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Navassa 1958 |
The constant search for that undiscovered country has been going on since DXCC was first initiated. The definition of a Country, as far as the DXer is concerned, has not always remained as Mr.Webster defined it in his Dictionary nor as it was taught to us by Mrs. Riggs in History Class. The changes have come about due to political and military pressures as was the case in Tibet since 1904, first with British control and then again in 1950 after the Chinese invasion of Tibet. Seeing that AC4 prefix on the DXCC list in the 1950's and 1960's seemed like a dream DX contact with a REAL Country. Now, since that AC4 was taken from the DXCC listing in 1974, we can no longer say we worked the country of Tibet but what we have really worked as far as DXCC is concerned, is China, whose prefix is BY. But, what is a country? What is an Island? Well, if you expect a straight answer or an exact definition, it will depend on which world you live in. If you live in the normal world you can look in the dictionary but if you live in the world of Amateur Radio, you will have to look at the ARRL, DXCC rules. These rules have been changed a few times and it seems to depend on the need for more countries to quench the Dxer's thirst for something to chase. When DXpeditions have to operate with their feet in water or very near the water, it seems bizzare to call these locations "Countries"!! Case in point: Have a look at the operating position of BS7H at the left!! Is this a country? Like Gus Browning once commented "I must QRT and get back in the boat, my feet are getting wet." If a rock sticking out of the water can be called a country, what about and floating chunk of ICE as the case of a Russian Drifting Station, 4KØG near the North Pole. Speaking of Mr. Webster, what is the definition of a country?
Only in the real world, Mr. Webster !
Clinton DeSoto, W1CBD 1935:"The basic rule is simple and direct: Each discrete geographical or political entity is considered to be a country." DeSoto never intended that all DXCC "countries" would be countries in the traditional, or dictionary, meaning of the word. Rather, they are the distinct geographic and political Entities which DXers seek to contact. Individual achievement is measured by working and confirming the various Entities comprising the DXCC List DXCC Definition:
DXCC Special Areas:Spratly Islands being claimed by Vietnam, China, Phillipines and Malaysia comes under that Special Area of the DXCC rules.
Western Sahara also falls into this category
Danny Weil, VP2VB (sponsored by the YASME Foundation), was one of the first of those DX Adventurers to set out to give DXers a new country from such places as, FO8, FW8, HC2, HC8, HK0, KZ5, VK9, VP2A, VP2D, VP2G, VP2K, VP2L, VP2M, VP2S, VP2V, VP4, VP5, VP7, VR1, VR2, VR4, YV0, ZK1 and ZM6 from 1956 to 1963. Lloyd (W6KG) and Iris (W6QL) Colvin, who by the late 60's had already operated from over 100 countries, continued to give Dxers a contact from needed countries until their deaths in 1993 (Lloyd) and 1998 (Iris). They and many other DXers have been sponsored also by the YASME Foundation and a list of all operations and their operators from years past to present can be found in the YASME Callsign Directory
Tthrough the years it has been a job in itself for a DXer to keep up with the changing prefixes and countries that have taken place. Navassa Island went from KC4 to KP1 and now with plans being made for the next Dxpedition to Navassa it looks like N1V will be the next callsign with a The changes in the DXCC country rules over the years have also changed and so the countries that WERE, are NOT and the countries that WERE NOT -- ARE! There have always been countries on the DXCC list which were impossible to work at some time. Between 1950 and 1974 there were certain countries on the "banned list" and finally China was removed in 1974. Now, with P5, North Korea on the list, some folks complain that it should not be on the list at all. The same has been said of other countries in past years and they were all eventually either activated or deleted. Patience is part of the DX Game ! No matter what entity appears on the DXCC list, we must work it if we plan to continue to support the program. Take a look through your QSL cards sometime and you will see what a large percentage were DXpeditions and without them, Dxing would be extremely boring ! I think most of us Dxers are constantly checking the bulletins to see WHO is going WHERE, next and WHEN? Maybe some day we will have to depend on someone like Captain Kirk to find an Undiscovered Country This Page is dedicated to all you Hams out there who spent your hard earned money, spent your valuable time, risked your lives, and tried to please all of us ! |
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ISLAND: A naturally formed area of land surrounded by water, the surface of which is above water at high tide. For the purposes of this award, it must consist of connected land, of which at least two surface points must be separated from each other by not less than 100 meters measured in a straight line from point to point. All of the connected land must be above the high tide mark, as demonstrated on a chart of sufficient scale. For the purposes of this award, any island, reef, or rocks of less than this size shall not be considered in the application of the water separation criteria described in Part 2 of the criteria.
Which, brings us to those brave DXpeditioners of years past who risked their lives over a rock sticking out of the water. 
DXers have been traveling to Islands and uninhabited places since the early 50's and 60's with Danny Weil, Lloyd and Iris Colvin, 
Next time we start the grumbling about how a particular DXpedition was handled, let us remember those Dxers who lost their lives trying to give us a new country. In 1966, Chuck Swain, K7LMU and Ted Thorpe, ZL2AWJ were lost at sea and presumed dead as they left Wallis Island for Samoa in a Pacific Expedition. A 
Martii Laine, OH2BH, is our modern day "Robin Hood", always giving to the poor (those poor in countries worked) ! Martii has paved the way for amateur radio in countries where amateur radio was forbidden such as Albania and helped to train local citizens in amateur radio. Martii has been to over 100 countries and some of the most dangerous locations on earth. His lifetime of achievements has been honored by his