*EDITORIAL* The DXCC Graveyard

Whilst announcements of new DXCC are inclined to generate an incredible buzz in the ham/11m communities, spare a thought for the DXCC entities which, for one reason or another, have been removed from the register.  What for those ‘Divisions’ (as 11m enthusiasts call them) that have been extinguished from the DXCC list — snuffed out unceremoniously from the official directory and into the memory bank…!!!!

What does this mean for dedicated DX Hunters too?  For past QSOs?  For cherished QSL card collections in revered albums on the mantle?  For prized DXCC awards that once relied on these newly cremated ‘GHOST entities’?

To unpack this reflection on the world’s obsolete DXCC and the ramifications for DX Hunters further requires a quick explanation of how the DXCC concept actually works…

et3zu_a-22Essentially, the ‘DXCC List’ is based on Clinton DeSoto’s landmark 1935 QST article, “How to Count Countries Worked, A New DX Scoring System”.  In his words, the basic rule is simple and direct:

“Each discrete geographical or political entity is considered to be a country”.

And direct it is.


Deleting a DXCC

T-34 tanks on the river in ManchuriaSo what happens when political jurisdictions change?  What ensues when a country is no longer considered ‘discrete’?  A separate ‘geographical entity’?  Did DeSoto’s initial scheme contain provisions for this eventuation?  Well, um…no.

This deliberation brings us back to the topic of our DA-RC editorial — what of the rubbed-out DXCC; does it simply fade into oblivion?  Where does it go?  And what does it mean for us, the DX seeker?

Basically, when a DXCC entity no longer satisfies the criteria under which it was added, it’s moved to the ARRL ‘Deleted List’ (aka the DXCC Graveyard).

For the most part, the 11m Division system shadows the same coordination too, recognising the same entities as being attributed to either ARRL inventory.  Dead…or alive…

Not only does this demonstrate a healthy respect for Desoto’s system in the 11m ranks BTW but it also aids consistency for those who work across the bands.  (And as we know, there’s many of those — whether they disclose it openly or not!)

i1nuSo how many DXCC have been deleted over the years?  How many have gone by the wayside?  How many ‘Ghost DXCC’ are we looking at here?  The answer to that I’d not hesitate to guess is “more than you might imagine!”  Certainly more than I’d realised prior to researching this topic anyway.

At the time of keyboarding this article, there were 351 ‘active’ DXCC and 61 ‘deleted’ ones; the last to disappear being Malyj Vysotskij Island on 17 February 2012.

oq5llFor the sake of history, this particular DXCC, a small island off Russia — a lush but desolate and uninhabited DXstination with thick vegetation and ruins of houses left by Finns in the WW2 — carried the 11m Division number ‘326’ and, according to reputable data bases such as Islands Base Online and Cluster DK archives, was only ever activated once on this band by the TRC.

In the ham community, however, Malyj Vysotskij Island (R1M) was activated many times.  But of course these details are insignificant when it comes to DXCC conservation. 

So, why was it rubbed out by the ARRL then?  What made this entity less important than one like Scarborough Reef in the South China Sea — a collection of pebbles between the Macclesfield Bank and Luzon island in the Philippines — to be eradicated from the list.

Basically, Malyj Vysotskij Island no longer satisfied the DXCC criteria as the Finnish government elected not to continue to lease it out to Russia.


Sikkim-Buddha-park


In fact, this is the case with many DXCC entities which have vanished into the realms of defunctness (i.e. Change of political authority, shifting borders, etc.).  Sad?  Yes I know.  Heartbreaking even!

Apart from being an inconvenience to DX Hunters, losing the status of ‘DXCC’ for any entity could be considered a hefty downgrade in importance; a major slap in the face really.  Fortunate are we then that DXCC are not living, breathing creatures, as the impact on their self esteem might be catastrophic to say the least!

In spite of this public denigration, there’s a strong case for suggesting that such entities will always maintain that certain charm which goes with being one of the world’s once nominated DXCC though.  Regardless of whether or not they’re still officially known by the title.


DXCC Live on

Bac0ay the same token, while most deleted DXCC have fallen back under the guise of other zones and/or had their identity/ name swallowed up by another entity, others maintain their uniqueness in the eyes of some DX Hunters.

