DXCC Changes 1989-1991

Changes from 1989 to 1991 Entities January 1989: Active 319, Deleted: 51, Withdrawn 9 New DXCC Country (QST January 1989, page 76) The ARRL Awards Committee has unanimously accepted the DX Advisory Committee majority-decision to add Malyj Vysotskij Island (M-V Island) to the DXCC Countries List by virtue of a commitment ARRL made in 1970. Additionally, the Awards Committee unanimously ENDORSED the DXAC finding that the 4J1FS operation of July 1988 met the published accreditation criteria. M-V Island, located in the bay of Vyborg, Western USSR, was found in 1970 to qualify as a separate DXCC country under point 3(b) of the Countries List criteria, and was awaiting activation. The island, leased by Finland from the USSR, is separated from Finland (OH) by intervening Soviet territory. In reviewing the accreditation of the 4J1FS operation, both the DXAC and the Awards Committee were troubled by the call-sign prefix. In the course of discussion, however, it was the sense of the Award Committee that M-V Island may very well have qualified under the now-defunct ‘separate administration’ clause of the country criteria. (This clause was in effect when ARRL first approved M-V Island in 1970). Under separate administration, the call- sign would not have been an issue. DXCC credit will be given for contacts made with M-V Island commencing with the July 1988 4J1FS operation. DXCC credit will be issued starting March 1, 1989. QSL cards submitted prior to that date will be returned without credit. RTTY News The DX Advisory Committee considered a petition to establish an RTTY Honor Roll and to reduce the endorsement levels for the RTTY DXCC. In August 1988, the DXAC voted on the petition which resulted in both items being rejected. The DXCC Searchers success The DXAC made a curious decision. There was an island in the Gulf of Finland rented for 50 years to Finland. The island was Malyj Vysotskij Island (R1M, 4J1). This “rent” did give the island a special status. Reason to add the island (under Point 1) to the DXCC list. Between 1918 and 1940, the island Ravansaari was a territory. In 1940 the Russians occupied the island, but Finland took it back in 1941. In June 1944, the island fell to the Red Army, and once again became part of the Soviet Union, The island was renamed Malyj Vysotsky. A treaty was signed in 1962 From the publications in QST, the DXAC made not clear what the startdate of DXCC contacts with the new Entity was. The rent contract was signed on February 18, 1962, so the startdate should be the day the island was rented. The first DXpedition to Maly Vysotskij island was made in 1988, using the prefix 4J1. QSOs with Malyj Vysotskij Island (R1M) count from November 15, 1945 Wait a moment!. Why is the startdate for M-V Island credits not the day 4J1FS hitting the waves? Or February 18, 1962 when the contract was signed? Or even that day in 1970, when ARRL did decide that Malyj Vysotskij would qualify for DXCC? (DX is !!) And another new one in 1989 The DXCC searchers found also another island on the globe which had to be on the DXCC list. Rotuma Island (3D2R) was administered by Fijie but the islanders had more to say than the other islands of Fiji. Rotuma Island was added to the DXCC list because of rule (Point 2a). QSOs with Rotuma (3D2/R) count of course from November 15, 1945 for DXCC. DXCC Notes (QST December 1989, page 60) 10-Mhz contacts now accepted for DXCC credit: CW and Digital contacts made on 10 Mhz can now be submitted for Mixed, CW, and RTTY DXCC awards. (There are no single-band DXCC awards for WARC bands. 10-Mhz contacts will not be accepted for 5BDXCC. Effective immediately, the changes are a result of policy changes adopted at the recent IARU Region 2 Conference in Orlando, Florida. Please refer to November QST League Lines for more information. Entities January 1990: Active 321, Deleted: 51, Withdrawn 9 Berlin Wall taken down, Y2 Deleted The year 1990 was a busy year for the DXers. Three Entities got deleted but five new ones were added to the DXCC list. The Berlin Wall was taken down om November 9, 1989. Walter Ulbricht, leader of the Deutsche Democratic Republic (DDR)., had pushed for a border closure for quite some time, arguing that East Germany's very eistence was at stake. During a communist party on Saturday, August 12, 1961 Ulbricht signed the order to close the border and erect a wall, The Wall was rapidly build and did stand until that day in November 1989. This date was not the end of the DDR (Y2- Y9), but a year later, on October 3, 1990 the DDR became a part of the Federal Republic of Germany. This caused the deletion of the DDR for DXCC. QSOs with Deutsche Demokratische Republik count from September 17, 1973 until