DXCC Changes 1996-1997

Veranderingen van 1996 tot 1997 Entiteiten januari 1996: Actief 327 Verwijderd 57, Afgevoerd 9 Pratas Island, New DXCC Country (QST April 1996, page 87) Told by K5FUV, Bill Kennamer Pratas Island, administered by Taiwan, is a recent addition to the DXCC list. This island, located at 20, 43 N, 116, 42E, in the South Chines Sea, is roughly 237 miles from Chi Mei Yu, an island just west of Taiwan, and the closest point between Pratas Reef and Taiwan. Pratas Island was first mentioned as a possible DXCC addition in 1982. However, at that time the rules for Point 2(a), addition with an island country “parent” meant that there should be 500 miles between the “parent” and the island. The DXCC Rules rewrite of 1988 corrected an inequity in the rules; the inequity having been that, while island “parents” must be separated from the island by 500 miles, a “parent” on the continent need be separated by only 225 miles. This change in the rules opened the door for several new countries. Quickly, T33 (Banaba), 3D2 (Rotuma) and 3D2 (Conway reef), were added to the list. In 1992, again there was some interest by the Taiwanese in proposing Prats Island. A petition was files in 1993, but was found waiting. In 1994, a new petition was files by the CTARL. After a great deal of discussion, this petition was accepted, and Pratas will be added to the list, with cards being accepted after April 1, 1996. Some of the discussion centered around possible rocks in the area of the Taiwan Banks,. However, a search of Sailing Directions of the South China Sea and several different charts of the highest available resolution failed to produce aby such rocks, and despite efforts to produce charts that would reveal any extant rocks, no documentation of any such rocks existed. The Taiwanese Land Administration and Phil Weaver, VS6CT, acting in his capacity as Search Coordinator for the Director of Marine, Hong Kong Marine Department, both certified that there were no rocks in the area. The first operation occurred in January 1994. That multi-transmitter operation which took place during a stopover by the supply plane, lasted for only four hours and netted 630 QSOs. Another effort in March 1994 provided 10 days operation by CTARL operators. In May 1995, the biggest operation yet occurred when the CTARL group spent another 10 days on the island. This time they were able to allow a group of foreigners to stay overnight on the island as well, and were joined by JH1KRC, JH4RHF and N7NG. It seems that many people have the perception that Pratas is a very small place. Actually,, it is a good sized island, and the concrete runway provides plenty of length for the C-130 aircraft that supplies the island on a regular basis. Several thousand people live on the island, and a wayward fisherman might find a room for the fisherman’s shelter, should he be caught in a storm. The South China Sea Fishing Tournament has been held there several times. Although there is a large group of permanent residents, there is no ham in residence on the island at the present time. Alweer een Entiteit gevonden Waar blijven de DXCC zoekers met nieuwe vondsten zult U zich wellicht afvragen. De DXAC had in 1996 weer succes met Pratas Eiland (BV9P). De Pratas eilanden worden geclaimd door China, maar worden bestuurd door Taiwan. Het DXCC reglement (Punt 2a) was de reden dat Pratas Island een DXCC Entiteit werd. QSO’s met Pratas Island (BV9P) zijn geldig vanaf 1 januari 1994 voor het DXCC Scarborough Reef, another NEW DXCC Country (QST April 1996, page 87) Told by K5FUV, Bill Kennamer Scarborough Reef, a possession of the People’s Republic of China, was added to the DXCC Countries List at the January Board of Directors meeting. This island is located in the South China Sea at 15°07′N 117°45′E about 125 miles west of Subic Bay in the Philippines, and about 350 miles east of the Paracel islands. Although about 20 miles in circumference, Scarborough is mostly awash at high tide. On the southwest corner is a group of rocks, about 40 in number. This rocks are above high tide at all times. However, none of these rocks is of any great size. After the 1988 rules change, Hans Hanappel, DK9KX, spent many hours searching charts, hoping to find an island od two that might now qualify under the rules. He found a couple, ant put them on the shelf for later consideration. His first interest was in the Penguin Islands, and he turned his interest to Scarborough afterward. The first petition was files in late 1993. In April 1994, Martti Laine, OH2BH, made an overflight of the area. In June 1994, he, in company with Chen Ping, BA1HAM, led an international group to Scarborough for the first time. The operators had conferred with the DXCC Desk before the operation, and knew that operation from a scaffold in the water would not be allowed. However, with a typhoon heading their way and knowing that the island might never count for DXCC, but would count for IOTA, a scaffold was placed in the water for 13 hours of operation. In April 1995, the group went back at the time when the likelihood of a typhoon was much less. This time, all operation took place from the surface of the rocks. Three separate positions were used, with a transmitter and antenna located on each. Four days of operation netted over 12.000 QSOs. Scarborough Reef (BS7H) added to the DXCC (Crazy !) Toevoegen van Scarborough Reef was nog erger dan het cadeautje voor de JARL door Okino Torishima (7J1) even op de DXCC lijst te zetten. Maar wat doe je daar aan, regels zijn regels vinden de DXCC- zoekers. Het enige wat je daaraan kunt doen is nieuwe wetten, nieuwe regels. Dat ging ook eindelijk gebeuren. Scarborough Reef ( Huangyan Dao) wordt nu opgeëist door China, Taiwan en de Filipijnen. Om vanaf Scarborough Reef actief te kunnen zijn moet je een constructie bouwen om het droog te houden tijdens vloed. QSO’s zijn geldig vanaf 1 januari 1995. Het rif voldoet aan (Punt 2a) van het DXCC reglement. Scarborough Reef (Huang Yan Dao) vind je op de coördinaten 15°07′ Noord en 117°45′ Oost in de Zuid Chinese Zee, en bevindt zich op meer dan 800 kilometer van moederland China. Tot 2021 waren er vier BS7H DXpedities, de eerste, die rond 2000 QSO’s maakte in juni 1994, telt NIET voor het DXCC. De andere drie DXpedities tellen wel voor het DXCC certificaat. De tweede DXpeditie welk begon op 12 april 1995 duurde vier dagen. Er werden 11.835 QSO’s gemaakt. Aan dee derde DXpeditie, eind april 1997 kwam na zeventig uur abrupt een einde. Oorzaak was het opduiken van de Filipijnse marine, waardoor de Chinese operators de rots weer aan het getij overlieten. Toch werden er ruim dertien duizend QSO’s gemaakt. De vierde DXpeditie in mei 2007 wist 45.830 QSO’s te maken. QSOs met Scarborough Reef (BS7H) tellen vanaf 1 januari 1995 voor het DXCC Entiteiten januari 1996: Actief 329 Verwijderd 57, Afgevoerd 9 In 1997 bleef de DXCC Countries List ongewijzigd. DXCC wijzigingen 1992-1997 Entiteiten december 1996: Actief 329 Verwijderd 57, Afgevoerd 9