A present condition and future plan of communication network at Antarctica

Abstract

The operation of Syowa Station has been maintained by the help of radio communications since 1957. The traffic capacity in Antarctica has increased rapidly due to the expansion of the station, increased members, substantial research items and establishment of advance stations. In the first decade, the A1 and A4 for PIX and FAX modulation system occupied the main stream of radio communication system between Syowa Station and Japan and the intra-Antarctic communications. But the increased traffic caused the shortage of circuit margin. The long distance bus link has to change the high speed PCM system through the geostationary satellites from HF link as if via Marisat. Much improvements are required in the following points : the intra-Antarctic system, the radiowave propagation between 300 and 500km, technical research on the local communication, and the data collection system of orbital satellites. The present situation and the future improvement of Antarctic communication are described in this paper.