Last updated: 2009-03-07 (Caution: Links not being maintainted!)
Notice: © 1994 to 2009, Chris R. Burger. This document may be reproduced as required for personal use, and may be freely referenced from other Web sites. However, publication elsewhere requires express prior written permission from the author.
This listing shows the number of current DXCC countries (or "entities") worked on each frequency band by southern African stations. To level the playing field to the greatest extent possible, the listed scores do not include deleted countries. The total number of possible countries for this list is 335.
Apart from single band totals, we also list a five band total and a ten band total. The five band totals are for 28, 21, 14, 7 and 3,5 MHz. These are the bands that are valid for the major five-band awards like 5BWAC, 5BDXCC, 5BWAZ and 5BWAS. From the tables, it's obvious that the level of competition is much higher on these bands than on the remaining five.
The ten band totals also include 50, 25, 18, 10 and 1,8 MHz.
This Survey has been published regularly since 1994. I decided during 2000, after the SARL started restricting access to the List to members only, that it was time to remove the List from their clutches and publish it independently, so that anyone can see it and participate.
I now update the list as often as inputs are received, and intend to publish an annual standings list for historical purposes. Unfortunately, the list has not quite been annual, as other commitments (in aviation) have distrcted me from ham radio. In the past, I used to keep a chronicle of activity too. However, since 2003 I have not had time to play radio and outside inputs have not been enough to keep the chronicle going. Maybe the situation will change again one day.
For this "annual" list, the lists have been extended to a Top Ten (rather than a Top Six) in every category. Unfortunately, the response to my request for information from those who don't quite make the Top Six has been disappointing. As it takes a huge amount of time and effort just to nag those already on the list to keep their scores current, I have not individually approached these contenders. The result is that, in some cases, their information is several years old.
You can also see a current version of the Top Six on this Site. That document also provides links to previous versions, including a summary for previous years and a comparable survey in Britain, published during 2001.
Chris R. Burger ZS6EZ
Box 4485
Pretoria
0001 South Africa
chris@zs6ez.za.org
| 50 MHz 135 ZS6WB 130 ZS6AXT 123 ZS6NK 107 ZS6EZ 100 ZS6BTE 98 Z22JE 93 ZS6AVP 88 ZS6XL 82 ZS6LW 76 ZS2EZ |
21 MHz 320 ZS6EZ 297 ZS6WB 296 ZS4TX 294 ZS6YQ 292 ZS6KR 275 ZS6AOO 271 ZS5LB 270 ZS6AJD 266 ZS6P 257 ZS6IR |
10,1 MHz 238 ZS6EZ 216 ZS6UT 215 ZS5LB 193 ZS1EL 171 ZS6WB 154 3DA0CA 140 ZS6AVM 117 ZS6AJD 110 ZS2DL 87 ZS2EZ |
1,8 MHz 179 ZS4TX 179 ZS5LB 127 ZS6EZ 108 ZS6UT 76 ZS5K 57 ZS6WB 56 V5/W8UVZ 55 ZS2LL 51 3DA0CA 45 ZS6NW |
| 28 MHz 304 ZS6EZ 281 ZS4TX 274 ZS6WB 272 ZS6P 269 ZS6AOO 259 ZS5LB 248 ZS6KR 247 ZS6AJD 245 ZS6NB 237 ZS6IR |
18,1 MHz 279 ZS6EZ 263 ZS6AVM 250 ZS6AJD 232 ZS6WB 190 ZS5LB 185 ZS6IR 175 ZS1EL 153 3DA0CA 150 Z22JE 141 ZS2DL |
7 MHz 321 ZS4TX 303 ZS6EZ 272 ZS6KR 247 ZS6P 240 ZS6WB 237 ZS5LB 229 ZS6AOO 221 ZS6AJD 208 ZS6B 168 ZS6IR |
5 Band 1481 ZS6EZ 1469 ZS4TX 1321 ZS5LB 1305 ZS6KR 1246 ZS6WB 1211 ZS6P 1130 ZS6AOO 1113 ZS6AJD 1060 ZS6IR 1055 Z22JE |
| 24,9 MHz 269 ZS6EZ 262 ZS6AVM 228 ZS6AJD 200 ZS6WB 184 ZS5LB 167 ZS6IR 137 ZS2NJ 124 3DA0CA 123 ZS1EL 119 Z22JE |
14 MHz 333 ZS6YQ 320 ZS6EZ 315 ZS6AJD 310 ZS6AOO 305 ZS6KR 303 ZS4TX 300 ZS5LB 298 Z22JE 294 ZS6P 275 ZS6IR |
3,5 MHz 268 ZS4TX 254 ZS5LB 234 ZS6EZ 188 ZS6KR 161 ZS6WB 132 ZS6P 123 ZS6IR 121 Z22JE 117 3DA0CA 110 ZS2LL |
10 Band 2503 ZS6EZ 2093 ZS5LB 2051 ZS6WB 1943 ZS4TX 1717 ZS6AJD 1433 ZS6IR 1422 Z22JE 1305 ZS6KR 1300 ZS1EL 1276 3DA0CA |
The following individuals have improved their rankings, or entered the tables for the first time:
Those marked "new" are new entries to the list, while unmarked entries moved up by a single slot in their respective rankings, from the previous list published in 2005.
The most interesting change is ZS6KR's 8th place on 10 Band, despite the fact that he has no counters outside the "classic" five bands! You will notice that his 5 Band and 10 Band scores are exactly equal. Given how competitive these lists have become, Hans's ranking on the 10 Band score is quite an achievement.
There has been relatively little change since the last listing. Perhaps the low sunspot numbers have something to do with this fact.
There has been lots of room for improvement, as three new countries (4O3, KH8S and FJ) have been added to the list since 2005. The 403 was workable on most HF bands, providing the opportunity for at least 5 band counters. FJ has also been relatively easy, with perhaps five band counters being available from ZS. KH8S is a different matter, having been worked only on two bands or so from this part of the world. Some prominent DXers did not make the grade at all.
I've written a short piece, describing how one can assess DX achievement a little more accurately than just comparing the numbers. For example, how much better is 280 than 240? How much effort is required to get onto the DXCC Honour Roll once you've passed the 300 mark? How much effort does it take to catch the remaining 9 countries once you're on the Honour Roll? How does your score on a specific band really stack up? The answers may astound you.
In these pages, I've often mentioned that I felt that ZS DXers were under-achieving. To impart a notion of why I feel this way, I've included results from a comparable survey in Britain, published in 2001, on this Site. Look at them, and see what you think!
The tables can be very impersonal. I've therefore written a short profile on each of the operators. The intention is not only to put some "faces" to the callsigns, but also to give the reader an indication of how active each of these operators is. Clearly, while a few are retired and have enough time to play radio, the majority hold down jobs, raise families and generally spend time pursuing other interests. The odd spell of DXing certainly doesn't preclude balance!
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