ARRL DX Century Club (DXCC) Rules — 1988 Edition (ARRL Comments)

ARRL Comments on Changes:

COUNTRIES LIST CRITERIA

The ARRL DXCC Countries List is the result of progressive changes in DXing since 1945. The full list will not necessarily conform completely with the current criteria since some of the listings were recognized from pre-WWII or were accredited from earlier versions of the criteria. While the general policy has remained the same, specific mileages and additional points have been added to the criteria over the years. The specific mileages in Point 2(a) and Point 3, mentioned in the following criteria, have been used in considerations made April 1960 and after. The specific mileage in Point 2(b) has been used in considerations made April 1963 and after.

When an area in question meets at least one of the three points, it is eligible as a separate country listing in the DXCC Countries List. These criteria address considerations by virtue of Government [Point 1] or geographical separation [Points 2 and 3], while Point 4 addresses ineligible areas. All distances are given in statute miles.

Point 1. GOVERNMENT

An independent country or nation-state having sovereignty (that is, a body politic constituted together, occupying a defined territory and having a defined population, politically organized and controlled under one exclusive regime, and engaging in foreign relations—including the capacity to carry out obligations of international law and applicable international agreements) constitutes a separate DXCC country by reason of Government. This may be indicated by membership in the United Nations (UN). However, some nations that possess the attributes of sovereignty are not members of the UN, although these nations may have been recognized by a number of UN-member nations. Recognition is the formal act of one nation committing itself to treat an entity as a sovereign state. There are some entities that have been admitted to the UN that lack the requisite attributes of sovereignty and, as a result, are not recognized by a number of UN-member nations.

Other entities which are not totally independent may also be considered for separate DXCC country status by reason of Government. Included are Territories, Protectorates, Dependencies, Associated States, and so on. Such an entity may delegate to another country or international organization a measure of its authority (such as the conduct of its foreign relations in whole or in part, or other functions such as customs, communications or diplomatic protection) without surrendering its sovereign status. DXCC country status for such an entity is individually considered, based on the available facts in the particular case. In making a reasonable determination as to whether a sufficient degree of sovereignty exists for DXCC purposes, the following characteristics (list not necessarily all-inclusive) are taken into consideration:

a) Membership in specialized agencies of the UN, such as the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
b) Authorized use of ITU-assigned call sign prefixes.
c) Diplomatic relations (entering into international agreements and/or supporting embassies or consulates), and maintaining a standing army.
d) Regulation of foreign trade and commerce, customs, immigration and licensing (including landing and operating permits), and the issuance of currency and stamps.

An entity that qualifies under Point 1, but consists of two or more separated land areas, will be considered a single DXCC country (since none of these areas alone retains an independent capacity to carry out the obligations of sovereignty), unless the areas can qualify under Points 2 or 3.

Point 2. SEPARATION BY WATER

An island or a group of islands which is part of a DXCC country established by reason of Government, Point 1, is considered a separate DXCC country under the following conditions:

(a) The island or islands are situated offshore, geographically separated by a minimum of 225 miles of open water from a continent, another island or group of islands that make up any part of the “parent” DXCC country. For any additional island or islands to qualify as an additional DXCC country or countries, such must qualify under Point 2(b).

(b) This point applies to the “second” island or island grouping geographically separated from the “first” DXCC country created under 2(a). For the second island or island grouping to qualify, at least a 500-mile separation of open water from the first is required, as well as meeting the 225-mile requirement of (a) from the “parent.” For any subsequent island(s) to qualify, the 500-mile separation would again have to be met. This precludes, for example, using the 225-mile measurement for each of several islands from the parent country to make several DXCC countries.

Point 3. SEPARATION BY ANOTHER DXCC COUNTRY

(a) Contiguous land mass: Where a country, such as that covered by Point 1, is totally separated by an intervening DXCC country into two areas which are at least 75 miles apart, two DXCC countries result. This straight-line measurement is made at the closest point, and may include inland lakes and seas (that are part of the country) in the measurement. International waters may be included in the separation but do not contribute to the 75-mile minimum requirement.

(b) Islands: Where two islands, of the government under Point 1, are totally separated by an intervening DXCC country (also under Point 1), each island counts as a separate DXCC country. No minimum distance is required. The test for total separation means that a straight line cannot be drawn from any point on one island to any point on the other island without passing through another DXCC country. This intervening country may be part of either island, another island, or part of a continent.

