3Y0Z - DX Pedition - News

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3Y0Z Bouvet Island News 23 November 2017

Our sea container should now be between the ports of San Antonio, Chile and its destination, Punta Arenas, Chile. The logistics have at times been confounding, but we are actually ahead of schedule with our shipping.

We have our license and callsign for our maritime mobile operation on the way to Bouvet. One of the problems with shipboard operation is static charge build up on antennas from the winds and precipitation. This is a particular problem with antennas that are not at DC ground. Having a transceiver exposed to this hazard can be disastrous for the radio. We are aware of the issue, and are instituting ways of dealing with this threat.

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3Y0Z Press Release #9
October 17, 2017

After over 10 years of dreaming and 2 years of rigorous planning, we have turned a page. Our team is intact and ready. We have 17,000 pounds of equipment. It has been tested, sorted, inventoried and packed into our 40-foot sea container. We have discussed all conceivable contingencies, including rough seas, clouds and fog, high winds and emergencies at sea and on shore. We have studied propagation, maximized our location on the island, selected the best radio equipment, and have thought first and foremost of safety. All of this culminated when we sealed our sea container on October 9th , entered it into customs bond, placed it on a truck and watched it begin its journey to Punta Arenas, Chile. Our die has been cast. Now, a new chapter begins: one of reflection, waiting anxiously and hoping (praying) that all will go well from this point on.

We have been blessed by the worldwide support of individual amateur radio operators, clubs and foundations. They have backed us, overwhelmingly. We are inspired by the support we have received, both financially and in spirit. We want to live up to all that is expected of us on this “generational” DXpedition, which is likely the largest and most challenging DXpedition — ever. Indeed, there may never be another like it. We now have time to appreciate the responsibility that this project thrusts upon us. We feel it, and we will do our utmost to meet the DX world’s expectations from Bouvet – the number 2 “most wanted” entity.

You will start seeing band plans, more detailed propagation information, QSL information and more on our website. Our Facebook and Twitter social media outlets will keep their conversational tone, but shift their focus to how you can best work us, plus current events and news of interest. Our updated propagation forecasts continue to validate our predictions, as visualized on our website propagation page.

Our team now has a singular focal point, King George Island, where the next chapter begins. We will meet our ship there on January 13th, and sail 2,200 miles to Bouvet. By departing from King George Island rather than Punta Arenas, we save about 400 miles of sea travel. This essentially gives us one or two more days on the air from Bouvet. We will savor those days, because they will give us QSOs that otherwise would not have been made.

We have asked more from our team members than for any previous DXpedition. This includes their time, effort and money. We thank all of you who are helping to defray some of their costs. We continue to welcome new and additional support to help with these expenses.

We are counting the days..

Bob-K4UEE
Ralph-KØIR
Erling-LA6VM

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3Y0Z News 10 October 2017
Oct. 10, 2017: OUR SEA CONTAINER IS PACKED!! After weeks of inventorying, packing, padding, and weighing supplies and equipment; we have sealed our container and loaded it aboard a truck bound for the port of Savannah. The container will go by sea to Manzanillo, Mexico; by rail to Balboa, Panama; then by sea to San Antonio, Chile; Copihue, Chile; and finally Punta Arenas, Chile. The contents will be taken aboard our ship in Punta Arenas and meet our team at King George Island in the South Shetlands on January 13, 2018.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Bouvet Island DXpedition – 3YØZ
Press Release #8
September 21, 2017

Our team meeting in Atlanta, GA from Sept. 7th through the 10thwas a great success. Eighteen of our 20 operators were present, coming from as far away as Japan and representing 7 of the 8 home countries of our team members.
Our meetings began with a review of our goals, the challenges we have met, and those we have yet to encounter. We had a Skype conference with the CEO of our transportation company in Punta Arenas, Chile, and then discussed safety, our shelter deployment plans, antennas, transceivers and amplifiers, propagation, medical and emergency issues, operating practices, scheduling, and propagation.
We spent many hours unpacking and then staging our equipment. We inventoried everything and then began moving it from temporary storage to our 40-foot sea container.We also prepared our customs documentation which included the 6,000 items on our inventory.We ran a tank of gas through each of our eight 6.5 KW generators, drained the oil from them, and readied them for shipment. There were many of trips to local stores for more shipping cases, duct tape, nuts and bolts, electrical supplies, fuel cans, etc.
Our EME team needed to be certain there were noproblems with their complex station and antenna system. They worked until 4:30 AM assembling their 2-meter station and antenna array and were rewarded by completing a QSO off the moon with PA2CHR, our EME pilot station. The station works!
Our sea container leaves Atlanta the first few days of October. It will be placed aboard a ship bound for Punta Arenas, Chile. We are hopeful that it will there no later than December 1st. Our team members have all purchased their airline tickets to Punta Arenas for a couple days of meetings and orientation. Then we will fly across the Drake Passage on the morning of January 13th to board our ship at King George Island in the South Shetland Islands. We plan to sail for Bouvet that same afternoon. We will arrive at Bouvet sometime between January 23rd and 25th. Our actual landing date is weather dependent. We will be lucky to be on the air within a few days.
Every detail of our landing sequence, shelter construction, antenna layout, equipment setup and radio operations is well thought out. Also, our emergency evacuation routes and plans have been identified.
We are humbled by the support of the DX community. Over 100 clubs and foundations and over 1550 individuals have supported us financially. If you have already supported us, we thank you. But, please ask your fellow DXers to join you.
If you have yet to contribute, we ask for your consideration.
While our operators are prepared to dig deeper into their pockets to make this DXpedition happen, your continued support would make our faces, as well as our antennas…beam.
Counting the days,
73,
Bob-K4UEE
Ralph-KØIR
Erling-LA6VM

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3Y0Z. Sept. 7 – 10, 2017: 18 of our 20 team members from 6 nations assembled in Atlanta, GA for planning meetings, safety briefings, equipment packing, inventorying, container packing and getting to know each other.
It was a very successful weekend for us.
A highlight was testing our 2 meter EME setup.
It worked!
We completed a QSO with our pilot, PA2CHR.

