"Firsts" on Satellites from South Africa Last updated 2024-02-19 This list is an attempt to assemble the "firsts" from South Africa with each of the countries (or "entities") on the DXCC list. Because the contacts span half a century (Oscar 7 was launced in 1974), many operators have died or otherwise left the scene. I am therefore under no illusion about the completeness or even correctness of the list. Received inputs will be gratefully received, and amended on an ongoing basis. I started publishing such "firsts" lists in 2000, starting with 50 MHz. I have subsequently added lists for 144 and 430 MHz. After many years of honing, those lists are reasonably complete. With the advent of QO-100 (Eshailsat), satellite DXing has become widespread. Unfortunately, previous activity on the older satellites has not been well documented. This list is currently no more than an attempt to solicit inputs. Many operators, including ZR6GS, ZS6AKV, ZS6ALN, ZS6AOG, ZS6BTD, ZS6BTY, ZS6BXX and ZS6GO are known to have been active in the Eighties, so most of the "firsts" probably belong to them. ZS2ACP is another strong contender, as he was the first South African to achieve DXCC on satellites. ZS2BK recently (2023) received a Satellite DXCC, reportedly without use of QO-100, making him another strong contender. It has been my policy to publish the earliest contact of which details are known, even where it is known that earlier contacts took place. Such cases are marked with "***" or "???". The key is shown at the bottom of this document. I've had insight mainly into contacts by ZS1LS, ZS2BK, ZS2EZ, ZS4TX and ZS6JON, so their callsigns are likely to predominate. The intention is not to publish false claims, but rather to encourage the true claimants to come forward. "(DXv)" indicates that the claim has been verified with the DX station's operator or from the original log, to ensure that no other ZS stations made it into that station's log before the claimed one. Clearly, it is possible in some cases that other stations may have been active previously from the country concerned. Please let me know if you spot discrepancies. I will continue to make intermittent updates as information is received, and publish the document at the URL listed below: http://zs6ez.org.za/lists/satzs1st.txt Chris R. Burger ZS6EZ Box 126 Rayton 1001 South Africa Prefix Country Worked by Date Time Satellite Uplink (MHz) Downlink (MHz) Mode DX Callsign Remarks 1A SMOM ZS1II 2023-07-26 14:51 QO-100 2400 10 000 SSB 1A0C 3A Monaco ZS2ACP 1989- - : AO-10 435 146 SSB 3A/DG1PJ 3B6 St Brandon & Agalega ***ZS6EZ 