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.
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).
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:
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.
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:
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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