RSGB Islands on the Air (IOTA) Contest

New contesters? See the Guide for newcomers for the RSGB IOTA Contest

2. WHEN

12:00 UTC Saturday 30th July to 12:00 UTC Sunday 31st July 2016. The contest always takes place over the last FULL weekend of July.

3. BANDS AND MODES

3.5, 7, 14, 21 and 28MHz, CW and SSB. Contest-preferred segments on 80m and 20m must be observed, so no operation must take place on 3500-3510, 3560 - 3600, 3650 – 3700 (suppressed carrier/indicated frequencies 3650-3702 kHz), 14060 - 14125 and 14300 - 14350kHz (suppressed carrier/indicated frequencies 14298-14348 kHz). . 

4. CATEGORIES

All entrants must operate within the limits of their chosen category when performing any activity that could affect their submitted score. All equipment (transmitters, receivers and antennas) plus all operators must be located within a 1km diameter circle or within the property limits of the station licensee’s address, whichever is the greater.

4.1   Categories -- Location:

•    Island Station: any station operating from a qualifying IOTA island, as listed in the IOTA Directory. Island Stations must ensure beforehand that the island from which they are operating is a valid island for IOTA. Any questions about the IOTA programme and island validity should be addressed to the IOTA Manager -- see RSGB IOTA Web site.

•    World Station: any station not on a qualifying IOTA island.

4.2   Categories -- Single Operator:

•    Single operator Unassisted. One person. One signal at any one time. QSO alerting assistance of any kind (this includes, but is not limited to, packet, local or remote Skimmer and/or Skimmer-like technology, Internet) places the entrant in the Single-operator Assisted category.

•    Single-operator Assisted.  

    º     QSO alerting assistance is allowed (this includes, but is not limited to, packet, local or remote Skimmer and/or Skimmer-like technology, Internet). Self-spotting or asking to be spotted is not allowed.

    º     Island Multi-1 entrants must include a full list of operators with their entry in the Cabrillo OPERATORS section.

    º     Island Multi-1 RUN and MULTIPLIER stations are each limited to 6 "Band or Mode Changes" in every 60-minute "Clock Hour". A "Band or Mode Change" means two consecutive contacts between which there is a change of band and/or mode. For example, a change from 20m CW to 15m SSB then back to 20m SSB means two "Band or Mode changes". A "Clock Hour" means (for example) 1800 to 1900 or 2200 to 2300.

•     Island Multi-2

    º     24-hour Mixed Mode only.

    º     Island Multi-2 stations are restricted to a maximum of two transmitted signals at any one time, where the first station is labelled "0" in the Cabrillo log and the second is labelled "1". Both stations may be used to solicit contacts, e.g. by calling "CQ" or "QRZ?"

    º     QSO alerting assistance is allowed (this includes, but is not limited to, packet, local or remote Skimmer and/or Skimmer-like technology, Internet). Self-spotting or asking to be spotted is not allowed.

    º     Island Multi-2 entrants must include a full list of operators with their entry in the Cabrillo OPERATORS section.

    º     Island Multi-2 – Stations 0 and 1 are each limited to 6 "Band or Mode Changes" in every 60-minute "Clock Hour". A "Band or Mode Change" means two consecutive contacts between which there is a change of band and/or mode. For example, a change from 20m CW to 15m SSB then back to 20m SSB means two "Band or Mode changes". A "Clock Hour" means (for example) 1800 to 1900 or 2200 to 2300.

4.4   Categories -- Mode:

•    CW

•    SSB

•    Mixed-mode: CW & SSB. Island Multi-Operator entries must be Mixed Mode.

4.5   Categories -- Operating Time:

•    24 hours

•    12 hours (Multi-Operator entries must be 24 hours). In the 12-hour categories, operation need not be for one continuous 12-hour period, but once operation has commenced in the contest, off periods must be a minimum of 60 minutes.

4.6   Categoies -- Power: Any station not indicating transmitter power will be classified as High Power:

•    High Power Maximum permitted by the station licence, but in all cases, no more than 1500 watts output from the transmitter

•    Low Power Maximum 100 watts output

•    QRP Maximum 5 watts output

5. DXPEDITIONS

5.1   Island Stations may, additionally, indicate that they are a DXpedition station, and compete for a range of expedition trophies and certificates. An additional listing will be shown in the results.

5.2   The definition of DXpedition for this optional listing is one:

•    where the island can only be reached by boat or air. Islands which can be accessed by bridge or causeway, man-made or natural, are not eligible),
•    where the majority of operators are non-resident on the island
•    where the operators take all radio equipment and antennas with them, and do not rely on a resident or on any masts or towers already installed for any part of the station,

6. EXCHANGE

RS(T) and serial number starting from 001, plus IOTA reference number if applicable. Island Stations MUST include the IOTA reference as part of their exchange. Do not use separate numbering systems for CW and SSB. Stations may be contacted on both CW and SSB on each band. Island Multi-operator entrants may find it convenient to allocate separate blocks of serial numbers for each station, but do ensure if possible that there is no duplication of serial numbers.

Island stations are requested to announce their IOTA reference during CQ calls so that Multiplier stations can check for duplicates before replying. Callsigns must be given at least every third QSO – remember not all stations have internet access.

7. SCORING

7.1 QSO Points – All entrants can contact anyone, Island Stations or World Stations.

•    Island Stations contacting
World Stations: 5 points.
Island Stations having the same IOTA reference (for example EU-005 contacts EU-005): 5 points.
Other Island Stations: 15 points.

•    World Stations contacting
World Stations: 2 points.
Island Stations: 15 points.

