DXCC Changes 1958-1959

Changes from 1958 to 1959 Entities January 1958: Active 281, Deleted: 6, Withdrawn 1 More on the New One Rodriguez Island Rodriguez Island, fresh addition to your ARRL DXCC Countries List, is not too widely known. A dependency of Mauritius, the island lies at 19 deg 41 min S - 63 deg 23 min E some 350 miles away. It's of volcanic origin (twelve discrete flows), forty square miles in area, and its highest point is Mt. Limon, 1290 ft. Fishing and agriculture support an approximate population of 15,000 (1953) mainly concentrated in the towns of Port Mathurin and inland Gabriel. Discovered by the Portuguese in 1645, colonized by the Dutch in 1691, appropriated by the French, and finally by the British in 1810, Rodriguez is a worthy DXpeditionary objective and now is reported represented by VQ8AS on 20 CW Success for the DXCC Searchers The ‘DXCC Searchers’ found more islands which according to them, belonged on the DXCC list, because of political or geological reasons. They found Fernando de Noronha (PY0F) and Lord How Island for geological reasons (Point 2). And the same did get Chatham Island (ZL/C), Trindade & Martin Vaz Island (PY0T) and Juan Fernandez Archipel (CE0F) on the list. Wow, 5 new Entities, all Islands or island groups. So all DXers listen on the bands to find nay activity from these New Ones. But there happened more on the DXCC list. Two Entities, The Leeward islands and the Windward Islands, both with the VP2 prefix, did get a different entry in the ARRL countries List. The entries of the Leeward Islands, and Windward Islands became Withdrawn. Fernando de Noronha (PY0F) added (QST, March 1958, page 92) Announcement is hereby made of the addition to the ARRL Countries List of Fernando de Noronha. This island, a Federal Territory of Brazil, is located approximately 225 miles due east of Natal in the Atlantic Ocean. Addition is made by virtue of point 2, with qualified support from point 1. These points are explained in May 1955 QST, page 68 Fernando de Noronha (PY0F) QSOs count from November 15, 1945 Lord Howe island added (QST, Mat 1958, page 105) Announcement is hereby made of the addition to the ARRL Countries List of Lord Howe Island. This island is located in the Pacific Ocean approximately 380 miles east of Port Macquarie, Australia. Addition is made by virtue of point 2 as explained in May 1955 QST, page 68. Lord Howe Island QSOs count from November 15, 1945 There was no Prefix given for Lord Howe Island (VK9) Caribbean DXCC list restructured (QST June 1958, (page 97)). In view of the recent Federation of British Territories in the Caribbean, and the desire to update the Countries List and bring it into line with the published criteria, the following changes to the ARRL Countries List are herewith announced. These changes will be effective as of June 1, 1958. VP2 Anguilla (VP2E) VP2 Antigua, Barbuda (VP2A) VP2 British Virgin Islands (VP2V) VP2 Dominica (VP2D) VP2 Grenada & Dependencies (VP2G) VP2 Montserrat (VP2M) VP2 St. Kitts, Nevis (VP2K) VP2 St. Lucia (VP2M) VP2 St. Vincent & Dependencies (VP2S) VP5 Jamaica (including Caymans) All contacts with stations in the Caribbean prior to June 1, 1958, will be credited on the basis of the ARRL Countries List in effect prior to June 1, 1958. Contacts made with stations in what was previously listed as Leewards and Windwards will be credited on the following basis. If credit has already been given for a station in the Leewards, further credit cannot be given for that particular island. For example, if Leewards credit was obtained with VP2MY in Montserrat, no further credit can be claimed for Montserrat. A credit given for VP2LU on St. Lucia toward Windwards will count as St. Lucia and no further credit can be claimed for St. Lucia. On the other hand, a contact with VP2KM made on June 1, 1958, or after, can be claimed as credit for St. Kitts or a contact with VP2GC made on June 1, 1958, or after, can be claimed as credit for Grenada. Contacts made with Caymans prior to June 1, 1958, will continue to be credited as separate from Jamaica. Contacts made with Caymans June 1, 1958 and later will count the same as Jamaica. Do you get the message? The Leeward Islands was the name for a group of islands including Antigua, Barbuda, the British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Montserrat, Nevis and St. Christopher. In 1956, the name of the group changed in Territory of the Leeward Islands. Antigua & Barbuda and Montserrat did not belong anymore to this group and became a separate territory. This happened on January 3, 1958 also with th British Virgin Islands. Then it became more complicated. Antigua & Barbuda and Montserrat returned to the Leeward Island Federation. Then, together with Anguilla, Nevis and St. Chistopher they became all part of the West Indian Federation. The Windward Islands was the name for a group of islands including Barbados, Grenada, The Grenadines, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, and Tobago. The islands Barbados and Tobago did leave the group before 1940. In 1956 the name of the group changed in Territory of the Windward Islands. On January 3, 1958 became this group also a part of the West Indian Federation The West Indian Federation now included Antigua & Barbuda, Cayman Islands, Jamaica, Leeward Islands, Montserrat, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks & Caicos Islands, and the Windward Islands. On January 1, 1960 the Territories of the Leeward Islands and Windward Island became dissolved. The official capitol of the Federation was Chaguaramas in Trinidad, but practically it had been always Port of Spain. The West Indian Federation should become a NEW country, This did not happen, on May 31, 1962 the West Indian Federation was history. Do you still get it ?? The Leeward Islands and Windward Islands, were also replaced by 9 New Entities, but he groups did NOT get on the deleted list. They got just Withdrawn, the