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    #11
    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
    73 Al 4L5A

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      #12
      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.
      73 Al 4L5A

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        #13
        3Y0Z BOUVET DXPEDITION NEWS.
        Our DXpeditions Biggest Unknown:
        How much will our helicopter flights cost us?
        Helicopters are at once our wings and our Achilles' heel; a godsend for safety and access to the best operating site on Bouvet, but devilishly expensive to operate. They are essential to our success, safety, and making lots of QSO's from Bouvet. The more gear they can bring ashore, the more contacts we can make. Therefore, helicopters directly impact the number of all time new contacts we will deliver to you, the number of new band modes we can give you, and the overall number of contacts we make.
        Our team members will underwrite the cost of getting all the basic and essential equipment ashore to enable us to do a good job on this DX- pedition. Whatever this costs us, we will do it. However, to do a great job and get ashore two antennas for every band, adequate fuel and gen- erators for full power 24/7, an amp on every radio, and a second shelter for operating, we must dig a little deeper to pay for those extra flying hours.
        If you can help us buy a few more hours of flying time, you will put doing the best job possible firmly within our grasp. Please go to our
        website: <www.bouvetdx.org> click on the News and Updates tab and help us if you can.
        The 3Y0Z DXpedition Team
        73 Al 4L5A

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          #14
          The Bouvet Island DXpedition 3Y0Z team has been very busy. In the last week, we’ve had Skype conference calls with the CEO of our transportation company and with the captain of our ship. We can report that everything we can control is under control.

          Our sea container is in Punta Arenas, and should be moving out of customs bond or may have already done so. We are gathering some additional last minute supplies to take as extra baggage, including ice screws, should we find ourselves camping on re-frozen melt areas on the glacier. We have finalized our shelter layouts, fuel calculations, maritime mobile antenna plans, and have assigned some duties relating to flight and cargo staging. The team members will all be taking a formal marine safety course before embarking.

          Neither our transportation company nor the ship’s captain expressed any worries or concerns over the recent seismic activity near Bouvet.

          And, yes, we are still struggling with he helicopter flying hours issue.

          3Y0Z DX Pedition Team
          73 Al 4L5A

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            #15
            Pilots of 3Y0Z Bouvet Island DX Pedition:
            Val, NV9L - Chief Pilot <3Y0Zpilot@gmail.com>.
            Joe, JJ3PRT - Japan and Asia. <joeaoki@hi-ho.ne.jp>.
            Bryant, KG5HVO - Youth Pilot and also pilot for Zones 16, 17, 18, 19. <3Y0Zyouthpilot@gmail.com>.
            Tony, K2SG - North America. <3Y0ZPILOT@comcast.net>.
            Siso, HK3W - South America. <hk3w.inf@gmail.com>.
            Johan, ZS2I - Africa. <zs2i.johan@gmail.com>.
            Steve, VK6VZ - VK, ZL, Oceania. <vk6vz.bouvet@gmail.com>.
            Bjorn, ON9CFG - Europe. <ON9CFG@telenet.be>.
            73 Al 4L5A

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              #16
              Video Bouvet Island
              Team SubICE starting out a day drilling the first ever ice core on Bouvet Island, as part of the Antarctic Circumnavigation Expedition (ACE) Leg 3, 2017. The ice core will provide new information about past climate in the under-studied sub-Antarctic region.

              73 Al 4L5A

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                #17
                The Bouvet Island DXpedition – 3YØZ

                Press Release # 10

                We recently reached yet another milestone in our quest to activate Bouvet Island. DAP, the Chilean company that owns and operates the M/V Betanzos and the helicopters has satisfied the last contractual requirements, prior to departure. We submitted to them a “fit for purpose” checklist with 120 items as part of our contract. They have satisfied all the checklist items, and we will be transferring almost ½ million US dollars to them in the next few days.

                So, we are happy to report that we are on schedule for a January 13, 2018 departure to Bouvet Island, the World’s most isolated island and the number two most wanted DX entity. All team members will meet in Punta Arenas, Chile no later than January 10, 2018. We will attend a one and one-half day marine safety course, purchase last minute supplies and then fly across the Drake Passage to King George Island in the South Shetlands. There, we will board the newly refurbished Chilean vessel M/V Betanzos, and begin our 9 to 11-day voyage to Bouvet. The team feels confident knowing that the ship’s captain and many of the crew have been with the vessel for eight years, and have extensive Southern Ocean experience. The Captain reports he has previously been to Bouvet.

                Sea ice has been reported along a direct route to Bouvet, and that may dictate we take a more northerly course, before turning East to approach Bouvet. That may add day or two to our transit time.

                Our two helicopters have completed their 100-hour inspections, and are ready for service. There has been a thorough review of landing procedures and shelter and antenna layouts. We have three alternative anchoring systems to secure the shelters and antennas to the ice on the surface of Bouvet.

                So, the plan remains unchanged. We will have two stations on every open band whenever humanly possible, gain and directional antennas where possible, high power stations and a propagation-driven operation. The primary modes will be CW, SSB and RTTY. FT8 will be utilized if it is the only productive mode. Anyone preparing to utilize FT8 must read the 3YØZ FT8 protocol on the Band Plan page of the DXpedition website.

                Complete information on band plans and frequencies, propagation predictions and QSL procedures are available on the DXpedition website: www.bouvetdx.org. You will find strategically placed “donate” buttons if you want to help with our substantial costs. I hope you share in the excitement of this great undertaking. We anxious to get underway!

                73,
                Bob-K4UEE
                Ralph-KØIR
                Erling-LA6VM
                73 Al 4L5A

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                  #18
                  3Y0Z Bouvet 2018 on Ham Radio Now.
                  Hal Tourley W8HC is our tour guide for this preview of the 3Y0Z Bouvet Island DXpedition, where 20 top DXpeditioners will travel to the most remote spot of land on Earth to warm up from the brutal winter we're having in North America.

                  73 Al 4L5A

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                    #19
                    3Y0Z DX Pedition Team hotel in Punta Arenas, Chile.

                    3Y0Z Bouvet DX Pedition Team Hotel Punta Arenas Chile

                    Hotel Punta Arenas, Chile. Author - Nodir Tursun Zade EY8MM.
                    73 Al 4L5A

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                      #20
                      Nodir, CE8/EY8MM Magdalena Island, Magallanes Region, Chile.


                      CE8/EY8MM Penguins, Magdalena Island, Magallanes Region, Chile.

                      Penguins, Magdalena Island, Magallanes Region, Chile. Author - Nodir Tursun-Zade.



                      CE8/EY8MM Nodir Tursun Zade. Magdalena Island, Magellanes Region, Chile.

                      CE8/EY8MM. Magdalena Island, Magellanes Region, Chile. Author - Nodir Tursun Zade.

                      CE8/EY8MM Magdalena Island, Chile. Pic 3




                      Magdalena Island, Chile. Author - Nodir Tursun Zade.
                      73 Al 4L5A

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