Team Bouvet enroute

The biggest DXpedition of the year (unless someone can somehow convince P5 to issue a license) is about to get underway. Yep, that's the 2018 Bouvet island DXpedition. Over a decade in planning, it is about to become reality, and sure to make many happy - and frustrated - when they make or don't make a contact. But that's just how DX goes.

Surprisingly, I don't need Bouvet as an all time new one, since I worked Petrus, 3Y0E in 2008. One of the few to do so, as he was pretty weak. In fact, in Northern NJ nobody heard him for weeks until there was a magic opening. However, a combination of hilltop location and a MonstIR antenna helped me bag that one pretty easily. However I am appreciative for bandfills, and I hope I can work them on every band that I can.

Anyway, my friends are off to Bouvet - and on this team you will find some of the best operators in the world. You'll also find that they are using Flex-6000 radios, on bands from 160 through 2 meters EME, along with two Power Genius XL amplifiers that I personally had the chance to see and help Gerald, K5SDR check out at the FlexRadio labs in Austin, TX before they were packed and shipped. They are also using some Acom amplifiers which were generously supplied by Acom.

By the way, this is also a record breaking, expensive DXpedition, so please support them by making a donation at their website. - https://www.bouvetdx.org/ and please consider these tips when working them:


  • LISTEN before calling. They may call for different geographical areas - Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia, etc. It is of no use calling out of turn and only spoils it for others.
  • SPLIT OPERATION is almost always going to be the default. Don't call on their listening frequency.
  • Only one contact per band and all 3 modes. Don't make 10 contacts on a single band, like some ops have been doing. It deprives others of a chance, and you won't get any extra DX points for doing so.
  • Be grateful if/when you make a contact. These guys are risking life and limb so you can get them in your log. 






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