RSGBIOTA.org - News

Address Problems

G3KMA — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 12:01:44 +0100

For the time being please use IOTA_hq@rsgb.org.uk instead of IOTA.hq@rsgb.org.uk in mail to HQ. We have found that emails addressed to IOTA.hq@rsgb.org.uk have, possibly over a period of time, not been received at HQ. We are investigating and hope to revert to the original address shortly if possible. G3KMA's personal website has similarly suffered a server problem and is out of action at the moment. We hope normal service will be resumed soon.

2009 Honour Roll and Annual Listings

G3KMA — Sun, 17 May 2009 16:15:06 +0100

The 2009 Honour Roll and other annual listings have been uploaded to the website. See the Programme Information screen. The last date for emailing submissions and forwarding cards to checkpoints for the 2010 performance tables has been brought forward one day to 31 January 2010. Only scores that have been updated since February 2005 will be shown.

A New IOTA Directory

G3KMA — Wed, 06 May 2009 19:34:09 +0100

A new edition of the IOTA Directory celebrating 45 years of IOTA has been published and is available from RSGB HQ (see www.rsgbshop.org or telephone Sales at +44 (0)1234 832700). This 128 page edition features an historical review, the current year's Honour Roll and other performance tables, the latest IOTA island listings, DXpedition stories, the Most Wanted List, and articles on how to get started in IOTA. It is a 'must have' for anyone seriously interested in the programme.

Resumption of service from RSGB HQ

G3KMA — Wed, 06 May 2009 15:35:34 +0100

The RSGB reports a resumption of service to the IOTA community with immediate effect. The new IOTA Coordinator is Carlos Eavis, G3VHF. Outstanding Plaques and Trophies will be in the post in the next few days.

IOTA Contest 2008 Credits

M0BLF — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 08:05:17 +0100

We are pleased to announce that we can now accept QSOs made in the 2008 IOTA contest for credit without QSL Cards.

Interruption of service from RSGB HQ

G3KMA — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 11:53:55 +0100

The RSGB regrets that as the result of the sudden resignation of the IOTA Coordinator at HQ there will be an interruption in its service to the IOTA community pending the filling of the post. This means that there will be a delay, possibly as long as a month, in the issue of certificates, Plaques and Trophies and in the handling of emails addressed to iota.hq@rsgb.org.uk. A notice will be posted when normal service resumes.

Jim Smith VK9NS SK

G3KMA — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 00:38:09 +0000

It is with much sadness that we heard of the passing of Jim Smith on 10 February 2009 after a short illness. Jim was well known to DXers on the bands particularly in the 1970s through to the 1990s, operating first as P29JS and then, when he set up home on Norfolk Island, as VK9NS. During these decades he activated a string of very rare, mainly Pacific, islands including Heard Island in February 1983 as VK0JS. Any serious DXer at that time cannot fail to have worked him from one or more of these locations and many will have experienced his help on the 14220 DX net he ran for countless years. Much will be written elsewhere about his service to the amateur community. I want to say how much we appreciated his support of the IOTA Programme and his help as Pacific area IOTA checkpoint for some 15 years. His eagerness to work the latest IOTA operation from his remote outpost in the Pacific will be long remembered as will the surprise felt by the island operators when they heard Norfolk Island calling. Jim was a "true blue" amateur who through his dedication to the hobby and friendship and help to those who shared his passion became for many an icon. He will be sadly missed by his many friends around the world and not least by those who met him at conventions both in the UK and elsewhere. Our condolencies go out to his wife Kirsti (VK9NL) and his four children, Bruce (G3HSR), Stuart, Sheena and Fraser.

2009 Honour Roll and Annual Listings Deadline

G3ZAY — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 17:25:51 +0000

It is the time of year when the deadline for the 2009 Honour Roll and Annual Listing looms large. Applications or updates submitted online on or before 1 February 2009 will count for the 2009 tables so long as the supporting cards sent to checkpoints are postmarked no later than that date. Updates postmarked after 1 February will be processed in the normal way but scores will be held over to a later listing.

Some people have asked when they will be able to claim credit online for QSOs made in the 2008 IOTA Contest. We will announce this on the site as soon as we can but, at the time of writing, the software team have still to receive the final adjudicated data from the contest committee. Then they will have to perform some additional checks on the data, and possibly modify the code that matches claimed QSOs to the database. This is likely to take until Easter 2009.