Alternative systems such as the Radio Society of Great Britain’s IOTA program which allocates references to the world’s islands sees those deleted DXCC, which are in fact islands, at least remain distinguishable from the geographical arch or political jurisdiction they’ve now been attributed to.


Bajo Nuevo


Bajo Nuevo (Also known as the Petrel Islands), for example, was deleted from the ARRL DXCC List in 1981 and is now part of the San Andreas & Providencia DXCC. 

A small, uninhabited reef with some small islets, covered with grass, located in the western Caribbean Sea, it maintains its identity, nevertheless, via the RSGB IOTA Program thanks to its grouping in the Bajo Nuevo and Serranilla Bank Cays island group (NA-132).

Too bad it doesn’t have its own IOTA number though!



Though being deleted in 1991, Jabal al-Tair Island (292 Division) (Pictured right) too, retains its individuality via the RSGB recognized Red Sea Coast group (AS-009), albeit clumped with 50 odd other isles. 

A roughly oval volcanic island northwest of the constricted Bab al-Mandab passage at the mouth of the Red Sea, about half way between Yemen and Eritrea, this old DXCC now falls under the guise of Yemen.

Few would begrudge the abolition of East Germany as a DXCC in 1990.; the associated dismantling of the Berlin Wall in 1989, etc.  Forgetting it robbed the world’s ham and 11m DX fraternities of a DXCC, this was a great time for the world.  A great, great time.

And spare a thought for the old Saudi Arabia/ Iraq Neutral Zone (8Z4) DXCC — exterminated on Christmas Day 1981.  What a way to go out — on the coat tails of Santa’s Sleigh!

Vintage-1962-Ham-Radio-QSL-Card-OK1US-CzechoslovakiaThis former DXCC was an area of 7044 km² on the border between Saudi Arabia and Iraq within which the border between the two countries hadn’t been settled.

On 25 December 1981, it became defunct when a border treaty expired and the ARRL followed suit with an announcement soon after.


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It wasn’t until 1991, some 10 years later, though, that Saudi Arabia registered previous boundary agreements with Iraq at the United Nations, thus ending the legal existence of the Saudi–Iraqi neutral zone.

Does this mean the ARRL was too hasty in its decision?  Should it have maintained its identity as a DXCC for another decade?  Well that’s an argument for another day perhaps!


How this Affects Awards

So what are the ramifications for DA-RC DX Hunters and Awards when a DXCC is deleted?  Should you rip up the QSL cards and toss them in the trash?  Are the awards you worked so very hard to attain over a number of years now obsolete?

The short answer is NO!

Under DA-RC Award guidelines, if you worked one of these ‘deleted’ entities prior to it being expunged from the official list then you’re still able to count it in your DXCC worked tally for any possible DXCC Award.

This tallies with other award programs also which state that:

“Credit for any of these entities can be given if the date of contact in question agrees with the date(s) of it being deleted….”

So hold on to those old QSL cards and DXCC awards, Gentlemen.  Any contact with a now deleted DXCC is worth just as much as it did when the contact was first made, many years ago!

Actually, perhaps it’s even of MORE value given that any ‘new-to-the-hobby’ DXers will never have the chance to claim or have claimed it in their DXCC tally!

Below you can see a complete list of deleted DXCC I’ve put together.  I’ve also listed details which show the DXCC’s date of deletion, when contacts with this particular entity count, as well as ham and 11 prefixes, and more.

For more information on our Club’s awesome awards program, please click: HERE.


Deleted DXCC Table:

