Gear provided by DX Engineering plays important role in both highly successful DXpeditions. Experienced operators from the DX Engineering team join in the pileups.
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For avid DXers, DXpeditions from infrequently activated DXCC entities are monumental events on the ham radio calendar. But for those who are razor-close to “working the world,” the pursuit of checking off a handful of final locations can become an Ahab-like obsession. Already in 2026, two “white whales” surfaced long enough for thousands of operators to log ATNOs and fill bands—Bouvet Island and Desecheo Island.
Desecheo Island, KP5/NP3VI
The KP5/NP3VI DXpedition took advantage of two self-sustained, fully solar-powered Remote Deployable Units (RDUs) set up on uninhabited Desecheo to make this 14th ranked DXCC entity (as of the start of the activation) available to the DX world for the first time since February 2009. The DXpedition was accomplished in collaboration with the Vieques Island Amateur Radio Club (NP3VI) and the Manyana DX Foundation.
The RDUs, provided by the Manyana DX Foundation and Remote Ham Radio, allowed for uninterrupted activity from the island starting on January 12 and ending March 3. This resulted in more than 100,000 QSOs (20,000 unique call signs) and a number of achievements, per Steve, N2AJ, media officer and pilot for KP5/NP3VI:
- The first fully solar-powered major DXpedition to achieve 100,000 QSOs
- The first major DXpedition to reach 100,000 QSOs operating exclusively low power
- Continuous operation of an RDU powered entirely by solar power and battery storage
- A focused operating strategy emphasizing All-Time New Ones
Further, the DXpedition demonstrated the kind of environmental stewardship necessary to activate wildlife protected refuges. To receive permission, this activation required strict adherence to environmental constraints including limited antenna size and configuration, no permanent installations, and no use of fuel-powered generators.
As an equipment sponsor, DX Engineering provided a range of equipment to put KP5/NP3VI on the air, including:
- DX Engineering RG-213U PL-259 Low-Loss 50-Ohm Coax Cable Assemblies
- DX Engineering Premium Antenna Wire
- DX Engineering Coaxial RF Connector Adapters
- DX Engineering Ferrite
Dr. Jose “Otis” Vicens, NP4G (far right in photo above), one of the operation’s main planners and president of INDEXA, is the recipient of the Dayton Hamvention® 2026 Amateur of the Year Award. Watch this Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio video featuring NP4G:
Bouvet Island 3Y0K
It took a Herculean effort from the highly skilled 3Y0K team, who battled the island’s wind-swept climate to install stations and keep this rare entity available to DX chasers hoping to log an ATNO. Three years of planning and preparation, along with support from the worldwide ham radio community, helped to make this possible.
“The whole 3YØK team is safely back on the vessel after a successful expedition to Bouvetøya,” the team wrote. “We made more than 100,000 contacts and achieved our goals. It was an extraordinary undertaking, involving years of planning, complex logistics and determination needed to succeed. The team worked well together under harsh conditions, cold, snow and windy. Bouvetøya is known for its remoteness and unpredictable weather, and while it is a beautiful island, any attempt going onshore involves a risk. Despite all the challenges we encountered the team has stayed focused on our goals, determined, and the result is due to real teamwork!
“We have been working with professional expedition guides, pilots, crew and vessel who all contributed to the success.
“We wish to thank everyone who believed in us, supported us and made this a great expedition. Thanks to all our individual sponsors, clubs, organizations and corporate sponsors for their contribution!”
Hams from around the world responded with their thanks to the 3Y0K team. Here’s a sampling from the DX Engineering Facebook page:
- “Really great job guys. One of the best DXpeditions ever.”
- “Thank you very much for the ATNO. Godspeed and safe travels home.”
- “Thanks to the team and thanks to you, Tim (K3LR), for your dedication to the hobby.”
For a taste of what it was like on the island, watch DX Engineering CEO Tim Duffy, K3LR, interview members of 3Y0K, including Adrian Ciuperca, KO8SCA, and Max Freedman, N4ML, 21, the youngest operator on the team and the youngest ham ever to set foot on Bouvet Island. The historic interview was streamed live from Bouvet Island on DX Engineering’s Facebook page and YouTube Channel.
Here is some of the equipment DX Engineering contributed to 3Y0K:
- DX Engineering Phased Array Quarter Wave Tuned Cables
- DX Engineering Radial Plates (DXE-RADP-3)
- DX Engineering TFS4 Series B Transmit Four Square Systems
- DX Engineering Audio and Keying Cables
- DX Engineering RF-PRO-1B® Active Magnetic Loop Antennas
- DX Engineering 400MAX PL-259 Low-Loss 50-ohm Coaxial Cable Assemblies
- DX Engineering Ultra-Grip 2 Large Ratcheting Crimpers with Dies
On the heels of this successful DXpedition, core members of the 3Y0K team will be participating in the February 2027 activation of Peter I Island—also sponsored by DX Engineering. Stay tuned for much more about efforts to put this Top Ten DXCC Entity on the air. Peter I, an even rarer location than Bouvet Island, was last active in February 2006.
DX Chasers from DX Engineering Join the Pileups
Several members of the DX Engineering team were part of the thousands of QSOs logged during KP5/NP3VI and 3Y0K.
- For Mark, W8BBQ, DX Engineering customer/technical support specialist, Desecheo Island and Bouvet were ATNOs. He also filled band slots, logging Bouvet in SSB and Digital and Desecheo in SSB, CW, and Digital. He said of 3Y0K, “It was lots of fun chasing them down across the bands!”
- Scott, N3RA, DX Engineering sales manager, worked Bouvet Island for the first time in Digital mode (30 and 40 meters FT8). In 1990, he had logged CW and SSB contacts on 40 and 20 meters with 3Y5X.
“They (3Y0K) were tough to work as the pileups were large, but they did a good job of working as many people as they could. It is a long way away and they were dealing with very inhospitable conditions. Appreciate them going,” N3RA said.
N3RA had scored an ATNO with Desecheo Island in June 1981, reaching the KP2A/D DXpedition on CW and SSB. For KP5/NP3VI, he filled a number of bands and also added digital contacts to his Desecheo conquests.
“This was an excellent DXpedition and hats off to that team for an innovative approach,” noted N3RA. “I hope the lessons learned here can be used on other similar locations in the future.”
- For Dave, N8NB, DX Engineering customer/technical support specialist and member of the DXCC Honor Roll, both Desecheo and Bouvet were not ATNOs, but he filled bands with both and worked Bouvet on CW, SSB, and Digital. Likewise, Desecheo and Bouvet weren’t ATNOs for George, K3GP, DX Engineering customer/technical support specialist, but he reached both activations in multiple bands and modes.
On behalf of all of us at DX Engineering and OnAllBands, our heartfelt congratulations to the KP5/NP3VI and 3Y0K teams for promoting amateur radio and putting the hard-to-get-ones within reach for operators around the world. 73!
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