Band Country Survey for Southern Africa:
Standings at the End of 2011

Last updated: 2011-01-09 (Caution: Links not being maintainted!)

Notice: © 1994 to 2012, 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.


Introduction

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 340 (including four PJs w.e.f. 2010-10-10).

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.

For this "annual" list, the list for each band has 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 is often 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. It also tells you in a few easy steps how to update your totals, to make sure you are also included in the results.


Chris R. Burger ZS6EZ
Box 4485
Pretoria
0001 South Africa


50 MHz
135 ZS6WB
129 ZS6AXT
127 ZS6NK
110 ZS6EZ
105 ZS6BTE
98 Z22JE ++
93 ZS6AVP
88 ZS6XL
82 ZS6LW ++
76 ZS2EZ
21 MHz
330 ZS6EZ
307 ZS6KR
305 ZS4TX
304 ZS6WB
292 ZS6YQ ++
273 ZS6AOO ==
270 ZS6AJD ==
269 ZS5LB ==
269 ZS6P
267 ZS2DL
10,1 MHz
261 ZS6EZ
237 ZS6UT
222 ZS2DL
213 ZS5LB ==
212 ZS6WB
197 ZS1EL
194 ZS2EZ
172 ZS6NJ
152 3DA0CA ==
139 ZS6AVM ++
1,8 MHz
184 ZS4TX
177 ZS5LB ==
137 ZS6EZ
124 ZS1REC
107 ZS6UT
76 ZS5K ==
73 ZS6WB
56 V5/W8UVZ ==
55 ZS2LL ++
51 3DA0CA ==
28 MHz
316 ZS6EZ
291 ZS4TX
282 ZS6WB
277 ZS6P
267 ZS6AOO ==
262 ZS6KR
257 ZS5LB ==
245 ZS6AJD ==
243 ZS6NB ==
235 ZS6IR ==
18,1 MHz
300 ZS6EZ
261 ZS6AVM ++
259 ZS2EZ
253 ZS2DL
248 ZS6AJD ==
241 ZS6WB
217 ZS6NJ
188 ZS1EL
188 ZS5LB ==
183 ZS6IR ==
7 MHz
327 ZS4TX
313 ZS6EZ
281 ZS6KR
265 ZS6P
243 ZS6WB
240 ZS2DL
235 ZS5LB ==
227 ZS6AOO ==
219 ZS6AJD ==
206 ZS6B
5 Band
1529 ZS6EZ
1513 ZS4TX
1366 ZS6KR
1311 ZS5LB ==
1283 ZS6WB
1264 ZS6P
1141 ZS2DL
1122 ZS6AOO ==
1110 ZS6AJD ==
1051 ZS6IR ==
24,9 MHz
282 ZS6EZ
260 ZS6AVM ++
240 ZS2EZ
226 ZS6AJD ==
220 ZS2DL
217 ZS6NJ
217 ZS6WB
182 ZS5LB ==
165 ZS6IR ==
130 ZS1EL
14 MHz
331 ZS6EZ
331 ZS6YQ ++
316 ZS6KR
313 ZS6AJD ==
312 ZS6P
311 ZS4TX
308 ZS6AOO ==
305 ZS1AU
299 ZS2DL
298 ZS5LB ==
3,5 MHz
279 ZS4TX
252 ZS5LB ==
239 ZS6EZ
200 ZS6KR
168 ZS6WB
141 ZS6P
126 ZS2DL
122 ZS6IR ==
120 Z22JE ++
116 3DA0CA ==
10 Band
2619 ZS6EZ
2161 ZS6WB
2075 ZS5LB ==
1997 ZS4TX
1838 ZS2DL
1714 ZS2EZ
1704 ZS6AJD ==
1420 ZS6IR ==
1411 Z22JE ++
1388 ZS1EL

Key: "++" indicates Silent Key (ZS6AVM, ZS6YQ). "==" indicates inactive operators whose totals are unlikely to change. Some do not have access to antennas (ZS5LB, ZS6AJD). Some have emigrated (ZS5K, ZS6AOO, ZS6IR).



Movers and Shakers

The following individuals have improved their standings since the last list was published. They have either improved their rankings, or have entered the tables for the first time:


ZS2DL: 25 MHz (new); 18 MHz (up 1); 14 MHz (new); 10 MHz (up 2); 7 MHz (up 3); 3,5 MHz (up 3); 5 Band (up 3); 10 Band (up 1)
ZS2EZ: 25 MHz (up 6); 18 MHz (up 3); 10 Band (up 4)
ZS6EZ: 14 MHz (up 1)
ZS6KR: 28 MHz (up 1); 21 MHz (up 1); 14 MHz (up 1)
ZS6NJ: 10 MHz (up 2)
ZS6P: 14 MHz (up 3)
ZS6WB: 10 MHz (up 1); 10 Band (up 1)

Key: This list indicates changes since the previous list was published in 2010. "new" means that the station did not previously appear. "up n" means that the station has moved up the list by n steps.

Just look at the length of the lines, and you'll quickly see that ZS2DL has been as busy as last year. Like last year, Donovan has improved his standings on six of the 10 bands. He has also improved on both the 5 Band and 10 Band tables. As expected, Donovan is now listed on seven of the bands.

Runners-up were ZS2EZ and ZS6KR, both improving on three bands. The biggest jump was by ZS2EZ, who jumped by a massive six slots on 25 MHz.


Progress since the Last List

2011 was a banner year for DXing. The sunspot cycle finally showed some signs of life. Although the cycle is forecast to be one of the weakest in recent memory, great high band conditions appeared around September. 28 MHz produced world-wide propagation, including Long Path. Many Pacific stations could be worked across the USA in the evenings. Even 50 MHz started showing signs of life, with TE propagation into most of Europe and the Middle East in April and October.

VP8ORK made a huge splash from the South Orkney islands. Many locals had a lot of fun, working them on at least seven bands and three modes.

South Sudan became a new country in July, with large-scale DXpedition ST0R opening up almost immediately. They were workable on nine bands from South Africa, with at least two stations making a clean sweep of nine bands and three modes. Even better, confirmations appeared on LotW within weeks, allowing most of the South Africans to regain their top spots on the DXCC-HR.

The list in general shows a few interesting developments:

  • ZS6WB moved into second place on the 10 Band table, displacing Old Timer ZS5LB.
  • Another Old Timer, ZS6YQ, now shares his traditional top spot on 14 MHz with upstart ZS6EZ.
  • The horse race on 14 Mhz has moved up slightly, but is no less intense. Four stations now sit between 311 adn 316!
  • The WARC bands now all have an entry level of over 130, up 10 from last year.
  • Z22JE died during the year. He remains on the list on the 10 Band total and on 3,5 and 50 MHz.

    Rating your Progress

    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.


    An Offshore Comparison

    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!


    Those Callsigns listed in the Tables

    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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