[South Florida DX Association] Fw: [FCG] KP5 - Desecheo Island : NOW QRV

Fri Dec 16 07:54:42 EST 2005

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <t0ad at juno.com>
To: <fcg at kkn.net>
Sent: Friday, December 16, 2005 12:54 AM
Subject: [FCG] KP5 - Desecheo Island : NOW QRV


> Once again, with recognition to Bernie McClenny, W3UR and The Weekly DX
> ...
>
> Editors note - they are now QRV.  Apparently they had a tuff landing and
> have not slept well in last 48 hours.  So Kam is on 3793 now (0426Z) and
> will shut down for the night very soon.
>
> They had a little trek from there landing site to the operating location!
> Look for activity probably after their sunrise!
>
> Now for the rest of the bulletin.
>
> Desecheo Island is a small rugged mountainous island situated in the Mona
> Channel between Puerto Rico and the island of Hispaniola (HI/HH).
>
> The island is at 18 23 North and 67 29 West and is about 21 kilometers
> (14 miles) west of Punta Higuero, Puerto Rico.  The island is about 1.45
> square kilometers (360 acres) in size and the rises to around 700 feet
> above the water at the highest point.
>
> Traveling through the temperamental Mona Passage can be hazardous because
> of weather and sea conditions.  In fact past operations have been delayed
> both getting on and off the island.
>
> The island is known to have goats, lizards, crabs and rats.
>
> It is thought that Christopher Columbus went to Desecheo during his third
> trip to the new world.  The island name was given by the Taino Indians.
> In 1912 President Taft claimed the island as a preserve for seabirds.
> Supposedly in the 1920's there was some farming taking place.  President
> Roosevelt handed the island over to the Puerto Rican government for the
> purpose of a forest and bird preserve.  The island was then used for
> bombing practice during WW II.  During the 50's and early 60's other
> military activity took place.  From 1966 to 1976 a colony of Rhesus
> monkeys were breed by the Dept. of Health, Education and Welfare.  In
> late 1976 the island was turned over to the Department of Interior, now
> the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
>
> Desecheo Island (KP5) was added to the DXCC list upon the
> recommendation of the DX Advisory Committee (DXAC) for QSOs made after
> March 1, 1979.  The first DXpedition to this entity was by KP4AM/D with
> operators N4EA, KP4Q, N4ZC, KP4DSD, KV4KV (now KP2A),KP4AM (now W4DN).
> This operation took place in early March of 1979.
>
> KP2A/KP5 was active three times (81, 89 and 91).  The 81 operation made
> 42,743 QSOs.  During the second DXpedition a dinghy was turned over in
> the ruff seas.  In 1984 HI3RST/KP5 and WP4ATF/KP5 were active.  The Texas
> DX Society (TDXS) put on the March 1985 NR5M/KP5, K5LZO/KP5 and
> KA5SBS/KP5 operation netting about 17,000 QSOs.  NJ7D and KP4HL operated
> from Desecheo in January 1988.  N1DX and K0BJ were QRV in mid March 1992.
> Then AA4VK/KP5 was active in late December 1992 and early January 1993.
>
> Wednesday morning around 7 AM EST N3KS, Kam Sirageldin, and K3LP, Dave
> Collingham flew out of BWI heading for Puerto Rico.  The two called your
> editor that evening to give some back ground information on their trip to
> Desecheo Island.  Then yesterday, while aboard the boat taking them to
> the island, they called to release the full details of their expedition.
>
> Kam is leading a project performing communications work on Desecheo
> Island (NA-095) and received formal permission to activate FCC approved
> radio communications on a "time permitting" basis.  They have official
> landing permission from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
> Operations were expected to start up by late December 15th. As of press
> time (0400Z December 16th) they have not been QRV yet. They expect to be
> able to stay on the island a minimum of 48 hours and for sure will close
> down by 1000Z Monday December 19th, if not before. This will be based on
> transportation.  They expected to arrive at the island yesterday around
> 1700Z.  They first had to set up two tents and then the antennas and
> equipment before sunset (2156Z).  However I was told by one of the team's
> friend (WX3B) they did take some outdoor lighting.  It would not surprise
> me if they were still putting things together several hours after dark
> set in for the night.  Operations were not expected to get start until
> the campsite and communications equipment was fully installed.
>
> They will be using the calls N3KS/KP5 and K3LP/KP5 on 10 through 160
> meters on CW and SSB.  This obviously will depend on antenna
> availability.  They realize the rarity of Desecheo (# 8 on the most
> wanted list) and plan to concentrate on 15, 20, 40 and 80 meters but will
> be on the other bands.  To avoid the big guns working both calls on all
> bands the guys will be using just one callsign on a given band. If I
> understood Dave correctly he stated K3LP/KP5 would be used on 12, 15, 17,
> 40 and 160 meters while N3KS/KP5 would be used on 10, 20, 30 and 80
> meters.  This would apply to both CW and SSB.  There will be no digital
> modes used during their operations.  They will have three radios (one for
> back up) and two small amplifiers.  For antennas they will have two
> SteppIR verticals for 10-40 meters and an 80/160 meter
> vertical by K1LZ.  They took with them two generators and some 55 gallon
> drums of fuel.
>
> Just before the guys got out of cell phone range I was able to pass on
> some times for the KP5 guys to look for JA/South East Asia and VK/ZL.
> These two areas are going to be very difficult to QSO KP5.
>
> Suggested times they may have opens to JA/South East Asia are as follows
> per band:
>
> 80 meters - 1000-1100Z
> 40 meters - 0800-1100Z
> 30 meters - 0730-1100Z and 2200-2300Z
> 20 meters - 1030-1230Z and 2130-2330Z
> 17 meters - 2130-2300Z
> 15 meters - 2230-2330Z
>
> Suggested times for VK/ZL Pacific islands are as follows per band:
>
> 80 meters - 0800-1030Z
> 40 meters - 0800-1030Z
> 30 meters - 0730-1130Z
> 20 meters - 0500-0600Z and 1130-1230Z
> 17 meters - 2130-2300Z
> 15 meters - 2200-2330Z
>
> Dave and Kam want to recognize K1LZ and Acom, W3ARS, and the RF
> Connection for helping to make this expedition possible.  All QSL
> requests should be sent to W3ADC via his www.qrz.com address.  They will
> have a Web page after the trip.  In the mean time watch
> http://www.dailydx.com/kp5.htm
>
> Bernie McClenny, W3UR
> Editor of - The Daily DX <-- two free weeks
> http://www.dailydx.com/order.htm
>          - The Weekly DX <-- free sample
> http://www.dailydx.com/weekly2.html
>          - How's DX
> http://www.dailydx.com
>
>
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