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Antarctic RadioHappy New Year to all. Have you been following the progress of the I-TASC crew online at their diary? Those of you who have been following the diary would have seen that the team have just began broadcasting a new FM radio station in Antarctica. 'Polar Radio' is Antarctica's first ever artist-run radio station. It transmitted its first programme on FM on 29 December 2006. The team down on the ice have asked for a hand from us in helping the station run for the period they are there, and helping the station to continue running during the Antarctic Winter. They specifically need CDs of any interesting audio material you have and wouldn't mind sharing. The call for content is below. If you could quickly compile something and put it in the post, we would be extremely grateful! Best wishes Honor .......................................................... ANNOUNCEMENT - ARTIST-RUN RADIO STATION IN ANTARCTICA Date: 31.12.06 Location: Antarctica 'Polar Radio' is a community radio station in Antarctica initiated by I-TASC and r a d i o q u a l i a. The first prototype station began FM broadcasts on 29 December 2006 in the Dronning Maud Land sector of Antarctica, where South Africa maintains their base, SANAE IV. The radio station is broadcasting new music, sound art, documentaries and live shows to the research community in Dronning Maud Land. Mobile researchers can tune into the radio station from their skidoos (snowmobiles used for transport). Residents of SANAE IV can tune in to the station from FM receivers at the base. This prototype station is the first step towards establishing a permanent community radio presence in Antarctica, which may eventually broadcast in between geographically dispersed Antarctic bases. The research phase of Polar Radio is supported by Arts Council England. Polar Radio is part of a series of projects run by I-TASC - the Interpolar Transnational Art Science Constellation .......................................................... TRANSMIT YOUR MESSAGE IN ANTARCTICA Do you have a song, a message, or a sound that you want broadcast in Antarctica? We are looking for your music, sound art, radio plays, radio documentaries, and any phonically interesting artefacts you have to broadcast on Antarctica first artist-run radio station. There is a supply plane leaving for Antarctica from Cape Town on 11 January. We plan to have a shipment of CDs sent on that supply plane. CALL FOR CONTENT - DEADLINE - 10 JANUARY 2007 We are looking for CDs of: - music of all different kinds If you have sonic material you want broadcast, please make a CD and send it to: Siphiwe Ngwenya / I-TASC The best formats to send are: The internet connection at the present South African base in Antarctica is not fast enough for the crew to download sound material to broadcast. So, we need your help! .......................................................... ABOUT I-TASC I-TASC is the Interpolar Transnational Art Science Constellation. I-TASC is an official project of the International Polar Year 2007-2008. The project was conceived by Thomas Mulcaire and Marko Peljhan. I-TASC is a decentralized network of individuals and organisations working collaboratively in the fields of art, engineering, science and technology on the interdisciplinary development and tactical deployment of renewable energy, waste recycling systems, sustainable architecture and open-format, open-source media. I-TASC is a lichen-like structure sharing and integrating local knowledge, resources and skills across six continents in order to symbiotically engage with the air, ocean, earth and space commons The members of the first I-TASC Reconnaissance and Communication Expedition arrived in the Dronning Maud Land sector of Antarctica in December 2006 and will stay until February 2007. They are guests of the South African Antarctic Programme The I-TASC crew's journey to the continent on board the ship, SA Agulhas and their work at SANAE IV base is documented in an online journal at the I-TASC website RADIO IN ANTARCTICA Whilst, Antarctica has never had an indigenous population, it does now have a regular human presence. It hosts scientists from 27 different nations. In the summer more than 4000 people live in Antarctica. Scientists tend to be located at the scientific bases operated by their home nation. Because of the immense size of the continent these bases tend to be far from one another. One of the only technologies which can bridge the wide expanses of Antarctica is radio. Whilst radio is primarily used to coordinate science expeditions and vital activities such as air-traffic control and search and rescue, the existence of several amateur radio stations in Antarctica operated by radio engineers in their spare time, is evidence that radio communication for leisure purposes is viable and desirable. Like any amateur radio stations, those in Antarctica are only operational sporadically, and communicate only with other amateur radio stations, on a one-to-one basis. .......................................................... POLAR RADIO - THE FUTURE Polar Radio will draw on the history of amateur radio broadcasting in the polar regions, taking inspiration from the role radio has played in the exploration of the Poles, and in facilitating communication between polar inhabitants and the wider world. One of the most important functions of Polar Radio station is be to radiophonically link dispersed bases, creating trans-national, inter-base connections promoting discussion and collaboration amongst the researchers living in Antarctica. Should it prove feasible, following this research phase, it is hoped that Polar Radio will enable researchers to share information about the living circumstances and weather conditions of their respective bases, and to anecdotally communicate the results of their investigations. In tandem with this community radio function, Polar Radio will also be a platform for artists. Many of the Antarctic bases have artist-in-residence programmes and regularly host artists in-situ. Polar Radio hopes to make it possible for artists in residence to communicate their work to the residents of Antarctica. It will pro-actively encourage artists to create audio-based art (sound art, new music, radio drama and other audio based practices) for broadcast, thus posing new artistic challenges for artists living in Antarctica. It is also hoped that Polar Radio will broadcast creative programmes produced outside Antarctica. Using internet-based systems, and posted CDs, we hope to enable an interface between artists and musicians based around the world and the residents of Antarctica. It is envisioned that the eventual programme of Polar Radio may be a combination of news reports from the various Antarctica bases authored by researchers, music programmes compiled by researchers, audio art, music, news and magazine programmes, sound art and radio art documentaries and audio-based art created by artists in residence at the Antarctic bases. .......................................................... FURTHER INFORMATION For data on Polar Radio, contact: r a d i o q u a l i a For data on I-TASC, contact: Thomas Mulcaire or Marko Peljhan |