2001-05-14 07:25 AO-10 435 146 SSB 3B6RF 3B8 Mauritius Island ZS2BK 1979-09-14 17:22 AO-8 146 29 SSB 3B8DU 3B9 Rodriguez Island ZR2DX 2004-04-11 08:35 FO-29 146 435 SSB 3B9C 3DA Eswatini ZS2EZ 2009-08-08 16:14 AO-51 146 435 FM 3DA0TB (Opr. G4LDL) 3X Guinea ZS1II 2021-10-28 15:27 QO-100 2400 10 000 SSB 3X2021 (Opr. F1TMY) 4J Azerbaijan ZS1TA 2023-01-04 15:08 IO-117 435 435 Packet 4J6D 4L Georgia ZS1II 2021-05-30 15:07 QO-100 2400 10 000 SSB 4L0VE 4O Montenegro ZS1LS 2021-03-08 14:30 QO-100 2400 10 000 CW 4O4A 4S Sri Lanka ZS2ACP 1986- - : AO-10 435 146 SSB 4S7EA 4U.I ITU HQ ZS2BK 1984-12-12 16:53 AO-10 435 146 SSB 4U1ITU 4W Timor-Leste ZR2DX 2003-10-23 21:08 AO-40 435 2400 CW 4W4W (Japanese team) 4X Israel ZS2BK 1985-06-10 21:43 AO-10 435 146 SSB 4X4LA 5B Cyprus ZS2ACP 1985- - : AO-10 435 146 SSB 5B25OA (Opr. 5B4OA) 5H Tanzania ZS1II 2022-11-11 16:14 QO-100 2400 10 000 SSB 5H3SE/P (Opr. OE3SEU) 5N Nigeria ZR6DXB 2003-02-16 17:38 AO-40 435 2400 SSB 5N0EVR (Opr. LZ3XV) 5R Madagascar ZS2EZ 2009-01-14 16:09 AO-51 146 435 FM 5R8KH (Opr. KA2VUY) 5T Mauritania ZS2ACP 1994- - : AO-10 435 146 SSB 5T5JC (Opr. F5JKK) 5V Togo ZR6COL 1992-03-22 10:00 AO-13 435 146 SSB 5V7JG (Opr. F2JD) 5X Uganda ZS1II 2023-04-07 12:23 QO-100 2400 10 000 SSB 5XA1J/P (Opr. OE3SEU) 5Z Kenya ZS2ACP 1985- - : AO-10 435 146 SSB 5Z4DJ 6W Senegal ZS2ACP 1993- - : AO-10 435 146 SSB 6W7OG 6Y Jamaica ZS2ACP 1991- - : AO-10 435 146 SSB 6Y5NW 7P Lesotho ZS2EZ 2009-07-31 16:31 AO-51 146 435 FM 7P8OK (Opr. 9M6XRO) 7Q Malawi ZS6WB 2010-05-28 15:01 AO-51 146 435 FM 7Q7HLT (Opr. ZS6XK) (DXv) 7X Algeria ZS1II 2019-12-29 21:29 QO-100 2400 10 000 SSB 7X7X 8Q Maldives ZS1LS 2020-03-14 06:44 QO-100 2400 10 000 SSB 8Q7NC (Opr. F6BGC) 9A Croatia ZR2DX 2003-10-11 21:45 AO-40 435 2400 SSB 9A/OK2VLT/P 9G Ghana ZS2BK 1980-02-11 17:57 AO-7 435 146 SSB 9G1DY 9H Malta ZS1II 2019-07-27 18:00 QO-100 2400 10 000 SSB 9H1ES 9J Zambia ZS6WB 2010-06-12 15:05 AO-51 146 435 FM 9J2HLT/P (Opr. ZS6XK) (DXv) 9K Kuwait ZS1II 2019-12-20 15:44 QO-100 2400 10 000 SSB 9K2OK/P 9M2 West Malaysia ZS6BCR 1986-02-05 12:30 AO-10 435 146 SSB 9M2OK 9N Nepal ZS1II 2019-11-29 15:21 QO-100 2400 10 000 SSB 9N1AA 9V Singapore ZS6EZ 2001-05-05 14:41 AO-10 435 146 SSB 9V1XE (Opr. VK6DXI) 9X Rwanda ZS1II 2019-11-10 10:36 QO-100 2400 10 000 SSB 9X2AW (Opr. DF2WO) 9Y Trinidad & Tobago ZR2DX 2003-11-04 04:23 AO-40 435 2400 SSB 9Y4AT A2 Botswana ZR6DXB 2003-07-05 06:04 AO-40 435 2400 SSB A22BP (Opr. JE1PLR) A4 Oman ZS1II 2019-10-19 14:04 QO-100 2400 10 000 SSB A41ZZ/P A6 United Arab Emirates ZS2BK 2021-03-08 10:06 RS-44 146 435 SSB A68A A7 Qatar ZS6UF 