Ham 11m Entity Cont Lat Long Valid Dates
R1MV 326 Malyj Vysotskij Island EU 61N 29E Only contacts made 17 Feb. 2012 & before count.
1M [Unofficial prefix] Minerva Reef OC 24S 179W Only contacts made from 15 July 1972 & before count. Contacts made 16 July 1972 & after count as Tonga (A3).
4W 139 Yemen Arab Republic AS 15N 44E Only contacts made 21 May 1990 & before count.
7O 87 People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen AS 13N 45E Only contacts made 22 May 1990 & before count.
8Z4 Saudi Arabia/ Iraq Neutral Zone AS 29N 46E Only contacts made 25 Dec. 1981 & before count.
8Z5 Kuwait/ Saudi Arabia Neutral Zone AS 29N 48E Only contacts made 14 Dec. 1969 & before count.
9S4 Saar EU 49N 7E Only contacts made 31 March 1957 & before count.
9U5 Ruanda-Urundi AF 3S 30E Only contacts made from 1 July 1960 to 30 June 1962 count. Contacts made 1 July 1962 & after count as Burundi (9U) or Rwanda (9X).
A1 292 Abu Ail, Jabal at Tair AS 14N 43E Only contacts made 30 March 1991 & before count.
AC3 [Unofficial prefix] Sikkim AS 27N 89E Only contacts made 30 April 1975 & before count. Contacts made 1 May 1975 & after count as India (VU).
AC4[Unofficial prefix] Tibet AS 30N 92E Only contacts made 30 May 1974 & before count. Contacts made 31 May 1974 & after count as China (BY).
C9 Manchuria AS 46N 127E Only contacts made 15 Sept. 1963 & before count. Contacts made 16 Sept. 1963 & after count as China (BY).
CN2 Tangier AF 36N 8W Only contacts made 30 June 1960 & before count. Contacts made 1 July 1960 & after count as Morocco (CN).
CR8 Damao, Diu AS 21N 71E Only contacts made 31 Dec. 1961 & before count.
CR8 Goa AS 16N 74E Only contacts made 31 Dec. & before count.
CR8 Portuguese Timor OC 9S 126E Only contacts made 14 Sept. 1976 & before count.
DL Germany EU 52N 7E Only contacts made 16 Sept. 1973 & before count. Contacts made 17 Sept. 1973 & after count as either FRG (DA-Dl) or GDR (Y2-Y9)
EA9 Ifni AF 29N 10W Only contacts made 13 May 1969 & before count.
FF French West Africa AF 15N 18W Only contacts made 6 August 1960 & before count.
FH 185 Comoros AF 12S 43E Only contacts made 5 July 1975 & before count. Contacts made 6 July 1975 & after count as Comoros (D6) or Mayotte (FH)
FI8 French Indo China AS 11N 107E Only contacts made 20 Dec. 1950 & before count..
FN8 French India AS 12N 80E Only contacts made 31 Oct. 1954 & before count.
FQ8 French Equatorial Africa AF 5N 18E Only contacts made 16 August 1960 & before count.
HK0 Bajo Nuevo NA 16N 79W Only contacts made 16 Sept. 1981 & before count for this entity. Contacts made 17 Sept. 1981 & after count as San Andres (HK)
HK0 Serrana Bnk, Roncador Cay NA 14N 80W Only contacts made 16 Sept. 1981 & before count. Contacts made 17 Sept. 1981 & after count as San Andres (HK).
I1 Trieste EU 46N 14E Only contacts made 31 March 1957 & before count.
I5 Italian Somaliland AF 2N 46E Only contacts made 30 June 1960 & before count.
JD1 Okino Tori-shima AS 30N 140E Only contacts made from 30 May 1976 to 30 Nov. 1980 count. Contacts made 1 Dec. 1980 & after count as Ogasawara (JD1).
JZ0 Netherlands New Guinea OC 10S 147E Only contacts made 30 April 1963 & before count.
KR6 Okinawa (Ryukyu) AS 26N 128E Only contacts made 14 May 1972 & before count. Contacts made 15 May 1972, & after count as Japan (JA).
KS4 Swan Island NA 17N 84W Only contacts made 31 August 1972 & before count. Contacts made 1 Sept. 1972 & after count as Honduras (HR).
KZ5 Canal Zone NA 9N 80W Only contacts made 30 Sept. 1979 & before count.
OK 179 Czechoslovakia EU 50N 15E Only contacts made 31 Dec. 1992 & before count.
