In a testament to their skill, endurance, and passion for rare-island radio operations, DA-RC operators 32DA002 Manu and 32DA010 Filipe embarked on a mission to bring Santa María Island back to life on the airwaves.
Known for delivering first-class DX experiences across some of the world’s most remote locations, the Dx Adventure Radio Club (DA-RC) once again demonstrated why our guys are amongst the hobby’s most respected and committed island-DX specialists.
This latest activation—32DA/SA-070—saw Manu and Filipe journey to sparsely inhabited Santa María Island, located in the Bay of Arauco off Chile’s Biobío Region.
Rugged, isolated, and steeped in maritime history, the island is famous for its associations with 16th- and 17th-century pirates.
English pirate Thomas Cavendish attacked settlements there in 1586 during his first circumnavigation, and Dutch privateers such as Joris van Spilbergen, Simon de Cordes, and Hendrik Brouwer later anchored to gather fresh water and timber before continuing their Pacific voyages.
Today, its exposed WX, rugged coastlines, and relative isolation make Santa María a thrilling challenge for IOTA activators.
Its shores are home to the South American sea lion, famous for its thick, shaggy mane, while its diverse wildlife has earned it recognition as an Important Bird Area (IBA).
Significant breeding populations of sooty shearwaters, pink-footed shearwaters, Peruvian diving-petrels, red-legged cormorants, and Franklin’s gulls highlight the island’s ecological value and wild beauty.
Against this dramatic backdrop, Manu and Filipe worked tirelessly to deliver world-class DX opportunities to operators across the globe.
This is their report!
Our main objective for this activity was to bring Santa María Island back on the air—a geographically challenging and rarely activated location.
Operating under the call sign 32DA/SA-070, we achieved a long-awaited return to a highly sought-after island group that had been silent on the 11m band for 21 years, since the last activation by 32ED/SA-070.
With this expedition, we aimed not only to promote international DX activity but also to reinforce the Delta-Alfa presence, demonstrating our commitment to island operations, the promotion of the hobby, and providing new opportunities for global DX operators.
Reviving the division’s presence on Santa María Island allowed us to reactivate a historic DX location and offer the world a chance to work an island that is both rarely visited and highly valued.
The first two days greeted us with excellent WX—sunshine and very pleasant temperatures.
But on the third day, conditions changed dramatically as the winds picked up, something typical for Santa María Island.
Marine forecasts often show prevailing winds reaching high gusts, and Windfinder recorded sustained speeds of 60–100 km/h during our stay.
These powerful winds even knocked down some of our antennas more than once, yet the team remained committed, adapting and persisting without hesitation.
Propagation challenges soon added to the adventure.
Between November 10 and 14, 2025, intense solar activity affected operations, particularly the X5.1 solar flare on November 11—one of the strongest of the year.
The resulting radio blackout on HF, combined with a CME directed toward Earth, triggered a severe geomagnetic storm.
For long periods, we faced complete radio silence, with propagation severely degraded and no ability to establish stable contacts on 11 meters.
Signals vanished entirely, leaving the equipment unable to receive even minimal traces.
Still, our team stayed active and alert, taking full advantage of every brief, sporadic propagation opening that appeared.
Morale remained high—helped both by the thrill of working rare DX and by the excellent seafood prepared by our cook, 32DA114, whose culinary talent kept spirits lifted throughout the operation.
On Friday, we dismantled the antennas, secured all equipment with care, and concluded our activation on Santa María Island.
With everything safely packed, we boarded the barge to return to the mainland and began the long journey home—over 700 km for some team members.
We left feeling proud, fulfilled, and grateful for the opportunity to experience such a remarkable expedition.
Every contact made, every challenge overcome, and every moment shared on the island will remain etched in our memories.
Adventures like this are what make our passion for DXing and radio communications so special!
73 de Manu & Filipe
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