1984-09-10 16:02 AO-10 435 146 SSB A71AD A9 Bahrain ZS1LS 2019-09-25 17:44 QO-100 2400 10 000 SSB A92GR AP Pakistan ZS1II 2021-01-16 17:49 QO-100 2400 10 000 SSB AP2AUM BY China ZS1II 2019-08-11 15:54 QO-100 2400 10 000 SSB B0/BA4TB C3 Andorra ZS1II 2019-08-09 17:37 QO-100 2400 10 000 SSB C37NL/P C5 The Gambia ZS1II 2021-10-24 09:42 QO-100 2400 10 000 SSB C5C (French team) C9 Mozambique ZS2EZ 2008-07-22 17:49 AO-51 146 435 FM C91NZ (Opr. NZ5N) CE Chile ZS6UF 1984-01-30 10:15 AO-10 435 146 SSB CE3BGA CE9 Antarctica ZR6DXB 2003-03-07 17:08 AO-40 435 2400 SSB 8J1RF (Opr. JA0WJN) CN Morocco ZS6UF 1983-10-30 17:50 AO-10 435 146 SSB CN8HD CT Portugal ***ZR6DXB 2003-02-15 13:04 AO-40 435 2400 SSB CT1DYX CT3 Madeira Islands ZR6DXB 2003-07-28 04:30 AO-40 435 2400 SSB CT3/CT1EAT CU Azores ZR2DX 2004-01-16 23:18 AO-40 435 2400 SSB CU2AHD (now CU2JX) CX Uruguay ZS6UF 1984-01-31 11:06 AO-10 435 146 SSB LU1AHC/CX D2 Angola ZS1LS 2022-08-14 14:02 QO-100 2400 10 000 SSB D2TX (Opr. ZS4TX) D4 Cape Verde Islands ZS1LS 2019-10-07 15:52 QO-100 2400 10 000 SSB D44TWO (Opr. DF2WO) D6 Comoros ZS4TX 2022-10-08 07:05 QO-100 2400 10 000 SSB D60AE (F6KOP DXpedition) DL Germany ZS6UF 1983-08-08 17:03 AO-10 435 146 SSB DJ2YA DU Philippines ZR2DX 2004-01-17 15:27 AO-40 435 2400 SSB DU1/GM4COK E7 Bosnia-Herzegovina ZS1LS 2019-08-18 13:19 QO-100 2400 10 000 FT8 E70T EA Spain ZS6UF 1983-09-14 13:54 AO-10 435 146 SSB EA7AG EA6 Balearic Islands ZS6GS 1990-01-13 10:04 AO-10 ? ? EA6VQ (DXv) EA8 Canary Islands ZS6UF 1983-12-26 12:45 AO-10 435 146 SSB DJ4ZC/EA8 EA9 Ceuta & Melilla ZS1LS 2020-12-05 12:25 QO-100 2400 10 000 SSB EA9MH EI Ireland ZS2BK 1984-10-04 19:00 AO-10 435 146 SSB EI6BLB EK Armenia ZS1II 2022-09-27 14:28 QO-100 2400 10 000 SSB EK/RX3DPK EL Liberia ZS1II 2019-08-19 17:18 QO-100 2400 10 000 SSB EL2DT EP Iran ZS1II 2019-08-21 17:02 QO-100 2400 10 000 SSB EP2C ER Moldova ZS1II 2022-07-04 09:26 QO-100 2400 10 000 CW ER2SD ES Estonia ZR6DXB 2003-03-16 11:04 AO-40 435 2400 SSB ES1RF ET Ethiopia ZS2BK 2010-07-06 16:52 FO-29 146 435 SSB ET3SID EU Belarus ZS1II 2019-11-24 16:15 QO-100 2400 10 000 CW EU2AA EX Kyrgystan ZR6DXB 2003-02-24 16:55 AO-40 435 2400 SSB EX8MLT F France ZS6UF 1984-02-01 07:45 AO-10 435 146 SSB F2T FG Guadeloupe ZR6DXB 2003-02-23 16:00 AO-40 435 2400 SSB FG/W9AE FH Mayotte Island ZS1II 2023-10-14 13:51 QO-100 2400 10 000 SSB TO8FH (F6KOP DXpedition) FK New Caledonia ZR6DXB 2003-06-19 03:31 AO-40 435 2400 SSB FK8HA FP St Pierre et Miquelon ZS2ACP 1992- - : AO-10 435 146 SSB FP5HL FR Reunion Island ZS2BK 1977-07-04 16:44 AO-7 146 29 SSB FR7BJ FS Saint Martin ZS2BK 