7.2 Multiplier - The multiplier is the total of different IOTA references contacted on each band on CW, plus the total of different IOTA references contacted on each band on SSB. Island Multi-Op stations may not contact members of their own group for multiplier credit.

7.3 Total Score - The score is the total of QSO points on all bands added together, multiplied by the total of multipliers.

8. LOGS

8.1 Electronic submission of logs by or e-mail is required for all high scoring entrants and all who use a computer to log or prepare the logs. Entrants submitting paper logs will not be eligible for certificates or awards. Those who log on paper are encouraged to get the log typed up by a friend and submit electronically. Electronic submissions must be in Cabrillo format (a definition of Cabrillo, as applied to the IOTA contest, can be found here). No other formats are acceptable. Many popular contest logging programs support the IOTA contest.

8.2 For Cabrillo logs, the categories and category overlays are:

CATEGORY:                         [SINGLE-OP, MULTI-OP] ALL [HIGH, LOW, QRP] [SSB, CW, MIXED]
CATEGORY-ASSISTED:     [ASSISTED, UNASSISTED]
CATEGORY-DXPEDITION: [EXPEDITION, NON-DXPEDITION]
CATEGORY-TIME:              [12-HOURS, 24-HOURS]

So, a single-op, World, low power, 12-hours, CW, unassisted would show:

CATEGORY:                         SINGLE-OP ALL LOW CW
CATEGORY-ASSISTED:     UNASSISTED
CATEGORY-TIME:              12-HOURS

A multi-op Island Station may, for example, indicate:

CATEGORY:                          MULTI-OP ALL HIGH MIXED
CATEGORY-DXPEDITION:  EXPEDITION

8.3 Logs must show: Time, Callsign, Band, Mode, RST / serial number / IOTA reference sent, RST / serial number / IOTA reference received. Please ensure you send a single log in order of sent serial number. Do not send separate logs for each band. Logs from Island Stations must state their island name and IOTA reference number. The data in a Cabrillo log must be of the format:

QSO: 28024 CW 2003-07-26 1338 G3XTT         599  001 EU-005 ZS6EZ         599  018 ------  0
QSO: 21003 CW 2003-07-26 1341 G3XTT         599  002 EU-005 G4TSH         599  130 EU-005  1
QSO: 21002 CW 2003-07-26 1343 G3XTT         599  003 EU-005 5B4/G3UFY     599  036 AS-004  1

All entrants are encouraged to log the actual frequency, not just the band. Island Multi-operator entrants must also identify the transmitter on which the QSO is made -- in accordance with normal Cabrillo formats, this is shown by a numerical identifier (RUN station=0, MULTIPLIER station=1) on the right of the QSO line, after the received IOTA reference.

8.4 Entries must be emailed to the  and should be sent as a normal attachment to the e-mail. Send as an uncompressed file. Do NOT send more than one attachment. In the "subject" line of your e-mail message, please include your contest callsign. Please take a moment to check your log via a text editor before sending it, to avoid potential problems. You will receive an acknowledgement by e-mail within 24 hours, directing you to a Web page to complete the submission process, or advising you if there is any problem with your log. Further help on IOTA log submission is available by going to IOTA FAQs.  

8.5 The address for paper entries is RSGB IOTA Contest, Radio Society of Great Britain, 3 Abbey Court, Fraser Road, Priory Business Park, Bedford,  MK44 3WH, UK.

8.6 The closing date for all computer logs is 7 days after the contest, 7 August 2016 at 23:59:59 UTC. The closing date for paper logs is 14 days after the contest (14 August). By submitting your log entry, entrants give the RSGB permission to score, amend, publish, republish, print, and otherwise distribute (by any means including paper or electronic) the entry either in its original format, in any other suitable format with or without modifications or combined with the entries from other contestants for entry into the specific contest, other contests, or for other reasons including training, development and advancement of amateur radio.

8.7 Island Stations - By submitting a log for this contest you agree that the RSGB can automatically grant credit to IOTA participants' scores for claimed QSOs that reasonably match the data in your submission (this facility is included in the Next Generation IOTA Software).

8.8 Photographs of IOTA contest operations are very welcome and will be posted on the RSGB Contest Committee website or used in RadCom. Do not send these as part of your log submission, but mail them separately to the . There is also be an opportunity to upload photographs, YouTube clips and your location (by way of Google Earth) when you complete your log submission.

9. PENALTIES

Points may be deducted, or entrants disqualified, for violation of the rules or the spirit of the contest. This includes, for example, use of a third party to make contacts on a list or net, contacting CW stations on an SSB frequency or vice-versa, failing to observe appropriate contest-preferred band segments, or not giving the IOTA reference for every contact. The decision of the IOTA Contest Manager and RSGB Contests Committee is final in all matters of dispute.

10. AWARDS

Certificates will be awarded to leading stations in each category and section, and in each continent, according to number of entries. A large number of Awards and Trophies is now available, and new sponsors are always welcome.

11. SWL CONTEST

There is no longer an SWL section in the IOTA Contest, but the RADIOASCOLTO SWL CLUB runs an IOTA SWL Contest in parallel with the IOTA Contest. SWLs can find full details here: http://www.radioascolto.org/swl

12. NOTE FROM RSGB IOTA CONTEST MANAGER:

The IOTA Contest Manager can be reached via the contest website. IOTA Contest information, including rules, previous results, soapbox and photographs can be found on the RSGB Contest Committee Web site at www.rsgbcc.org Copies of the IOTA Directory, if required, can be purchased from the RSGB. A full list of IOTA islands, and other information relating to the IOTA program can be found on the RSGB IOTA Web Page .