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Antarctic Communications

Communication Services

We have a dedicated team of ICT experts on staff at Union Glacier Camp to coordinate flight and field communications. Our Antarctic team stays in regular contact with our Punta Arenas and Salt Lake City operations via email and satellite phone.

Flight Following

All aircraft are fitted with tracking beacons, which allow us to follow their real-time progress while they are in-flight. We also maintain regular voice contact, taking position reports and providing regular weather updates.

Field Communications

We maintain regular communication with field parties and ALE aircraft, using Iridium satellite phone, tracking beacons, and HF/VHF radio. Established protocols ensure a rapid response by our nearest aircraft or vehicle, in case of an incident or loss of contact.

Guest Communications

Guests will have access to the internet in communal areas at all ALE camps (except the South Pole because of interference with scientific work) via Starlink. We ask that you do not disturb other guests around you, who may not wish to overhear your connection.

Please note that the remoteness of our camps and the often extreme weather can lead to either slow or intermittent service. Please be mindful that the internet is a shared resource across all guests, so please avoid uploading/downloading large amounts of data in Antarctica. For your safety, operational needs will take priority over guest usage. In an emergency, your family may contact our offices in Salt Lake City or Punta Arenas and we can forward a message to you while you are on the ice. However, we will only give out information about you to those individuals listed on your Personal Information Form (PIF).

Hire ALE to support your project's logistics

A person in a reflective vest and winter clothing sits inside a tent-like shelter at the South Pole, speaking into a radio. Laptops, equipment, kitchen supplies, and a large handwritten board are visible in the background.
A person in a blue jacket sits at a desk at Antarctic Logistics and Expeditions, holding a radio and writing on papers. A monitor displays a map of Antarctica, with various office equipment including a laptop, phone, and clipboard nearby.
A person wearing a headset stands at a desk, reviewing papers and working on a computer in an office at Antarctic Logistics and Expeditions. The desk has various office supplies, two monitors, and a Caution Otters Crossing sign on the wall.
A person in an orange hat, fur-lined hood, and reflective vest uses a walkie-talkie while facing a small red and white airplane landing on Antarctica’s snowy, icy landscape—typical of Antarctic Logistics and Expeditions at the South Pole.
A group of people in winter clothing stand outside a blue research station in Antarctica, surrounded by snow and mountains under a clear sky. Equipment and supplies are scattered nearby, highlighting the role of Antarctic Logistics and Expeditions.
A person in winter gear sets up scientific equipment atop a rocky, snow-covered mountain ridge in Antarctica, with solar panels and wires, surrounded by snowy peaks under a cloudy sky—an expedition reminiscent of Antarctic Logistics and Expeditions.
A gloved hand holds an old-fashioned mobile phone with an antenna, displaying the word Friulan on the screen, against a snowy outdoor background in Antarctica.
A small blue and white booth with two doors labeled TELEPHONE stands on a snowy landscape at the South Pole, with snow-covered mountains in the background, serving as a unique landmark for Antarctic Logistics and Expeditions in Antarctica.