Hi Steve
I think the answer is the same as why we don't work a lot of places on 6m. Even if the path is open you still need well equipped and skilled ops at each end!
My impression is that there far fewer hams going to ANARE bases now than there were in times passed. Up until the late 1980's all base ops had to have CW at 15 wpm error free, and a lot of them were hams. Ham radio also played an important role in earlier years as a back up to the main base communication. This was evidenced by the shacks, equipment, and antennas at the bases. When I went to Macquarie in 1990 the shack was on top of a hill with long wire vee beams in every direction, and a five el 6m beam (unfortunately not ideally sited for VK). I have heard that all that has gone now
Around that time there were some claims that some base ops were spending too much time playing with ham radio and neglecting other duties, putting AR "on the nose" with some station leaders.
Another factor is that even if there is a ham on the base, their time to operate may be very limited. Like every other organization today, ANARE is probably putting more and more work on to fewer and fewer people.
There is of course another important factor: not all hams have the skill and patience to be a successful 6m operator, and some are simply not interested in the band - each to his own!
I am confident, that if during the coming SSycle peak, we have suitably skilled, well equipped, well motivated hams who have enough operating time available in Antarctica, contacts will be made again.
73
Wayne VK4WDM