P2 Papua Territory OC 10S 147E Only contacts made 15 Sept. 1975 & before count. Contacts made 16 Sept. 1975 & after count as Papua New Guinea (P2).
P2 Territory New Guinea OC 10S 147E Only contacts made 15 Sept. 1975 & before count. Contacts made 16 Sept. 1975 & after count as Papua New Guinea (P2).
PJ2 7 Netherland Antilles SA 12N 69W Only contacts made starting 0400 UTC 10 Oct. 2010 or after count for this entity.
PJ5 166 St Maarten, Saba, St Eustatius NA 18N 63W Only contacts made starting 0400 UTC 10 Oct. 2010 or after count.
PK1 Java OC 6S 107E Only contacts made 30 April 1963 & before count. Contacts made 1 May 1963 & after count as Indonesia (YB).
PK4 Sumatra OC 1S 100E Only contacts made 30 April 1963 & before count. Contacts made 1 May 1963 & after count as Indonesia (YB)
PK5 Netherlands Borneo OC 3S 115E Only contacts made 30 April 1963 & before count. Contacts made 1 May 1963 & after count as Indonesia (YB).
PK6 Celebe & Molucca Islands OC 5S 119E Only contacts made 30 April 1963 & before count. Contacts made 1 May 1963 & after count as Indonesia (YB).
ST0 295 Southern Sudan AF 5N 32E Only contacts made between 7 May 1972 & 31 Dec. 1994 count.
UN1 Karelo-Finnish Republic EU 64N 32E Only contacts made 30 June 1960 & before count. Contacts made 1 July 1960 & after count as European RSFSR (UA).
VO Newfoundland, Labrador NA 48N 53W Only contacts made 31 March 1949 & before count. Contacts made 1 April 1949 & after count as Canada (VE).
VQ1 Zanzibar AF 7S 39E Only contacts made 31 May 1974 & before count. Contacts made 1 June 1974 & after count as Tanzania (5H).
VQ6 British Somaliland AF 2N 46E Only contacts made 30 June 1960 & before count.
VQ9 Aldabra AF 9S 46E Only contacts made 28 June 1976 & before count. Contacts made 29 June 1976 & after count as Seychelles (S7).
VQ9 Desroches AF 6S 55E Only contacts made 28 June 1976 & before count. Contacts made 29 June 1976 & after count as Seychelles (S7).
VQ9 Farquhar AF 10S 51E Only contacts made 28 June 1976 & before count. Contacts made 29 June 1976 & after count as Seychelles (S7).
VS2 Malaya AS 3N 102E Only contacts made 15 Sept. 1963 & before count. Contacts made 16 Sept. 1963 & after count for West Malaysia (9M2) or East Malaysia (9M6,8).
VS4 Sarawak OC 2N 110E Only contacts made 15 Sept. 1963 & before count. Contacts made 16 Sept. 1963 & after count as West Malaysia (9M2) or East Malaysia (9M6,8).
VS9H Kuria Muria Island AS 18N 56E Only contacts made 29 Nov. 1967 & before count.
VS9K Kamaran Island AS 15N 43E Only contacts made 10 March 1982 & before count.
Y2 46 East Germany EU 53N 13E Only contacts made from 17 Sept. 1973 to 2 Oct. 1990 count. On 3 October 1990 the GDR became part of the FRG.
ZC5 British North Borneo OC 6N 116E Only contacts made 15 Sept. 1963 & before count. Contacts made 16 Sept. 1963 & after count as West Malaysia (9M2) or East Malaysia (9M6,8).
ZC6 Palestine AS 32N 35E Only contacts made 30 June 1968 & before count. Contacts made 1 July 1968 & after count as Israel (4X).
ZD4 Gold Coast, Togoland AF 5N 0W Only contacts made 5 March 1957 & before count.
ZS0 324 Penguin Island AF 27S 15E Only contacts made 29 Feb. 1994 & before count for this entity.
ZS9 322 Walvis Bay AF 23S 15E Only contacts made from 1 Sept. 1977 to 28 Feb. 1994 count.
Blenheim Reef AF 7S 72E Only contacts made from 4 May 1967 to 30 June 1975 count. Contacts made 1 July 1975 & after count as Chagos (VQ9).
Geyser Reef AF 12S 46E Only contacts made from 4 May 1967 to 28 Feb. 1978 count.

Disclaimer:

While the greatest care has been taken to ensure the accuracy presented in this article, if you find an error with the information provided then please contact us via the contact form.

73 de Darren