Author: Alan, 5B4AHJ
Western Sahara
Western Sahara is the modern name for the ex-Spanish colony of Spanish Sahara, and came in to being when Spain relinquished control of Spanish Sahara on 1975-11-14.
Western Sahara is a disputed territory, and has been on the UN list of non-self-governing bodies since 1963.
Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic / DXCC entity of Western Sahara
Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (aka SADR or RASD) claims sovreignty over the entire territory of Western Sahara. RASD was "proclaimed" on 1976-02-27.
Stations QRV from RASD use the unofficial S0 prefix, and count for the DXCC entity of Western Sahara.
There was no amateur radio activity from Western Sahara/RASD between 1976 (when EA9/EA8CR was QRV) and 1987, when S0RASD was QRV. Note that EA9/EA8CR was QRV after Spain had relinquished administrative control.
QST March 1988 c arries the following announcement:
"On February 12, the ARRL Awards Committee unanimously accepted the DX Advisory Committee's recommendation that Western Sahara, S0, be added to the current active ARRL DXCC Countries List. However, further consultation between the two committees was required to resolve whether S0 was to be a brand-new listing or a reactivation of Rio de Oro, EA9.
The DX Advisory Committee and the ARRL Awards Committee jointly announced on March 4 that Western Sahara will be a reactivation of the deleted Rio de Oro (Spanish Sahara) listing. Thus, Rio de Oro is removed from the list of deleted entities and returns to the current active ARRL DXCC Countries List under the name Western Sahara. Recent and continuing S0RASD operations are creditable for DXCC, but cards will not be accepted before June 1, 1088. Please hold S0RASD cards for submission beginning June 1"
Spanish Sahara
Spain formed Spanish Sahara in 1958 by uniting the territories of Saguira el-Hamra and Rio de Oro, whilst ceding Tarfaya, Tan-Tan and the Cape Juby strip to Morocco.
Stations QRV from Spanish Sahara used the EA9 prefix, which counted for the DXCC entity of Rio de Oro.
Rio de Oro
Rio de Oro was a Spanish territory that later became the southern part of Spanish Sahara and ultimately Western Sahara.
Stations QRV from Rio de Oro used the EA9 prefix, and QSOs counted for the DXCC entity of Rio de Oro, a name which was retained for the DXCC entity until Spain relinquished control of Spanish Sahara on 1975-11-14.
EA9DD, QRV in 1953, claims to have been "the first official station from Rio de Oro". However, EA8AO was QRV from Rio de Oro in 1948 - was this station properly licensed?
QST July 1978 carries the following announcement:
"A deletion to the ARRL DXCC list is Rio de Oro, deleted as of August 1, 1978. Spain relinquished control of this area, which was absorbed by Morocco (CN) and Mauritania (5T)"
Saguira el-Hamra
Saguira el-Hamra was a Spanish territory that later became the northern part of Spanish Sahara.
It is not known whether any amateur radio activity took place from Spanish-administered Saguira el-Hamra, but the EA9 prefix would have applied, and QSOs would have (probably) counted for Rio de Oro.
In 1975, Saguira el-Hamra became part of Morocco.
Tarfaya, Tan-Tan and the Cape Juby Strip
Tarfaya (aka Villa Bens) and Tan-Tan are cities in the Cape Juby Strip, a former Spanish-administered territory which was ceded to Morocco in 1958.
Stations QRV from the Cape Juby strip used the EA9 prefix, and QSOs counted for the DXCC entity of Rio de Oro, examples being EA9DE and EA9DF.
DXCC mapping
Club Log maps the EA9 prefix to Ceuta & Melilla, so EA9 callsigns from Rio de Oro/Spanish Sahara are mapped by callsign exceptions.
Club Log maps S0 callsigns by prefix.
Acknowledgements
ARRL QST
hamgallery.com Western Sahara, Africa S0, EA9
LNDX EA9 Rio de Oro
QSL card collector Patrick Rigg
Vlad Lambrianov, UA6JD
Wikipedia Cape Juby
Wikipedia Rio de Oro
Wikipedia Saguia el-Hamra
Wikipedia Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
Wikipedia Spanish Sahara
Wikipedia Tan-Tan
Wikipedia Tarfaya
Wikipedia Western Sahara