Point 4. INELIGIBLE AREAS

(a) Any area which is unclaimed or unowned by any recognized government does not count as a separate DXCC country.
(b) An area which is classified as a demilitarized zone, Neutral Zone or Buffer Zone does not count as a separate DXCC country.
(c) The following do not count as a separate DXCC country from the host country: Embassies, consulates and extra-territorial legal entities of any nature, including, but not limited to, monuments, offices of the United Nations agencies or related organizations, other inter-governmental organizations or diplomatic missions.

DELETION CRITERIA

A DXCC country is subject to deletion from the ARRL DXCC Countries List if political change causes it to cease to meet Point 1 of the Countries List Criteria (a derivative of such change may cause it to cease to meet Points 2 or 3) or if it falls into Point 4 of the criteria. Additions to and deletions from the DXCC Countries List come about as a result of a myriad of such political changes. Reviewing the nature of the changes which have occurred since 1945 as they affect DXCC, these changes can be grouped into categories as follows:

(a) Annexation. When an area that has been recognized as a separate country under Point 1 is annexed or absorbed by an adjacent Point 1 country, the annexed area becomes a deleted country. Examples: India annexed Sikkim (AC3); China annexed Tibet (AC4); Indonesia annexed Portuguese Timor (CR8).

(b) Unification. When two or more entities that have been separate countries under Point 1 unite or combine into a single entity under a common administration, one new DXCC country is created and two or more DXCC countries become deleted. Example: Italian Somaliland (VQ6) plus British Somaliland (VQ6) became Somalia (6O/T5).

(c) Partition. When one country is divided or partitioned into two or more countries, one DXCC country is deleted and two or more DXCC countries are created. Example: French Equatorial Africa (FQ) was deleted and replaced by Central Africa (TL), Congo (TN), Gabon (TR) and Chad (TT). The partition category is often employed when the original political entity continues in some form. That is, if part of country A splits off to form country B, the original DXCC country (A) is retained and one new DXCC country (B) is added. Examples: the British Sovereign Bases on Cyprus (ZC4); Aruba (P4).

(d) Independence. Mere independence does not result in a Country List deletion. Examples: the Tonga Islands, then a British protectorate (VR5), is the same country as the present listing of the Kingdom of Tonga (A3). Further, an entity already recognized as a separate DXCC country is not deleted because of a change in its independent status. Bangladesh (S2) is the same listing as East Pakistan (AP), which was already separate from West Pakistan by virtue of Point 3. Also, a country that merely changes its name (such as when Upper Volta became Burkina Faso) does not change its basic status as a DXCC country on the DXCC Countries List.

ACCREDITATION CRITERIA

The many vagaries of how each nation manages its telecommunications matters does not lend itself to a hard set of rules that can be applied across the board in accrediting all Amateur Radio DX operations. However, during the course of more than 40 years of DXCC administration, basic standards have evolved in determining whether a DX operation meets the test of legitimate operation. The intent is to assure that DXCC credit is given only for contacts with operations that are conducted appropriately in two respects: (1) proper licensing; and (2) physical presence in the country to be credited.
The following points should be of particular interest to those seeking accreditation for a DX operation:

(a) The vast majority of operations are accredited routinely without any requirement for submitting authenticating documentation.
(b) In countries where Amateur Radio operation has not been permitted or has been suspended or where some reluctance to license amateur stations has been evidenced, authenticating documents may be required prior to accrediting an operation.
(c) Some DXCC countries, even though part of country with no Amateur Radio restrictions, nevertheless require the permission of a governmental agency or private party prior to conducting Amateur Radio operations on territory within their jurisdiction. Examples: Desecheo I. (KP5); Palmyra I. (KH5); Kingman Reef (KH5K).

In those cases where supporting documentation is required, the following should be used as a guide as to what information may be necessary to make a reasonable determination of the validity of the operation:

(a) Photocopy of license or operating authorization.
(b) Photocopy of passport entry and exit stamps.
(c) For islands, a landing permit and/or signed statement of the transporting ship’s, boat’s or aircraft’s captain, showing all pertinent data, such as date, place of landing, etc.
(d) For some locations where special permission is known to be required, to gain access, evidence of permission having been required.

These accreditation requirements are intended to preserve the DXCC program’s integrity and to ensure that the program does not encourage amateurs to “bend the rules” in their enthusiasm, thus jeopardizing the future development of Amateur Radio. Every effort will be made to apply these criteria in a uniform manner in conformity with these objectives.