IOTA Listings released

M0BLF — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 16:15:49 +0100

As was announced at the RSGB HF and IOTA Convention, we are pleased to inform the IOTA Community that the IOTA Listings (the lists of islands, groups and their reference numbers) are now publicly available for the first time. We hope that this will be of particular interest to authors of logging software. You will find the files, and information about how to use them, at http://www.rsgbiota.org/api/public/listings.

Add QSOs page upgrade

M0BLF — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 09:33:06 +0100

A minor software upgrade has been made to the page used by applicants to add QSO information via the web-form. Most users will see little change, since the upgrade mainly 'tidies-up' some of the software code. If you have German set as your preferred language, however, you will now see this page in German (Translation TNX DK1RV) and Italian users will see error and warning messages reported by this page in Italian (Translation TNX IK1ADH). We plan to add support for other languages gradually but please bear with us as it is a time-consuming process.

Vacancy for IOTA Checkpoint Filled

G3KMA — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 19:30:28 +0100

We are very pleased to be able to announce the appointment of a new checkpoint for the West Pacific area to take over from Jim Smith, VK9NS. Roger Conway, VK2RO has agreed to fill this post with immediate effect. He will cover the same countries as did Jim previously, namely Australia, Indonesia, New Zealand, the Philippines and Pacific islands (excluding French and US territories). Roger's address is Roger Conway, VK2RO, 156 Racecourse Road, Tocumwal, NSW 2714, Australia. We welcome him on to the team.

IOTA Contest 2008

M0BLF — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 13:23:41 +0100

The IOTA Contest takes place from 12:00 UTC on 26th July for 24 hours. Please note that the contest is organised by the RSGB's Contest Committee, not by the IOTA Committee. The contest rules can be found at iotacontest.com.
IOTA Award chasers are reminded that it will be possible to claim credit for QSOs that you make during the contest without a QSL card after the contest results have been published, but only if you enter using your normal personal callsign (not a contest call), and your entry is a single-operator entry (except clubs).
During the contest weekend, we would like to ask users to please avoid adding QSOs to your records and submitting claims. This is to enable the site to run as quickly as possible for contesters wishing to search for information on the site. Thank you for your cooperation and good luck in the contest.

Vacancy for IOTA Checkpoint

G3KMA — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 12:09:34 +0100

Jim Smith VK9NS has informed the IOTA Committee that he wishes to relinquish the post of IOTA Checkpoint for the West Pacific area as soon as a replacement can be appointed. The Committee considers that the new checkpoint should be resident preferably on the Australian mainland, have a registered score on the IOTA database and be conversant with and be prepared to work within the programme's rules. As IOTA application is now an on-line process, would-be applicants for this volunteer post should understand that the task does not just involve checking of cards but requires a reasonable level of competence in computer skills and above average attention to detail. If you think you are qualified and wish to take it on, please apply to g3kma@dsl.pipex.com by 10 July 2008. We would like to thank Jim for all his service and strong support of IOTA over the last 10 or more years.

Postal awards delayed

M0BLF — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 21:22:51 +0100

Please note that requests for certificates and other awards to be sent by post are being delayed because the RSGB headquarters is relocating. We hope that they will be mailed in the next few weeks. Electronic certificates are, of course, unaffected.

The Passing of a Remaining Link with IOTA 1964

G3KMA — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 15:18:25 +0100

I heard this morning with sadness that Bill Hall, G8JM passed away last Sunday, 6 April 2008. Bill was active in the IOTA Programme from its inception in 1964 until around 2001. He was the FIRST AMATEUR to receive the IOTA 100 Islands Certificate on 14 August 1966. He was not the first recipient - Geoff Watts issued No. 1 the same day to a Swedish SWL. Between 1966 and 1969 Bill received either No. 1 or No. 2 of seven other IOTA certificates. This demonstrated his commitment to Geoff's new and exciting initiative. Remember, in those days everything was down to one's own efforts - there was no Internet, no DX Cluster, no IOTA support group or net and IOTA orientated DXpeditions were almost non-existent. In 1997 Bill received IOTA's 750 Islands Plaque of Excellence No. 59. G8JM was a part of IOTA's early history who will be sadly missed.

IOTA Contest 2007 QSOs

M0BLF — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 19:32:03 +0100

We have now investigated the reported bug and identified the problem, so we are now permitting credits from the contest data for the 2007 contest again. If you have already claimed contest 2007 QSOs, you will not have lost any of your credits, but if you upload your cabrillo file again, you might find that you have some more available now.