16 October 2025
For Immediate Release The return to Socorro Island
Next week (October 25) Mark, XE1B, is returning to Revillagigedo for a short visit to meet the new base commander and set the conditions for an international team with remote capabilities for the future. Access to the base is severely restricted and only via a Navy battleship making supply runs from Baja, Mexico. The next Navy trip is scheduled for a 23 October departure from Socorro and a return on the 30th of October. That will allow Mark a 5 day window of operating (it’s a 36 hour trip).
Mark is a 3 time veteran of trips there, having activated XF4 in 1999, 2011, and 2018. He has a new license for this trip (the callsign will be released when he is QRV). He also has permission from the Navy and the other two regulatory agencies to visit the island and operate.
This is a self funded trip using Mark’s personal equipment and some purchases in the US by N1DG. It will be a low profile, low geographic impact operation showing the Commander that a DXpedition can be conducted without a major impact on the Island’s mission. Use of remote operators via the NCDXF RIB technology will also be discussed. Accordingly, do not expect a Mega DXpedition this time. Mark’s intent is to make as many ATNO contacts and lower XF4’s rank of 24th most wanted (12th in Europe) by as much as one operator can do in 5 days.
Mark will bring 4 antennas, 2 radios and one linear covering 80 to 6 meters. He will operate SSB and FT8 at the same time. There will be No automated FT8 QSOs. He is unsure of internet availability so there will be no streaming online logs. QSL after the operation using Club Log only. N1DG will handle the QSL processing. LOTW QSOs will be uploaded as OQRS requests are processed. After postage and QSL printing costs, all excess proceeds will be donated to the Northern California DX Foundation.
We hope this leads to a larger activation in 2026.
73 De XE1B and N1DG
Dateline DX Association
For Immediate Release The return to Socorro Island
Next week (October 25) Mark, XE1B, is returning to Revillagigedo for a short visit to meet the new base commander and set the conditions for an international team with remote capabilities for the future. Access to the base is severely restricted and only via a Navy battleship making supply runs from Baja, Mexico. The next Navy trip is scheduled for a 23 October departure from Socorro and a return on the 30th of October. That will allow Mark a 5 day window of operating (it’s a 36 hour trip).
Mark is a 3 time veteran of trips there, having activated XF4 in 1999, 2011, and 2018. He has a new license for this trip (the callsign will be released when he is QRV). He also has permission from the Navy and the other two regulatory agencies to visit the island and operate.
This is a self funded trip using Mark’s personal equipment and some purchases in the US by N1DG. It will be a low profile, low geographic impact operation showing the Commander that a DXpedition can be conducted without a major impact on the Island’s mission. Use of remote operators via the NCDXF RIB technology will also be discussed. Accordingly, do not expect a Mega DXpedition this time. Mark’s intent is to make as many ATNO contacts and lower XF4’s rank of 24th most wanted (12th in Europe) by as much as one operator can do in 5 days.
Mark will bring 4 antennas, 2 radios and one linear covering 80 to 6 meters. He will operate SSB and FT8 at the same time. There will be No automated FT8 QSOs. He is unsure of internet availability so there will be no streaming online logs. QSL after the operation using Club Log only. N1DG will handle the QSL processing. LOTW QSOs will be uploaded as OQRS requests are processed. After postage and QSL printing costs, all excess proceeds will be donated to the Northern California DX Foundation.
We hope this leads to a larger activation in 2026.
73 De XE1B and N1DG
Dateline DX Association