January 13, 2026
This is about as much as I will write concerning 3Y0K.
TL;DR:
Do not sign up for a DX’pedition unless you truly know and trust the leader. I learned this the hard way and will not repeat the mistake. If I ever pack for another trip, it will only be with leadership I trust.
To the rank-and-file members of 3Y0K, I sincerely wish you a safe return.
Details
Before anyone asks “can you prove it?” — yes, I can. I have the receipts.
At one point, I was part of the 3Y0K / 3Y0J team. I left in March 2024 after learning more about the evolving operational and logistical plans. Bouvet was already a high-risk expedition, and subsequent decisions only increased that risk.
The breaking points were twofold.
First, power and fuel planning. The plan called for 16 stations across two sites. I wrote software, ran simulations, and performed Monte-Carlo analysis on generator usage. The results were unambiguous: fuel requirements were nearly three times the contracted ship allotment. The options were simple — carry more fuel, reduce station count, or reduce power. Leadership rejected the data outright.
Second, operational logistics. Helicopters were incorporated under the assumption that “this time would be different,” despite the high likelihood that weather would ground flights. The fallback plan involved remote operation from the ship. Given my role in power and station logistics, this meant I would likely spend the expedition servicing generators rather than operating. I did not sign up to be “Generator-Boy.”
I exited quietly, stating I wasn’t a good fit. Only later, when new members were added, did I inquire about a refund. I was told it was my responsibility to find my replacement, with no assistance from the team.
To do that, I asked Bernie at the Daily DX to post a short notice seeking a replacement — with the intent of forwarding any interested candidates to leadership for vetting. Instead, I received a barrage of threatening emails from a 3Y0K leader, accusing me of overstepping and chastising me for asking about my refund.
Customarily, when one operator leaves and another joins, funds are returned on a zero-sum basis. At that point, the expedition was still nearly a year out. Today, the team is full.
When told to keep quiet, I responded that no one gets to silence me. That ended all communication.
Reflection
I regret being involved. I am not blameless — I chose to join, to pay, and to stay as long as I did. I believed I was working with leadership as principled as myself. I was wrong.
Since then, my gear has gone into long-term storage. I don’t know when — or if — I’ll key down again. I can go anywhere. But for now, I won’t.
A quick search for “3Y0K controversy” will surface allegations including vessel misrepresentation, questionable second-camp marketing, remote-operation ethics, and skepticism rooted in prior Bouvet failures. Others can judge that for themselves.
Fourteen years ago, I dreamed of doing DX’peditions. When I finally mounted my own in 2024, it was exhilarating. What surprised me afterward was the level of negativity — even from within my own DX circle. That likely dulled my commitment to 3Y0K, though I tried to push through and hope for better.
I may try again someday. But only with leadership I trust.
Understand this about DX’peditions: operators and technical talent are plentiful. Money is not. And beyond money, the real requirement is whether people can work together without ego or denial getting in the way.
They will say it’s about service, experience, or putting a rare one on the air — and it is. But it also always comes down to money and leadership choices.
As I said at the start, I wish the rank and file a safe return.
No QSO is worth a life.