3Y0J Bouvet Island DXpedition
A rare activation of the second-rarest DXCC entity, Bouvet Island.
The 3Y0J Bouvet Island DXpedition was an amateur radio event that took place from February 6 to 13, 2023. Its goal was to contact as many amateur radio stations as possible from Bouvet Island, a remote and uninhabited volcanic island in the Subantarctic Southern Ocean. The island is one of the most isolated in the world, located 2,500 kilometers south of South Africa, and is the second-rarest DXCC entity after North Korea, making this activation highly notable.
- Dates
- February 6 to 13, 2023
- Location
- Bouvet Island (9.5 by 7 km, uninhabited volcanic island, Norwegian nature preserve)
- Total contacts
- over 7,000
- Fundraising amount
- estimated $650,000
- Grants
- $100,000 from Northern California DX Foundation, $15,000 from International DX Association, €25,000 from German DX Foundation, $5,000 from American Radio Relay League
- Vessel
- sailing vessel Marama (aluminium, designed by Dominique Presles, built by N2A shipyard in St Nazaire under Bureau Véritas)
- First two days contacts
- 5,000
Lore & Background
Bouvet Island is a 9.5-by-7-kilometre uninhabited volcanic island claimed and administered as a nature preserve by Norway. It lies in the Subantarctic Southern Ocean, 2,500 kilometers south of South Africa, and most of the island is covered by glaciers. Its extreme isolation has made it highly sought-after by amateur radio operators wanting to contact rare and exotic locations; it is currently the second-rarest DXCC entity, after North Korea. Amateur radio operators have a long history of operating in these areas.
Reader's Guide
The 3Y0J DXpedition is significant because it activated the second-rarest DXCC entity, Bouvet Island, which is one of the most isolated islands in the world. The team spent over two years fundraising the estimated $650,000 needed, collecting money from individuals, corporations, and amateur radio organizations, and receiving grants including $100,000 from the Northern California DX Foundation, $15,000 from the International DX Association, €25,000 from the German DX Foundation, and $5,000 from the American Radio Relay League. During the activation, the team contacted over 7,000 other radio operators using CW, SSB, and FT8 across HF bands, employing multiple antenna systems including vertical arrays. The activation was cut short after a team meeting citing safety concerns. The team traveled to Bouvet on the sailing vessel Marama, and during the voyage several team members were active on HF-bands under their own callsigns, adding '/MM' (maritime mobile). The first two days of operation logged 5,000 contacts.
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