2023-08-15 23:13 IO-117 435 435 Packet FS/FG8OJ FT.W Crozet Island ZS1II 2023-01-03 11:22 QO-100 2400 10 000 SSB FT8WW (Opr. F6CUK) FY French Guiana ZS1II 2019-10-25 15:13 QO-100 2400 10 000 SSB FY5KE G England ZS6UF 1983-08-18 16:10 AO-10 435 146 SSB G4CUO GD Isle of Man ZS1II 2022-07-06 18:37 QO-100 2400 10 000 CW MD0ILE GI Northern Ireland ZS6UF 1983-10-10 15:18 AO-10 435 146 SSB GI8YDZ GJ Jersey ZS6UF 1983-08-12 10:06 AO-10 435 146 SSB GJ8EZA GM Scotland ZS6UF 1983-11-18 16:14 AO-10 435 146 SSB GM4JJJ GU Guernsey ZS6UF 1983-10-13 16:43 AO-10 435 146 SSB GU6EFB GW Wales ZS2BK 1984-10-05 19:05 AO-10 435 146 SSB GW6ORF H4 Solomon Islands ZS6UF 1983-08-28 12:18 AO-10 435 146 SSB H44PT HA Hungary ***ZS1LS 2019-08-16 18:17 QO-100 2400 10 000 SSB HA9MDP HB Switzerland ZS6UF 1983-09-05 19:58 AO-10 435 146 SSB HB9PUA HB0 Liechtenstein ZS6UF 1983-08-18 17:54 AO-10 435 146 SSB HB0MSU HC Ecuador ZS1TA 2022-11-29 23:20 IO-117 435 435 Packet HC2FG HK Colombia ZS2BK 1986-07-27 08:00 AO-10 435 146 SSB WB4AKC/HK3 HL Korea ZS2BK 1985-06-08 22:08 AO-10 435 146 SSB HL1ASS HS Thailand ZS1II 2019-06-29 12:15 QO-100 2400 10 000 SSB HS0ZOF HV Vatican City ZS1II 2021-10-16 09:39 QO-100 2400 10 000 SSB HV0A HZ Saudi Arabia ZS6UF 1983-12-16 11:15 AO-10 435 146 SSB HZ1AM I Italy ZS6UF 1983-09-09 13:20 AO-10 435 146 SSB I1YK IS0 Sardinia ZS1II 2019-09-01 10:48 QO-100 2400 10 000 SSB IS0/IU0FBK/P J2 Djibouti ZS1II 2019-11-10 15:32 QO-100 2400 10 000 SSB J28PJ (Opr. F1TMY) JA Japan ZS6UF 1983-09-14 10:23 AO-10 435 146 SSB JA4OK JW Svalbard ZS1II 2022-04-23 09:05 QO-100 2400 10 000 SSB JW100QO (Belgian team) K USA ***ZS6UF 1983-09-02 21:50 AO-10 435 146 SSB WB6LLO KP4 Puerto Rico ZR6DXB 2003-06-01 12:55 AO-40 435 2400 SSB KP3A LA Norway ZS6UF 1983-09-08 19:15 AO-10 435 146 SSB LA7QM LU Argentina ZS6UF 1983-11-19 18:30 AO-10 435 146 SSB LU1AHC LX Luxembourg ZR6DXB 2003-02-08 17:53 AO-40 435 2400 SSB LX2GT LY Lithuania ZR6DXB 2003-06-22 03:44 AO-40 435 2400 SSB LY3II LZ Bulgaria ***ZR6DXB 2003-02-08 13:22 AO-40 435 2400 SSB LZ1DP OA Peru ZS1LS 2023-05-27 21:53 IO-117 435 435 Packet OA4EA OD Lebanon ZS1II 2022-10-13 17:08 QO-100 2400 10 000 SSB OD5RAL OE Austria ZS6UF 1984-09-17 15:14 AO-10 435 146 SSB OE5THL OH Finland ZS6UF 1983-08-13 18:51 AO-10 435 146 SSB OH7AZL OH0 Aland Islands ZS1II 2021-02-05 16:51 QO-100 2400 10 000 SSB OG0D OJ0 Market Reef ZS1II 2021-08-30 16:34 QO-100 2400 10 000 SSB OJ0D OK Czech Republic ZR6DXB 2003-02-08 11:52 AO-40 435 2400 SSB OK1MTX OM Slovak Republic ZR6DXB 2003-02-11 15:43 AO-40 435 2400 SSB OM3WAN ON Belgium ZS6UF 1983-08-08 18:41 AO-10 435 146 SSB