is in a hospital in Dudinka. We wish you a speedy recovery! Brave guys!
Congratulations to the polar “Russian Robinsons” on completing the expedition and returning home. We will wait for the creation of a documentary about how the extreme journey “Legends of the Arctic 2022” took place.
73! Yuri Zaruba UA9OBA,
President of the Russian Robinson Club
