Yesterday, February 2, 2026 I completed the first-ever SOTA activation of KP4/DI-001, Desecheo Island. Desecheo Island, located off the west coast of the island of Puerto Rico, is an off-limits island due to the presence of unexploded ordnances from the US Air Force back in the 50’s and 60’s, when it was used as target practice. Today, Fish & Wildlife manages the island and controls who can step on the island, making it a very difficult island to transmit from.
Access to Desecheo Island was possible due to official Puerto Rico Seismic Network operations coordinated with the U.S. Coast Guard. Transport was provided directly to the summit area, and all operation was conducted within the SOTA activation zone and in full compliance with SOTA rules.
I operated 2 m FM simplex on 146.520 MHz using a 5 W handheld transceiver with a Nagoya NA-771 whip antenna. Operating time was approximately one hour and resulted in 17 valid QSOs from municipalities of western Puerto Rico (Aguadilla, Rincón, Moca, Mayagüez, and Cabo Rojo).
Chaser callsigns worked:
KP4EY, WP4QZM, WP4QNQ, WP4RAF, NP4WX, KP4BB, NP4JJ, WP4RAE, WP4QZY, WP4FBY, N4UXG, NP3IH, KP4PB, WP4RBK, KP4KJI, WP3QY, WP4TRM.
Many thanks to all chasers who answered the call and helped make this rare and historic activation possible.
73,
NP3AL
I had to opportunity to visit your beautiful island back in the early 80’s. Didn’t get to do KP5, but spent over a month on Vieques after doing a couple of weeks at Roosie Roads…My self and another young Marine who had a cousin living near the Old San Juan area hitched hiked across the island to spend a weekend at his house. Great times! That’s how I ended up on Vieques, but that’s a story for another time. Many 807’s were involved! 