The RSGB IOTA Contest is the most popular contest in the RSGB HF Contests calendar, attracting entries from around the world.

Changes for 2017:
Removal of band change restrictions for Multi-ops.
Reduced log submission time.

Note - the HF Contest Committee are considering shortening the exchange for Island stations in the longer term.

IOTA refers to the RSGB "Islands on the Air" awards. A newcomers' guide to the system of IOTA references and to the IOTA Contest can be found at the IOTA Contest Information web page.

A beginners' guide to operating in the contest is here.

If you have any questions about these rules, please email hf.query@rsgbcc.org

The contest is open to all stations world-wide.

The term "UK&CD" means the United Kingdom and the Crown Dependencies, which are DXCC entities of England (G), Isle of Man (GD), Northern Ireland (GI), Jersey (GJ), Scotland (GM), Guernsey & Dependencies (GU) and Wales (GW).

Stations operating from a qualifying island are "Island Stations". They must make sure beforehand that the QTH from which they are operating is a valid island for IOTA purposes. This can be checked and Island References can be obtained here.

<>Stations not operating from a qualifying island are "World Stations".

Special Contest Callsigns or Club Callsigns may be used.

Remote operation is allowed only for World Stations where the remote station is in the same DX entity, and only after advance authorisation by the HFCC Chair.

4.1 CATEGORY -- LOCATION:

(i) "Island Station -- Fixed", a station operating from a qualifying IOTA island, explained in Rule 4(a).

(ii) "Island Station -- DXpedition", a station also operating from a qualifying IOTA island. In addition, 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. The majority of operators must also be non-resident on the island. And the operators must take all radio equipment and antennas with them, and must not rely on a resident or on any masts or towers already installed for any part of the station.

4.2 CATEGORY -- OPERATORS:

(i)  Single Operator Unassisted.

(ii) Single Operator Assisted

The Category Overlay - NEWCOMER is available to Single Operator entrants, where the operator was first licensed less than 3 years before the date of the contest.

In Single Operator categories, only one signal may be transmitted at any one time.

(iii) Island Multi-1. Island Stations only, 24-hour Mixed Mode only, High Power or Low Power only, Assisted only.

Island Multi-1 stations are restricted to a maximum of two transmitters, where the first station is the RUN station, labelled "0" in the Cabrillo log. The second is the MULTIPLIER station, labelled "1" in the Cabrillo log. The MULTIPLIER station is used to find and call other stations, but only if the station is a new multiplier. The MULTIPLIER station must not be used to solicit other contacts, e.g. by calling "CQ" or "QRZ?". Any non-multiplier QSOs made accidentally on the MULTIPLIER station must be logged, but will be scored as zero points.

(iv) Island Multi-2. Island Stations only, 24-hour Mixed-mode only, High Power or Low Power only, Assisted only.

Island Multi-2 stations may have 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 and to search for multipliers.

Island Multi-1 and Island Multi-2 entrants must include a full list of operators with their entry in the Cabrillo OPERATORS section.

There are no World Station Multi-Operator categories.

4.3 CATEGORY -- MODE:

CW
SSB
Mixed-Mode. Multi-Operator entries must be Mixed-Mode.

4.4 CATEGORY -- OPERATING TIME:

24 hours. Multi-Operator entries must be 24 hours.
12 hours. In the 12-hour category, 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.

4.5 CATEGORY -- POWER:

High Power -- maximum licensed power, but no more than 1500W output. Multi-Operator entries are considered High Power.
Low Power -- maximum 100W output.
QRP -- maximum 5W output.

Any station not indicating transmitter power will be classified as High Power.

World Stations send RS(T) and serial number starting from 1, for example:
599 254

Island Stations send RS(T) and serial number starting from 1, plus their IOTA Reference, for example:
59 378 EU115

If you are not sent a serial number, log a zero.

Mixed-Mode entrants may contact stations on both CW and SSB on each band. Do not use separate numbering systems for CW and SSB.

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 should announce their IOTA Reference during CQ calls so that other stations can check for Dupes before replying.

Island Stations contacting
World Stations: 5 points.
Island Stations having the same IOTA reference : 5 points.
other Island Stations: 15 points.

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

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.

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