Team leaders K4UEE, KØIR and LA6VM. Generators are being tested and run up behind them.

We assembled and tested our 2 meter EME station during this exercise and worked PA2CHR.

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13 year old KG5HVO, Bryant, is the youth pilot station for the upcoming 2018 3Y0Z DXpedition to Bouvet.

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The 3Y0Z team is extremely grateful to the Northern California DX Foundation for their $100,000 contribution to our Bouvet Island DXpedition. We are honoured and privileged to receive the largest grant even given by NCDXF.

This contribution by the NCDXF mandates that we as a team, and each of us as an individual, recognise the responsibility that accompanies the level of trust placed in us. It demands the best of us, being on Bouvet singly focused on the DX and amateur community worldwide — nothing else. We as a team accept that responsibility. We pledge to do our best – nothing less. Our goal is to have your call in our log and get home safely – nothing more.

While we are light years from where we started this project, we still have work to do and financial challenges to meet to get us to Bouvet, give you those QSO’s, and get home again. We thank the NCDXF and all of you who have helped us financially and with your good wishes. You have moved us well down the path to Bouvet and we would be honoured by your continued support. Together we will make this happen.

Thank you.

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Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE PUBLICATION
NCDXF announces major grant of $100,000 to the 3Y0Z Bouvet Island DXpedition
August 5, 2017
The Northern California DX Foundation is pleased to announce a contribution of $100,000 to the 3YØZ Bouvet Island DXpedition planned for January 2018. Bouvet is #2 on the ClubLog Most Wanted List. This is the largest contribution in the history of NCDXF.
In 2016, NCDXF-sponsored DXpeditions activated five of the ten most-needed entities. These DXpeditions put 457,000 QSOs into DXers’ logs. That year we spent $156,000 to fund these and other DXpeditions. The 3YØZ DXpedition to Bouvet Island early next year is likely to be one of the most expensive DXpeditions ever attempted – estimated at over $740,000. The 20 team members have already contributed just over half of this amount.
DXpeditions to rare entities like Bouvet and others in the Southern Ocean are becoming more expensive, a trend that we believe will continue.
NCDXF’s primary purpose is to help fund well-organized DXpeditions to rare, difficult and expensive entities, like Bouvet. During the last 45 years, NCDXF has granted over $1 million to hundreds of DXpeditions – helping to put an “all-time-new-one” (ATNO) in the log and make DX happen for thousands of DXers worldwide. The credit for these large grants goes to the NCDXF contributors, individuals and clubs who support the DX community. Without those contributions, DXpeditions to entities like Bouvet or other rare locations would not be possible.
If you agree with the importance of NCDXF's work, and if you are not a current contributor, we hope you will become one today by clicking here. Your contribution will continue to help make DX happen. You can also support future DXpeditions by including the NCDXF Cycle 25 Fund in your estate plan.
We wish the 3YØZ team a safe and very successful trip to Bouvet Island next year.
73 .
Glenn Johnson, W0GJ
NCDXF Vice President

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As in any group, the moral compass, accountability, and integrity of amateur radio operators covers a wide spectrum. The best of these character qualities in the ham radio community came to light last week.

FlexRadio Systems and Ranko Boka, 4O3A, of SKY SAT wanted to be absolutely positive that they would in no way compromise the success of the Bouvet Island DXpedition. They looked at this DXpedition as a once in a lifetime experience for many DX’ers and put the success of 3Y0Z above personal gain, competition, and acclaim.

FlexRadio Systems and SKY SAT were concerned that: a.) Parts availability for production of the FlexRadio amplifiers may be a problem. b.) Sending a total of 14 amplifiers to Bouvet would cut into inventory they had promised to their customers. c.) Meeting our shipping date might compromise their testing and quality control.

We will take several new FlexRadio Power Genius XL amplifiers to Bouvet. However, FlexRadio and Ranko reached out personally to ACOM to assist in supporting 3Y0Z. On short notice, and within 24 hours, ACOM agreed to help make the Bouvet DXpedition the best that it can be and agreed to provide 12 ACOM 1500 amplifiers.

ACOM, FlexRadio Systems, and SKY SAT/4O3A put aside personal gain and competition and worked together to help the Bouvet Island DXpedition be a better experience for you the DX’ers. These are truly quality people.

Ralph Fedor – K0IR
Bouvet Island DXpedition Co-Leader

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July 29, 2017: We regret loosing our team member, Andy – UA3AB. We have traveled with Andy previously and regret he cannot join us this time. Andy cannot be away from home for an extended period of time and be unable to return home in the event of an emergency. Our friend, Hawk – SM5AQD will be joining our team. Hawk’s personality, experience, and work ethic will blend beautifully with our team.