[NEWS] – DX Engineering (DXE) is Major Sponsor of the 3D2Z Rotuma DXpedition
We are pleased to announce that our good friends at DX Engineering (DXE) are a major sponsor of the 3D2Z Rotuma Dxpedition scheduled for late November. DXE has now joined the Northern California DX Foundation (NCDXF) as a "Premier” sponsor supporting this unique DXpedition. This DXpedition is a partnership with Youth on the Air (YOTA) encouraging youth participation and will feature 3 young operators who will be active from 3D2Z on the Island while there will also be 30 or more YOTA operators operating 3D2Z remotely using W6IZT Radio in a Box stations (RiBs) over Starlink.
DX Engineering CEO Tim Duffy, K3LR has once again demonstrated his commitment and support of youth involvement in our hobby not only with this, DXE’s 3D2Z sponsorship, but is once again opening up his world-class K3LR Contest station to the young operators of the Dave Kalter Memorial Youth DX Adventure as they participate this weekend as K3Y in the RSGB IOTA Contest.
"Thank you” to DX Engineering and "Very 73 es GL” to the K3Y Contest Team!!
In addition to the NCDXF, we are grateful to the following DX clubs and associations for their generous support of the 3D2Z project enabling DXpeditioning for the next generation of amateur radio operators:
• Southeastern DX Club
• Southwest Ohio DX Association
• Long Island DX Association
• Twin City DX Association
• Lone Star DX Association
• RSGB
• Western Washington DX Club
• Oklahoma DX Association
• EUDXF
• CDXC The UK DX Foundation
• North Alabama DX Club
• Eastern Iowa DX Association
Funding efforts continue for the November DXpedition. Please consider supporting the 3D2Z Rotuma DXpedition by visiting our website for details:
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[JUNE 27] – 3D2Z announces team member change; Lukas Bartkus, LY7J joins DXpedition team.
We are sad to report that due to unexpected circumstances, Mike, WØVTT has had to drop off of the 3D2Z on-island team. In our continued efforts to bring more "Next Generation” amateur radio operators into DXpeditioning, the 3D2Z team is pleased to announce that our new 6th member replacing Mike is Lukas Bartkus, LY7J, a 22-year young ham from Lithuania. He joins Connor, KD9LSV and Jamie, MØSDV as our 3rd young ham making this a multi-national "Next Generation” DXpedition.
According to Lukas, he is a young ham "with 7 years of ham radio love.” He is a second-year electrical engineering student and a full time professional events photographer.
Meanwhile, Mike will remain a valued member of our off-island DXpedition team serving as one of the remote operators of the 2 NexGenRiBs which will be accompanying the DXpedition.
Funding efforts continue for the November DXpedition. Please consider supporting the 3D2Z Rotuma DXpedition by visiting our website (below).
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[JUNE 18] – The 3D2Z Rotuma team are still looking for an additional youth operator to participate in this Dxpedition. Due to unforeseen circumstances, one of the”senior” operators of the DXpedition’s 6-member team has had to step down. The Team would like to take this opportunity to fill the operating position with a third "Next Generation” operator, age 21- 35. Please contact W6IZT, Greg, if you, or someone you know, is interested in being a part of this November DXpedition or, if you have any questions, you can email Gregg at: gregg.w6izt@gmail.com
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[JUNE 14] – In the continued effort to bring more "Next Generation” amateur radio operators into DXpeditioning, the 3D2Z team is happy to announce the 6th member to join their team – Connor, KD9LSV, a 23-year old electrical engineer and graduate of Bradley University.
Connor, who obtained the rank of Eagle Scout, holds his Extra Class license and recently completed the CWops Level 1 Academy Class. He enjoys operating CW Contests and is a member of Society of Midwest Contesters. He attributes operating in the 2019 CQ WPX SSB Contest at Craig, K9CT’s contest station as having a major influence on him and giving him more appreciation of, "How big the amateur radio community actually is.”
Connor becomes the second 23-year old on the team joining Jamie, M0SDV. Jamie is an avid DXer and Contest op who brings quite a bit of DXpedition experience with him, including the recent successful 8R7X Youth DXpedition.
In additional 3D2Z news, team member Nathan, K4NHW activated the DXpedition’s website early Tuesday morning @ rotuma2024.com
Here you will find more information about the 3D2Z DXpedition, the team, the operating plans or Rotuma Island itself..and how you can support 3D2Z.
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[MAY 21] – In the interest of bringing more young amateur radio operators into DXpeditioning, the Pacific Islands DXpedition Group, Inc. (PIDXG) and Youth on the Air (YOTA) Americas are pleased to announce a partnership involving the upcoming 3D2Z DXpedition to Rotuma in November. Youth on the Air is a program for and by young amateur radio operators with the expressed goal of building skills and fostering lasting friendships and mentors with younger operators.
Rotuma DXpedition organizer Gregg, W6IZT will be taking two of his NexGenRiBs as a complement to the 6 member DXpedition on-island team. Gregg says, "Following the success with the remote radio used at the recent CBØZA Juan Fernandez DXpedition, we will have two remote stations available to young amateur operators through YOTA on Rotuma. It is our hope that 75% of the remote contacts made from 3D2Z will be made by the youth participants.”
Nineteen year old YOTA member Kees, WØAAE will coordinate the scheduling and operation by the remote YOTA operating team. A freshman aerospace engineering major at Iowa State University, Kees was the 2023 Bill Pasternak WA6ITF Memorial Amateur Radio Newsline Young Ham of the Year Award recipient. He coordinated participation in the Americas for December YOTA Month and is active with remote operation for young hams through RHR.
YOTA Camp Director Neil Rapp, WB9VPG said that he welcomes this partnership with the youth members of the YOTA organization and the PIDXG DXpedition to Rotuma. "I think this is a great opportunity for our young operators to experience a DXpedition and enjoy operating in pileup conditions.”
The 3D2Z DXpedition is scheduled for November 15 to December 4. In addition to the young operators who will be involved with the remote-side of the operation, one of the on-island team members is 23-year old Jamie, MØSDV, who was one of the members of the recent 8R7X DXpedition to Guyana.
Additional members of the 3D2Z team include veteran DXpeditioner Hal, W8HC; Nathan K4NHW; and Mike, WØVTT. Gregg says that they are awaiting word on the sixth member of the team, another young amateur operator who will be named soon.
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[PREVIOUSLY] – The Pacific Islands DXpedition Group (PIDXG) announces that Gregg, W6IZT; Hal, W8HC; Nathan, K4NHW and 3 additional operators (to be announced) will operate from Rotuma during November 15 to December 4, 2024.
Preliminary plans call for the team to operate locally with 3 stations in addition to 2 of Gregg’s NexGenRiBs (remote radio systems) that proved successful during the recent CB0ZEW DXpedition at Robinson Crusoe Island (Juan Fernandez).
The team will also participate in the CQWW CW Contest using a different callsign from the DXpedition. Necessary permits and licensing has been secured in addition to confirmed accommodations for the DXpedtion’s location on the island’s north coast.
Currently Rotuma stands at #68 on the Club Log Most Wanted List. Pse QRX for more information.
