First Desecheo Island Activation Since 2009

The first activation since 2009 of an uninhabited island off Puerto Rico is set to begin this month. 

There has been no amateur activity from Desecheo Island, 13 miles off the Puerto Rican coast, since 2009 – but now the first Puerto Rican-led DXpedition in 48 years to KP5  is preparing for that moment. The organisers, the Manyana DX Foundation and the Vieques Island Amateur Radio Club, are calling the activation of this small uninhabited island a “landmark DXpedition.”

It is a protected nature reserve with strict limits to access, so two self-contained, remote deployable units, or RDUs, will be set out in the second week of January. Operators have undergone training specific to the remote activation. They expect to be on the air within 24 hours of RDUs’ deployment, operating around the clock for about 30 days on 160-6 metres, CW, SSB and FT8. A live stream will be available from Club Log.

The island is the 14th most wanted entity on the DXCC list.

DX News 26th October 2025

For this amateur radio contest weekend, be sure to work these notable stations participating in the CQ WW DX SSB Contest on 25-26 October 2025: EA8AY from the Canary Islands will operate as ED8A.Gia, while 4L4WW will be active from Georgia as 4L0A. SU0ERA will represent Egypt, and Didier, FY5FY, will transmit from French Guiana under the same callsign.

The A44A Team will be on air from Oman, and Mark, XE1B, will be on Socorro Island (IOTA NA-030) as XF4B starting 25 October. Additionally, Piotr, SQ9D, will be active as D4Z from Sao Vicente Island, Cape Verde (IOTA AF-086). These DX opportunities offer great chances to rack up points and add rare multipliers during the contest.