ON7HP OX Greenland ZS1II 2021-07-30 17:47 QO-100 2400 10 000 SSB OX3LX OY Faroe Islands ZS1LS 2020-09-15 15:50 QO-100 2400 10 000 SSB OY/DL4APJ OZ Denmark ZS6UF 1983-11-19 11:10 AO-10 435 146 SSB OZ1PD P2 Papua New Guinea ZS6UF 1983-11-11 08:42 AO-10 435 146 SSB P29ZFS P4 Aruba ZS2ACP 1989- - : AO-10 435 146 SSB P43TB PA Netherlands ZS6UF 1983-08-09 17:30 AO-10 435 146 SSB PE1ITR PJ2 Curacao ZS2BK 2023-09-21 20:39 IO-117 435 435 Packet PJ2BR PJ5 Saba & St Eustatius ZS2BK 2023-08-10 23:43 IO-117 435 435 Packet PJ6/FG8OJ PJ7 Sint Maarten ZS2BK 2023-08-13 00:09 IO-117 435 435 Packet PJ7/FG8OJ PY Brazil ZS2BK 1978-07-06 15:16 AO-7 435 146 SSB PY2ACM PY0F Fernando de Noronha ZS1LS 2022-07-02 11:00 QO-100 2400 10 000 FT8 ZY0FUN RA1 European Russia ZR6DXB 2003-08-02 16:45 AO-40 435 2400 SSB RA4CBY RA2 Kaliningrad ZS1LS 2020-07-12 06:59 QO-100 2400 10 000 FT8 R2DRJ RA9 Asiatic Russia ZR6DXB 2003-02-09 09:25 AO-40 435 2400 SSB UA0LMC S0 Western Sahara ZS6JON 2019-02-23 10:56 QO-100 2400 10 000 SSB S01WS S2 Bangladesh ZS4TX 2021-10-21 13:55 QO-100 2400 10 000 SSB S21RC S5 Slovenia ZS6JON 2019-02-23 10:38 QO-100 2400 10 000 SSB S57NML S7 Seychelles ZS2BK 2008-12-18 03:27 AO-51 145 435 FM S79AC SM Sweden ZS6UF 1984-02-03 08:06 AO-10 435 146 SSB SM7FSR SP Poland ZS6UF 1983-12-16 04:42 AO-10 435 146 SSB SP9EVP ST Sudan ZS2BK 2009-12-17 16:44 AO-7 146 435 SSB ST2NH SU Egypt ZS1LS 2019-09-08 16:46 QO-100 2400 10 000 CW SU0ERA SV Greece ZS6UF 1987-09-08 17:13 AO-10 435 146 SSB SV1OE SV5 Dodecanese ZR6DXB 2003-07-31 06:53 AO-40 435 2400 SSB SV5BYR SV9 Crete ZS1II 2019-08-25 13:41 QO-100 2400 10 000 SSB SV9ANK T7 San Marino ZS1II 2020-10-03 09:44 QO-100 2400 10 000 SSB T7/IK4CIE TA Turkey ZS1II 2019-08-22 17:32 QO-100 2400 10 000 SSB TA2NC TF Iceland ZS1II 2019-07-27 11:15 QO-100 2400 10 000 SSB TF1A TK Corsica ZS2ACP 1986- - : AO-10 435 146 SSB TK5BF TN Congo ZS1II 2023-01-10 17:18 QO-100 2400 10 000 FT4 TN8K TR Gabon ZS2BK 1978-06-08 20:20 AO-10 435 146 SSB TR8BL TT Chad ZS2ACP 1991- - : AO-10 435 146 SSB TT8SA TU Cote d'Ivoire ZS2BK 1979-09-28 19:28 AO-7 435 146 SSB TU2IY TY Benin ZR6DXB 2003-11-15 23:12 AO-40 435 2400 SSB TY/LZ3XV UN Kazakhstan ZS2ACP 1992- - : AO-10 435 146 SSB UL7VV UT Ukraine ***ZR6DXB 2003-02-16 16:45 AO-40 435 2400 SSB UY2QQ V5 Namibia ZS2BK 1978-05-12 19:41 AO-8 146 435 SSB ZS3C V8 Brunei ZS2ACP 1986- - : AO-10 435 146 SSB V85GA (Opr. G8AKL) VE Canada ZS6UF 1983-10-29 16:01 AO-10 435 146 SSB VE3KXF VK Australia ZS6UF 1983-08-28 11:30 AO-10 435 146 SSB VK6OF VK9C Cocos (Keeling) Islands ZS4TX 2023-10-04 11:40 QO-100 2400 10 000 SSB VK9QO (Opr. JA3GEP