An Open Letter to the DX Community from Krassy Petkov, K1LZ 21 October 2025
As many of you know, it was both my dream and my honor to join
the team planning to activate 3Y0K Bouvet Island in February
2026. To make this possible, I recruited K3JO,LU9ESD, RN5M,
and JT1CO to join me in this effort, and I personally
contributed $120,000 to cover both their participation and
mine.
In addition, K3JO, LU9ESD, RN5M, and I built all the Yagi
vertical antennas, towers, and supporting equipment that were
to be used at 3Y0K — representing an additional personal
out-of-pocket expense of about $100,000. It took us over three
months of hard work and dedication to complete everything.
I also secured major sponsorships and equipment deals:
• From Icom America, twelve IC-7610 transceivers and four
IC-7300s.
• From ACOM, twelve amplifiers.
• I personally provided a full set of antennas for both camps,
including fourteen Yagis, two verticals for 160 m, two
4-square arrays for 80 m and two for 40 m, verticals for 30 m,
tribanders, dual-banders, filter sets for all bands,
duplexers, triplexers, and more — plus nearly 30 waterproof
cases, all purchased out of my own pocket.
All this equipment was shipped to Norway for loading into the
container that is now en route to Bouvet. I took full
responsibility for ensuring the technical success of this
expedition — and I fulfilled 100% of that responsibility.
Over the past several months, I repeatedly asked Ken (LA7GIA)
to share with the team a financial statement — including a
cash-flow report and a profit-and-loss summary — for the 3Y0K
expedition. My intention was simple: to ensure transparency
for all team members and to organize a collective meeting to
review the final preparations — and, if necessary, to
coordinate financial or logistical support.
Instead of responding to these reasonable requests and calling
a team meeting, Ken asked me for an additional $90,000 to
cover a supposed budget shortfall. At other times, he also
asked for extra contributions of $7,000 per operator from
K1LZ, LU9ESD, K3JO, and RN5M. I agreed to this second request
because he said that all team members would be asked to do the
same.
These questions apparently made the leadership uncomfortable —
but I asked them because I began to feel that what they really
wanted from me was my name, my contacts, and my money. Sadly,
it seems I was not wrong.
Additionally, I asked LA7GIA several times to disclose to the
entire team the names of the private donors and the specific
contractual terms under which they were contributing to 3Y0K—
reportedly at a level of $800,000.
Isn’t it concerning to travel to such a remote and dangerous
island with people whose names,
identities, and intentions are completely unknown to us? Don’t
we have the right to know who they are, what role they will
play, and how they will provide the $800,000 pledged to the
expedition?
Let us not forget that a similar situation occurred during
another expedition a few years ago,
which had to be terminated prematurely due to serious internal
conflicts between the amateur radio team and an external
group.
I also requested that a team doctor be added to the roster —
something that, to my knowledge, every major expedition of
this magnitude has always included. Having a medical
professional should be an absolute priority. We must not
forget that serious accidents have already happened in past
operations — I almost lost my life after falling from a tower
that had been improperly secured by an inexperienced person.
Finally, I asked for confirmation regarding the second, higher
camp location that had originally been planned for better
propagation toward North America.
I was later told that this second site was no longer being
considered, even though it continued to appear on the official
3Y0K website. In reality, from a topographic and propagation
perspective, both sites are nearly identical — and
unfortunately, both are among the worst possible locations on
the island.
The supposed “North American camp” appears to have been
nothing more than a marketing narrative to attract NA
sponsors. Without that story, it is doubtful anyone would have
trusted the same leadership team that had already failed once
before in their previous Bouvet attempt.
That is why I decided to get involved — because, whether the
leadership likes it or not, my team specializes in this field.
We build some of the most successful radio stations in the
world.
We are not better than anyone else — we simply have experience
and proven results.
If anyone felt offended by that, I sincerely regret it. But
the facts speak for themselves: Roman (RN5M) has been doing
this professionally for over 25 years, and Manu (LU9ESD) has
worked alongside him for the past four. Velimir (K3JO), with
his background as an electronic engineer, has been a pioneer
in radio station automation and is the only person I know who
can solve absolutely any problem that arises in that field. In
past expeditions, he has repaired transceivers, amplifiers,
and all kinds of electronic equipment, allowing us to continue
operating without interruption.
But I don’t need to say much more about them — the whole world
knows these names, and they have earned the respect of the
community for what they have done and continue to do for
amateur radio.
In all the above situations, I was met with resistance and
silence. Ken refused to provide the requested information, yet
continued to pressure me for an additional $90,000.
That amount originated from an informal conversation we had
last year in Friedrichshafen, where I mentioned that if
funding was still short toward the end, I might be able to
help.
Since the leadership group failed to raise the necessary funds
— perhaps due to their damaged reputation and lack of trust
within the community — Ken later included that $90,000 as a
contractual obligation for me, adding a special clause in the
agreement.
It was a bold and calculated move — one that, in hindsight,
seems to have been part of the plan from the very beginning.
My biggest mistake was signing that contract without carefully
reading it, believing that amongteammates, we would never
deceive one another.
Neither I nor anyone on my team ever received an invitation or
communication to attend the workshops or participate in the
container loading in Norway, which makes it clear that our
presence was never truly welcome.
This past week, I was officially informed that I am no longer
a member of the 3Y0K DXpedition, because I refused to provide
the extra $90,000 and because I was “asking too many
questions.” I was told my personal $30,000 initial
contribution would be refunded, and I was instructed to
publicly announce that I was leaving the expedition “for
personal reasons.”
Since that statement is not true, I have chosen not to comply
with this request.
K3JO, LU9ESD, RN5M, and JT1CO have been told they may still
participate if they wish, and I will fully respect whatever
decision they make. As of this writing, however, it appears
that none of them will be going to Bouvet.
Still, I find it highly suspicious that this decision came
immediately after the leadership group received everything
they had been waiting for — the antennas, the radios, and all
the equipment I personally ensured reached them. Once they had
everything they needed, I suddenly became expendable.
Obviously, I am deeply disappointed by this outcome. I want to
sincerely thank the many
members of the DX community who supported me and looked
forward to seeing my team and me on Bouvet — particularly on
the low bands, where we were committed to ensuring complete
worldwide coverage.
I share the same disappointment that many of you will feel
after reading this. But please believe me — I, too, feel used,
deceived, and profoundly disillusioned.
To all who have supported me for decades: thank you for your
confidence, friendship, and faith in my team. Those who know
me understand how much I love this hobby, and that for many
years I have been helping and contributing to make it better
and better — but from now on, with far greater caution about
who I choose to work with.
My name, honor, and dignity remain intact — as does my love
for amateur radio.
73 and see you on the bands,
Krassy Petkov, K1LZ