[South Florida DX Association] Ohio DXers denied Desecheo Island landing permit

[Esteban Romagni]

This is from the arrl web site,

73 de Steve W4DTA / YV5DTA

Ohio DXers denied Desecheo Island landing permit (Feb 10, 2005) -- The US
Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) has again said "no" to four Ohio radio
amateurs seeking to visit Desecheo Island (KP5), a prized DX location that'
on the top-ten "most-needed list" for DXCC. The denial came in a letter from
the FWS to US Rep Mike Turner (R-OH) of Dayton, who acted on behalf of
well-known DXer and contester Harry Flasher, AC8G, and three other members
of the South West Ohio DX Association (SWODXA). Flasher was on Desecheo in
the 1980s. A small island about 14 miles off the northwestern corner of
Puerto Rico, Desecheo Island is a national wildlife refuge and under FWS
jurisdiction. The FWS told Turner that the Desecheo National Wildlife Refuge
"is closed to all public entry for safety reasons due to unexploded
ordinance (artillery shells) in the area." The island once was the site of
war games. The FWS has not issued Amateur Radio permits since 1993. As it
has in earlier denials, the FWS also raised the specter of problems with
Caribbean drug traffickers in turning down the latest request. The SWODXA
group had requested access to a small landing beach--a manmade gravel patch
the group feels is far away from potential contact with unexploded artillery
shells. ARRL Ohio Section Manager Joe Phillips, K8QOE, said the group has
not given up its attempts to gain permission to land on and operate from
Desecheo Island.--Joe Phillips, K8QOE