ARRL DXCC ENTITY RE-EVALUATION MEMORANDUM – KH6

KH6 — HAWAII
Evaluation Under 1947 ARRL DXCC Rules

I. PURPOSE

This memorandum evaluates whether KH6 — Hawaii qualifies as a separate ARRL DXCC Entity under the 1947 ARRL DXCC Rules, the governing post-war standard used in the first DXCC List.

Analysis includes:

• Political and administrative status
• Geographic isolation and non-contiguity
• Territorial governance under U.S. federal law
• Prefix and operational distinctiveness
• Compliance with all geographic DXCC criteria in effect in 1947
• Final eligibility assessment

Hawaii appears in the original 1947 DXCC List as one of the “U.S. Territories and Possessions counted as separate countries.”

II. BACKGROUND

A. Political & Administrative Status (1947)

In 1947:

• Hawaii was a United States Territory (established by the Organic Act of 1900).
• It was not yet a U.S. State (statehood occurred in 1959).
• Territorial governance included:
– Governor appointed by the U.S. President
– Territorial Legislature
– Locally administered civil affairs
• External relations, defense, and communications policy were U.S. Federal responsibilities.

Hawaii was, administratively:

✔ A separate U.S. territorial unit
✔ Not integrated into any other U.S. territory
✔ Legally distinct from mainland U.S. and all Pacific Island Possessions

Thus, under 1947 DXCC rules, Hawaii met the definition of a separately administered U.S. territory.

B. International Standing

• Recognized worldwide as a U.S. Territory.
• No competing sovereignty claims.
• Not part of the Trust Territories of the Pacific Islands, nor any colonial administration.
• Treated in international radio affairs as a distinct geographical and political region.

C. Telecommunications & Prefix Identity

In the 1940s:

• Hawaii was assigned the distinct prefix district KH6.
• KH6 was separate from the continental W/K/N call districts.
• Amateur radio operations in Hawaii were licensed under a different administrative system than mainland operators.

DXCC treated KH6 as a geographically and administratively separate operating entity.

D. Geographic Characteristics

• Hawaii lies in the central Pacific Ocean, one of the most geographically isolated island chains in the world.
• Approximate distances (relevant for 1947 DXCC criteria):
– ~2,400 miles (~3,850 km) from California
– ~3,800 miles from Washington state
– ~2,400 miles from the nearest continental land
• Comprised of multiple volcanic islands, permanently above water.
• No land, island chain, or reef connection to the North American mainland or to any U.S. territory.

This is exactly what DXCC in 1947 referred to as a “non-contiguous, well-removed island territory.”

E. DXCC Context (1947)

The 1947 DXCC framework divided entities into:

Political Entities — Sovereign states, colonies, protectorates, occupied zones
Geographic Entities — Remote, non-contiguous island territories and possessions

KH6 fits strongly into Category 2.

Comparable 1947 DXCC entities:

• KH1 — Baker & Howland
• KH3 — Johnston
• KH4 — Midway
• KH7 — Kure
• KP1 — Navassa
• KP5 — Desecheo

Hawaii’s case is essentially identical to these, but with the added factor of official territorial status.

III. ANALYSIS UNDER THE 1947 DXCC RULES

1. POLITICAL ENTITY CRITERIA — PARTIAL PASS (AS TERRITORY)

1(a) Sovereign Nation — ❌ FAIL
• Hawaii was not independent.

1(b) Territory with Separate Administration — ✔ PASS
• Hawaii was governed under its own U.S. Territorial government, distinct from the continental United States.

1(c) Independent diplomatic recognition — ❌ FAIL
• Not sovereign; foreign relations handled by the U.S.

1(d) Autonomous local civil government — ✔ PASS
• Territorial Legislature and local offices exercised substantial autonomy.

Conclusion:
KH6 does not qualify as a sovereign political entity, but does qualify under the 1947 rule allowing separately administered U.S. Territories to count as DXCC Entities.

Hawaii must still be evaluated under Geographic criteria for confirmation.

2. GEOGRAPHIC ENTITY CRITERIA — PASS (STRONG)

The 1947 rules defined a Geographic Entity as an island/territory that is:

• Permanently above water
• Non-contiguous with its parent country
• “Well removed” geographically
• Administered separately
• Distinct in radio operation and access

2(a) Permanently Above Water — ✔ PASS
• Multiple large, permanently populated volcanic islands.

2(b) Non-Contiguous With Parent Country — ✔ PASS
• ~2,400 miles from mainland U.S. — well beyond any borderline.

2(c) Separate Administration — ✔ PASS
• Distinct territorial government; not part of any state.

2(d) Geographic Isolation — ✔ PASS
• Isolated Pacific hotspot chain, geologically detached from any continent.

2(e) Operational Distinctiveness — ✔ PASS
• KH6 required separately issued radio licenses.

2(f) DXCC Precedent — ✔ PASS
• Other Pacific territories with similar status were counted independently in 1947.

Conclusion:
KH6 fully satisfies the 1947 Geographic Entity standard.

3. SPECIAL-AREA CRITERIA — NOT APPLICABLE

The 1947 rules did not contain:

• Continental shelf provisions
• Enclave rules
• UN headquarters
• Antarctic zones

KH6 is evaluated solely as a Political/Geographic entity.

4. 1947 ADDITION / DELETION RULES

Addition — PASS
KH6 qualifies based on:
✔ Separate U.S. territorial administration
✔ Extreme geographic isolation
✔ Non-contiguity with continental U.S.

Deletion — NOT TRIGGERED
• No political change occurred in 1947 affecting its status.
• Correctly included in the original 1947 DXCC List.

V. FINAL DETERMINATION

✅ KH6 — HAWAII fully qualifies as a DXCC Entity under the 1947 ARRL DXCC Rules.

Qualification Basis:
✔ Remote, non-contiguous U.S. territory
✔ Territorial government separate from the continental U.S.
✔ Distinct KH6 call area
✔ Extremely isolated Pacific island chain
✔ Perfect alignment with 1947 DXCC precedent for offshore U.S. territories
✔ Included correctly in the original 1947 DXCC List

Conclusion:
KH6 is one of the clearest and most historically significant Geographic DXCC Entities recognized in 1947.

VI. SUMMARY TABLE

Rule (1947)	Pass/Fail	Notes
Sovereign Nation	❌	U.S. Territory, not independent
Independent Government	❌	U.S. Federal oversight
Separate Territorial Administration	✔	Organic Act government
Geographic – Non-Contiguous	✔	~2,400 miles from mainland U.S.
Geographic – Separate Admin	✔	Distinct territorial unit
Geographic Isolation	✔	Isolated Pacific volcanic chain
Precedent (KH1/KH3/KH4/KH7)	✔	Same class of U.S. island entities
Special Area	N/A	No such provision in 1947
Final Status	VALID GEOGRAPHIC ENTITY (1947)	Fully qualifies

References

ARRL DXCC Rules, Post–World War II Edition (1947)
Clinton B. DeSoto, W1CBD, “How to Count Countries Worked, A New DX Scoring System,” QST, October 1935
ARRL DXCC Country Lists, pre-war and postwar (1937–1947) editions
Nautical and geographic charting of the Hawaiian Islands (pre-1950)
Early DXCC precedent involving remote Pacific archipelagos