The DXpedition to Desecheo Island -- February 12-26 --will use call sign K5D. "As soon as we land on Desecheo, two stations will be immediately activated," said DXpedition co-leader Bob Allphin, K4UEE. Stations will continue to operate until the final moments of departure on February 26."

Desecheo currently sits at number 7 on DX Magazine's Most Wanted list; the island is the second most-wanted DXCC entity in Asia and third most-wanted in Europe. Desecheo is a small uninhabited island in the Mona Passage, 14 miles off the west coast of Puerto Rico. It is part of the US Fish and Wildlife Service's national wildlife refuge system administered by the Caribbean National Wildlife Refuge Complex (CNWR).

"Because Desecheo is so very rare," Allphin said, "there are many, many hams worldwide that need KP5 for an all-time new one. Therefore, we are asking that you not contact the DXpedition on any band/mode that you have confirmed from a previous DXpedition. This will allow the people who really need a new DXCC entity a better opportunity to get through the pileups. Our objective is not to establish a world record for contacts. There will be no 'greenies,' no boxes to check, no competitions for most band/mode QSOs, no certificate or awards for contacting the DXpedition more times than anyone else. So if you have KP5 already confirmed on a particular band/mode, we respectfully ask that you exercise restraint. If, late in the DXpedition, we are calling CQ for contacts, we will welcome your call."

DXpedition co-leader Glenn Johnson, W0GJ, said the team will be running CW, SSB and RTTY on 160-6 meters. "We've had tremendous support from DX organizations all over the world and from numerous equipment and antenna manufacturers," he told the ARRL. "We are diligently working on the propagation studies to reach our hard-to-work areas of Asia and Europe. This plus our planned antennas, we should knock Desecheo off of the Most Wanted List for a long time to come."

According to ARRL Membership and Volunteer Programs Manager and experienced DXpeditioner Dave Patton, NN1N, a well-organized and lengthy operation from Desecheo will be a nice treat for the world's DXers. "With W0GJ and K4UEE leading the operation, I think we can all count on a first class effort that will give maximum exposure to Asia/Oceania and Europe where KP5 is most needed," Patton said. "I also think that Glenn and Bob can demonstrate to the Fish and Wildlife Service that a DXpedition can take place and not damage the environment or cause big problems amongst other hams or for other agencies. I hope hams will be invited back to Desecheo more frequently in the future and expand the places where hams may operate."