The worldwide DX community was both stunned and deeply disappointed when the word was received on February 3RD that the 3YØZ DXpedition to Bouvet Island had been aborted due to safety concerns. While anchored 800 yards from the Island in heavy ground swells, their ship Betanzos, experienced a failure in one of their two main engines during the night. Weather conditions were poor and an extended weather forecast was not encouraging. Getting one or either of the two helicopters operational with the heavy ground swells rolling and pitching the ship 30⁰was not an option. The crew consisting of the best of the best radio operators in the world was to experience a 31 day sea going odyssey but sadly…no DXpedition to activate Bouvet Island.

Their illustrated story can be seen on the 3YØZ website www.bouvetdx.org I would encourage you to visit the sight that will take you from the very beginning, years ago to the present. In the meantime at ARRL headquarters an announcement was released that the country of Kosovo had been added to the DXCC list…good news! The Kosovo radio club wasted no time in getting their station on the air with the call Z6ØA inviting the world of radio operators that an ATNO was waiting as soon as you were able to bust through the pile-up. I wasted no time in joining the fray and by mid-day, I had an ATNO. The following day WØZPE was in their online log putting a smile on my face.

More good news…Baker/Howland Islands (KH7Z) will be QRV from Baker Island in June of this year. The DXpedition will also commemorate the Ill-fated flight of Amelia Earhart that was scheduled land on Baker Island for refueling those many years ago in 1937. That’s it from my station in Huntersville for now. Remember to sit down at your station and call CQ because someone somewhere is waiting for your call, don’t disappoint them…

Best 73 es gud DX Bob/WØZPE