October 2, 1990. Republic of Yemen (7O) In the Middle East, two Countries, Aden (VS9A) (South Yemen) and Yemen Arabic Republic (4W) (North Yemen) merged to one country Yemen (7O) on Mai 22, 1990. The country Yemen was divided between the Ottoman and British empires in the 1800s. The Zaydi Mutawakkilite Kingdom of Yemen was established after World War I before the creation of the Yemen Arab Republic in 1962. South Yemen remained a British protectorate as the Aden Protectorate. Deadly guerrilla attacks particularly by the NLF (National Liberation Front) against British forces, were the reason that the British left Aden by the end of November 1967, earlier than had been planned by British Prime Minister Harold Wilson and without an agreement on the succeeding governance. The NLF then seized power and the area became an independent state and later, a Marxist-Leninist state. With NO ham radio at all. The two Yemeni states united to form the modern Republic of Yemen in 1990. President Ali Abdullah Saleh was the first president of the new republic The Republic of Yemen was added to the DXCC list. QSOs with Yemen (7O) count from May 22, 1990 for DXCC And Aden (VS9A) and Yemen (4W1) found their place on the Deleted List. Another few special islands added to the DXCC List. What happened in 1989 with Rotuma Island happened also with Conway Reef. (3D2/C) . Because of rule (Point 2b). Conway Reef (3D2C) became also a new DXCC Entity. And apparently (Point 2b) did count also for Banaba Island (T33) . Banaba or Ocean Island can be found in the far west of the Kiribati island group. QSOs with Conway Reef (3D2/C) count from November 15 1945 QSOs with Banaba Island (T33) count from November 15 1945 Walvis Bay (ZS9) and Penguin Islands (ZS0/1) The two areas of Walvis Bay and Penguin Islands were also added to the DXCC list in 1990. Walvis Bay is a city and is the most importand harbor of Namibia. The South West Africa Affairs Act of 1922 stated that: "the port and settlement of Walvis Bay, which forms part of the Cape of Good Hope, shall for judicial and administrative purposes be regarded as if it were part of the mandated territory of South West Africa". In 1977, following increasing international pressure to relinquish its control over South West Africa, South Africa repealed the Act, but transferred control of Walvis Bay back to the Cape Province. This internations pressure did isolate Walvay Bay for now Motherland South Africa. Reason enough to put Walvis Bay on the DXCC Countries List. QSOs with Walvisbaai (ZS9) count from September 1, 1977 for DXCC The Penguin Islands are a group islands Off-Shore of Namibia. In 1990 South-West Africa gained independence as Namibia. The Penguin Islands remained under South African sovereignty, thus letting it retain an Exclusive Economic Zone off the Namibian coast. Walvis Bay remained also under South African sovereignty. So isolated from Motherland South Africa, Penguin Islands had to be a DXCC Entity from the start in 1945 an not because of the independence of Namibia in 1990. QSOs with Penguin Islands (ZS0) count from November 15, 1945 Entities January 1991: Active 323, Deleted: 54, Withdrawn 9 ET3/A Abu Ail belongs to Yemen Yemen claimed also Jabal at Tair (A1) (Abu Ail Island). On March 3 1991 Abu Ail Island was added to the Deleted list. The Yemeni did build two watchtowers and one building on the island. In 2007 there was a vulcanic eruption on the island The Dutch frigate Evertsen was in the neighborhood and rescued 2 people from the water. Four people died QSOs with Abu Ail count until March 30, 1991 In 1991 North Korea and South Korea became members of the United Nations. But it would take some more years until North Korea did get on the DXCC list. Stay tuned. Rebirth of Eritrea In May 1991, the deleted Entity (country) of Eritrea was removed from de Deleted list, and was added again to the DXCC list. Following the UN General Assembly decision in 1952, Eritrea would govern itself with a local Eritrean parliament, but for foreign affairs and defense, it would enter into a federal status with Ethiopia for ten years. However, in 1962, the government of Ethiopia annulled the Eritrean parliament and formally annexed Eritrea. The Eritrean secessionist movement organized the Eritrean Liberation Front in 1961 and fought the Eritrean War of Independence until Eritrea gained de facto independence in 1991. Eritrea gained de jure independence in 1993 after an independence referendum. So Eritrea (E3) QSOs count from November 15, 1945 until November 14, 1962 and from May 24, 1991. From the period between 1962 and 1991, QSOs with Eritrea count as Ethiopia. DX is !! Changes DXCC 1989-1991 Entities December 1991: Active 323, Deleted: 54, Withdrawn 9