The KP1-5 Project has received word from the US Fish & Wildlife Service that it may activate Navassa Island (KP1) in January 2015. The DXpedition will be a maximum of 14 days, and exact dates will be determined by USFWS mission requirements and weather windows.

“Our experienced team of 15 is complete and is ready for the challenge,” said an October 22 KP1-5 Project news release from President Bob Allphin, K4UEE, and Vice President Glenn Johnson, W0GJ. “The weeks ahead will be extremely busy as the team has less than 90 days before the DXpedition comes on the air.”

The announcement explained that January is the month of minimum bird nesting activity and this is the primary reason USFWS is asking that the operation be completed during that month. Weather is unpredictable in January, however, and because Navassa is surrounded by cliffs, this may preclude a safe landing by boat.

“For safety reasons and in order to maximize our time on the island and on the air, a helicopter operation is planned,” the team’s news release said. “Navassa is over 100 miles (160 km) from the nearest helicopter staging point, and as many as 10 round trips will be required at the beginning and end of the operation. Obviously, this means that there will be a significant cost for activating this No 1 ranked DXCC entity.”

The KP1-5 Project said it will be working with USFWS over the next few weeks, and, as details firm up, it will release additional details. The KP1-5 Project team has committed to fund 50 percent of the DXpedition’s tab. “We are hopeful the DX community at large will fund the remainder,” The announcement concluded.