same as Tannu Tuvo. You can imagine how those QSL-boxes were searched to find new VP2 credits. Anguilla (VP2E), Antigua & Barbuda (VP2A) British Virgin Islands (VP2V) , Dominica (VP2D) , Grenada & Dependencies (VP2G), St. Kitts & Nevis (VP2K), St Lucia (VP2L), Montserrat (VP2M), en St. Vincent & Dependencies (VP2S). All nine countries count from November 15, 1945 But wait a minute. What about the Deletion of the Cayman Islands. QSO’s from June 1, 1958 do NOT count anymore as Cayman credit, but as the other VP5, Jamaica ? Chatham islands (ZL/C) added (QST, August 1958, page 83) Announcement is hereby made of the addition to the ARRL Countries List of Chatham Islands. These islands are located in the South Pacific Ocean approximately 420 miles east of New Zealand. Addition is made by virtue of point 2 as in the May 1955 QST, page 68 Chatham Islands (ZL/C) QSOs count from November 15, 1945 Trindade (PY0T) & Juan Fernandez (CE0F) added (QST, October 1958, page 101) Announcement is hereby made of the addition to the ARRL Countries List of Trindade & Vaz Islands. These islands are located in the Atlantic Ocean approximately 675 miles east of Brazil. Announcement is also made of the addition to the ARRL Countries List of Juan Fernandez Archipelago. These islands are located in the Pacific Ocean approximately 420 miles west of Valparaiso, Chile. Both of these additions are made by virtue of point 2 as explained in the May 1955 QST, page 68. Trindade & Vaz Islands (PY0T) QSOs count from November 15, 1945 Juan Fernandez Archipelago (CE0F) QSOs count from November 15, 1945 Honor Roll end 1958 As usual you could find the DXCC Honor Roll end of the year 19587 in QST. The end date of the list (see left) was September 1, 1958. Three hams got a total of 286 credits, Among them was Charley Mellen, W1FH, the other leaders were W6AM and ZL2GX. And KV4AA, Dick Spencely was moving fast tot the top. Charly lost the first place in the Phone competition. PY2CK and W8GZ did have more credits, 282 and 275. Entities January 1959: Active 293, Deleted: 6, Withdrawn 3 DXCC was rapidly approaching the 300 border. Of course the DXCC Searchers had again success. They found two new ones in 1959, North Cook (ZK1) and Serrana Bank & Roncador Cay (KS4B). The French Republic was also not so quiet as normal. President Charles de Gaulle stated that the colonies should get more freedom or even self-governing and independency. Guinea in West Africa did choose for independency, and delcared itself independent om October 2, 1958. It became a socialistic republic. The prefix for Guinea became 7G. Republic of Guinea and Manihiki added (QST, January 1959, page 94) Announcement is hereby made of the addition to the ARRL Countries List of the Republic of Guinea. Formally Guinea counted as part of French West Africa, this country will be considered as separate from French West Africa as of October 1, 1958. QSO’s with Republic of Guinea (7G) will be given DXCC credit for confirmations dated on or after October 12, 1958. Announcement also is made of the addition to the ARRL Countries List of Manihiki Islands. Sometimes called Northern Cook Islands, this group has formerly been considered as with the Cook Islands. The main islands in this group include Manihiki, Danger Island (Pukapuka), Tongareva and Rakahanga. DXCC credit for North Cook Islands (ZK1) will be given for QSO’s dated on or after November 15, 1945. North Cook did not get an own Prefix. But what was the reason for adding Manihiki Is;lands? The shortest distance between North Cook (Suwarow Island) and South Cook (Palmerston Island) is about 500 km. All Cook island inhabitants are official New-Zealanders, but they have also their own advantages. So now are two Cook Islands on the DXCC list, the Cook Islands, and Manihiki Islands. Does this mean that a QSO with Manihiki counts for two countries? DX is !! Of hadden de Cook Eilanden een Withdrawn behandeling moeten krijgen net als de Leeward en Windward Eilanden? Dus Cook Island afvoeren) en vervangen door twee nieuwe Zuid Cook en Noord Cook? Waarschijnlijk is er voor 1958 nooit een QSO met Noord Cook gemaakt. Noord Cook kwam pas in beeld tijdens het IGY van 1957-1958. Op Pukapuka Atol was op 12 oktober 1958 een totale zonsverduistering te zien Roncador Cay & Serrana Bank (KS4B) added (QST, June1959, page 96) Announcement is hereby made of the addition to the ARRL Countries List of Roncador Cay & Serrana Bank. U.S. controlled territory located approximately 200 miles east of Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua, this addition is made by virtue of points 1,2 and 3 as explained in May 1955 4QST5, page 68. QSO’s with Roncador Cay & Serrana Bank (KS4B) count from November 15, 1945 for DXCC Remove Alaska vfrom the DXCClist or not (QST December 1958, page 95). Discussion about Alaska, moving to the deleted list keep going. Alasca became an American Territory on May 11, 1912. Alaska became State number 49 on January 3, 1959. Woult this mean that Alaska is no DXCC copuntry anymore? DXAC made the following statement. Reference is made to the DXCC criteria published in May 1955, followed by "After consulting the topmost political and geographical authorities for facts, the points examined are (1) degree of political-administrative independence, (2) geographical separation, and (3) does the area have "foreign lands between." Note that making Alaska a state makes no change in the latter two criteria. The consideration of remoteness (and Canada between) gives heavy geographical country- implications for Alaska. It should be noted that statehood likewise will increase the weight of political autonomy so that its list-status is thus also strengthened rather than weakened. This is to report that Alaska passed the review of the advisory staff on country-status for DX (operating aid 7) with flying colors, so will not lose this status for DXCC Entities December 1959: Active 296, Deleted: 6, Withdrawn 3