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. 

The December 2005 operation by N3KS/KP5 and K3LP/KP5 took place on December 16th and 17th.  The two made about 7,300 QSOs. 

Link to Les Nouvelles KP5 QSL card collection

Desecheo Island lies approximately 21 km west of Rincon, Puerto Rico