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3Y0Z - Bouvet Island DXpedition 2018

Posted: 09 Jan 2018 12:07 PM PST
http://www.g0vqy.co.uk/g0vqy-s-blog/...xpedition-2018


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