3Y0J Bouvet Is On The Air!
The massive 3YØJ pile-ups have begun! 3Y0J trimmed their camp back to two stations, 100 watts, a Honda generator and a couple wire antennas, but man oh man – they made it on the air around 1600Z!
And even better for me, after a long day of not hearing them between unbelievable intentional QRM, lids, kids & space cadets – I worked them with that “human mode” CW just about 30 minutes before their sunrise on Bouvet Island.
N0UN working 3Y0J Bouvet on 30M CW
And here’s 3Y0J Two Hours Later 0550Z (an hour and a half AFTER their sunrise)!
I’ll tell ya’ what – this Ham Radio rodeo started in 1972 for me, and here we are 51 years later still having a blast!
DXCC #337 of 340 (active).
After all they’ve been through the last couple YEARS I was only giving them about a 10% chance of actually landing on Bouvet and getting on the air, even less of me actually working them, yet here we are! What an effort by this entire team. Never gave up, never gave in. They are something special. Wowza!
Here’s a few links in one place to help you navigate this DXpedition:
Latest 3Y0J Frequency/Mode Spots at DX Summit
The Official 3Y0J Website
3Y0J Facebook Group
3Y0J Online Log Check & OQRS at M0OXO
Real Time Wind & Temperature Conditions On Bouvet
The 3Y0J Team Members
Track Adrian’s (KO8SCA) Personal GPS Location Finder
ADDED Feb 9, 2023
With no log upload until they get back to the vessel I’m not taking any chances missing this DXpedition. I backed up my 30 Meter Q with a 17 Meter Longpath Q this morning.
N0UN working 3Y0J 17M Longpath CW:
See you in the pileups!
ADDED Feb 12, 2023
Confirmed! #337 DXCC in the books. A couple months ago I wrote down a few things I thought could improve my chances of working Bouvet Island. One of my notes was to get something up specifically for 30 Meters. I chose a Comtek 30 Meter 1/4 Wave Vertical from DX Engineering. I put down a Lance Johnson Engineering GP-1 Ground Radial Buss, attached 16 25′ ground radials, mounted the vertical on a 2″ steel pipe, tuned it and man, oh man it paid an almost immediate dividend! What a well built vertical and buss plate!
It appears the 3Y0J DXpedition is now over. Loading their equipment will take a day or two, then they’re off through treacherous seas to Cape Town, South Africa. To the 3Y0J Team and Crew of the Marama, a big, BIG Thank You from this Ham!
Well that was quick! Thanks MØOXO!
NØUN