and group) VK9X Christmas Island ZR2DX 2003-10-06 20:21 AO-40 435 2400 SSB VK9XM VP2E Anguilla ZR6DXB 2003-06-21 08:48 AO-40 435 2400 SSB VP2EAG (Opr. KO4MA) VP8 Falkland Islands ZS2ACP 1991- - : AO-10 435 146 SSB VP8CEO (Opr. G7NTY) VQ9 Chagos Archipelago ZS2BK 2009-11-07 15:44 AO-7 435 146 SSB VQ9JC (Opr. ND9M) VR Hong Kong ZS6UF 1984-08-24 16:18 AO-10 435 146 SSB VS6HH VU India ZR6DXB 2003-02-16 08:52 AO-40 435 2400 SSB VU2MKP VU4 Andaman ZS1LS 2023-03-03 06:56 QO-100 2400 10 000 SSB VU4T XE Mexico ZR6DXB 2003-02-03 19:42 AO-40 435 2400 SSB XE1GRR XT Burkina Faso ZS1II 2019-12-04 16:21 QO-100 2400 10 000 SSB XT2AW XU Cambodia ZS2ACP 1994- - : AO-10 435 146 SSB XU7VK (Opr. HA7VK) XW Laos ZS4TX 2022-10-03 14:01 QO-100 2400 10 000 SSB XW4KV YB Indonesia ZS6UF 1983-09-11 11:17 AO-10 435 146 SSB YB0AQT YI Iraq ZS1LS 2019-08-19 19:06 QO-100 2400 10 000 SSB YI3WHR YL Latvia ZR2DX 2003-10-15 21:28 AO-40 435 2400 SSB YL2LW YO Romania ZS6UF 1983-09-14 12:06 AO-10 435 146 SSB YO2IS YU Serbia ZS6UF 1983-08-18 20:22 AO-10 435 146 SSB YU3UBQ YV Venezuela ZS6UF 1983-10-28 17:34 AO-10 435 146 SSB YV5ZZ Z2 Zimbabwe ZS2BK 1979-05-22 19:45 AO-7 146 29 SSB ZE6JJ Z3 North Macedonia ZS4TX 2021-10-16 11:00 QO-100 2400 10 000 SSB Z38/HB9ERD Z6 Kosovo ZS1LS 2020-08-11 16:47 QO-100 2400 10 000 SSB Z63DNI ZA Albania ZS1LS 2021-10-04 19:32 QO-100 2400 10 000 SSB ZA/OE6PBD ZB Gibraltar ZS2ACP 1992- - : AO-10 435 146 SSB ZB2CF ZC4 UK Bases on Cyprus ZS4TX 2021-10-29 13:57 QO-100 2400 10 000 SSB ZC4RH ZD7 Saint Helena ZS1II 2021-07-26 18:29 QO-100 2400 10 000 SSB ZD7GWM ZD8 Ascension ZS2ACP 1986- - : AO-10 435 146 SSB ZD8MB ZD9 Tristan da Cunha & Gough ZS2BK 1978-05-05 20:20 AO-8 146 29 SSB ZD9CL ZF Cayman Islands ZR6DXB 2003-02-27 18:24 AO-40 435 2400 SSB ZF1DC ZL New Zealand ZS6UF 1983-08-27 09:42 AO-10 435 146 SSB ZL3ADT ZP Paraguay ZS1II 2022-03-05 20:18 QO-100 2400 10 000 SSB ZP4/PY5ZUE ZS South Africa ZS2BK 1977-08-13 18:30 AO-7 146 29 SSB ZS1SG ZS8 Prince Edward islands ZS2BK 2010-03-02 16:03 AO-51 146 435 FM ZS8M (Opr. ZS1HF) [193 countries, including ZS] Deleted Entities: ----------------- OK Czechoslovakia ZS6UF 1984-01-01 08:45 AO-10 435 146 SSB OK1DMS [1 country] ZR2DX is now ZS2EZ ZR6DXB is now ZS2EZ ZS6BCR is now ZS6EZ ZS6UF is now ZS2BK Key: ---- *** means the claimed QSO is probably (or certainly!) not the first. DXv means the claim was verified with DX (non-ZS) station's operator as the first ZS worked Thanks for contributions (in chronological order): ------------------------------------------------- ZS4TX, ZS1LS, ZS1II, ZS2ACP, ZS2BK, ZS6XK, ZS2EZ, ZS6COL [end]