Islands On The Air Programme

RSGB ISLANDS ON THE AIR PROGRAMME

THE RULES

A

THE AWARDS

Currently 18 separate awards are available, each of which is issued on presentation of satisfactory evidence of contact with, or, for SWLs, reception of, the required number of licensed amateur stations operating from islands or island groups listed in the IOTA Directory. These are

• IOTA 100 ISLANDS OF THE WORLD
• IOTA 200 ISLANDS OF THE WORLD
• IOTA 300 ISLANDS OF THE WORLD
• IOTA 400 ISLANDS OF THE WORLD
• IOTA 500 ISLANDS OF THE WORLD
• IOTA 600 ISLANDS OF THE WORLD
• IOTA 700 ISLANDS OF THE WORLD
• IOTA AFRICA
• IOTA ANTARCTICA
• IOTA ASIA
• IOTA EUROPE
• IOTA NORTH AMERICA
• IOTA OCEANIA
• IOTA SOUTH AMERICA
• IOTA ARCTIC ISLANDS
• IOTA BRITISH ISLES
• IOTA WEST INDIES
• IOTA WORLD DIPLOMA

  To signify the highest level of achievement, a Plaque of Excellence is available to participants who provide evidence of contact with at least 750 islands or island groups listed in the IOTA Directory.

B

THE DIRECTORY

B.1

REGIONAL DEFINITIONS

The Directory is divided into 7 regional sections covering Europe, Africa, Antarctica, Asia, North America, Oceania and South America. Most boundaries are as indicated on the Radio Amateurs' Prefix Map of the World and in the Radio Amateurs' World Atlas, both published by Radio Amateur Callbook in the USA. The boundary of Antarctica follows the Antarctic Convergence Line. The Directory also indicates separately islands or island groups which count for the Arctic Islands, British Isles & West Indies awards. The definition of the Arctic is that area of the Northern Hemisphere which lies north of the tree-line, not the Arctic Circle.

B.2

THE ISLANDS

The Directory lists the islands/groups by country, generally in accordance with the DXCC list. It includes all or at least 99.9% of the oceans' islands appearing on a scale map of 1:1,000,000 or 16 statute miles to the inch. Most islands are not listed separately. Grouping has been found necessary to limit the size of the Directory list and to prevent the IOTA 'total' becoming an unmanageable figure. However the 30 or so largest islands in the world with a size of 25,000 square miles (65,000 square kilometres) or more all count separately as do island DXCC countries and many other single islands which do not fall naturally into wider groupings. Very many of the entries are recognised island groups which appear on most good atlases. A novel feature of the Directory is the way that the islands lying along the coastlines of the world's continents are covered. For the sake of completeness all such coastlines have been divided into sectors which have been listed as potential groups whether or not they contain islands which meet minimum qualifications for counting (see Section E).

B.3

ISLAND REFERENCE NUMBERS

Each qualifying island/group activated since 15 November 1945, for which evidence of contact has been provided to the IOTA Committee by a transmitting award applicant or holder, has been given an individual IOTA Reference Number (No). Such numbers, eg EU-001 for the Dodecanese Is, are often quoted on the air or on QSL cards. Some 890 islands/groups now have Reference Nos and more are being added to the list. Groups which have yet to be activated have been included in the Directory without a number to provide a guide to enterprising DXpeditioners around the world. It follows from paragraph B.2 that some coastal groups listed can never, in the absence of qualifying islands, be activated.

C

AWARD REQUIREMENTS

C.1

THE APPLICANT

(C.1.1) He/she should be either a licensed radio amateur or an SWL.

(C.1.2) He/she must, if applying from the UK, Channel Is or the Isle of Man, be a member of the RSGB and, as proof of membership, provide a recent address label from Radio Communication. Claimants from elsewhere need not be RSGB members.

C.2

THE NUMBER OF CONTACTS REQUIRED

(C.2.1) The IOTA 100 Islands of the World is the basic award and the place to start. This requires proof of contact with at least 100 islands/groups with different Reference Nos in the Directory. At least one contact should be with each of the seven continents.

(C.2.2) The IOTA 200, 300, 400, 500, 600 and 700 Islands awards are for 200, 300, 400, 500, 600 and 700 confirmed contacts.

(C.2.3) Each continental award is for contacting 75% of the numbered islands/groups in that continent OR, alternatively, 75 islands/groups whichever is the less.

(C.2.4) The IOTA Arctic Islands, British Isles and West Indies awards are for contacting 75% of the numbered islands/groups in those areas. The relevant numbered/unnumbered islands/groups are marked by an 'A', 'B' or 'W' as appropriate on the continental pages.

(C.2.5) The IOTA World Diploma is for contacting 50% of the numbered islands/groups OR, alternatively, 50 islands/groups, whichever is the less, in each of the 7 continents.

(C.2.6) The Plaque of Excellence is for contacting at least 750 numbered islands/groups. Shields for attachment to the Plaque are available for contacting 775, 800, 825, 850, 875, 900, 925, 950 and 975 islands/groups.

In all cases, if the qualifying percentage figure works out as a fractional number, round the fraction down to the nearest whole number.

Remember, only one confirmed contact counts for credit for each IOTA Reference No. QSLs from different islands with the same Reference No do not count separately.

C.3

THE TYPE OF CONTACTS

(C.3.1) All contacts must be made by the applicant from the same DXCC country using a callsign or callsigns issued personally to him/her by the licensing authority.

(C.3.2) All contacts must be made with licensed amateur stations.

(C.3.3) All contacts must have taken place since 15 November 1945.

(C.3.4) All contacts must be made on the 1.8, 3.5, 7, 10, 14, 18, 21, 24 or 28MHz bands.

(C.3.5) Contacts may be made from any location in the same DXCC country, including while the operator is land mobile.

(C.3.6) Contacts with land mobile stations on islands will be accepted if the exact location is clearly stated on the QSL card.

(C.3.7) Contacts with maritime mobile stations near islands, whether or not they operate with a /MM callsign, will not be accepted. This applies also to stations on board boat in harbour, except that credit may be given if an essential part of the station, eg the transceiver or antenna or power supply, is shown to have been on shore.

(C.3.8) Credit will be given for contacts made entirely on a single mode of transmission or on a combination of modes. Certificate endorsements for single mode, and/or single band, transmission may be made on the submission of cards clearly confirming the mode or frequency, but the request must be made at the time of the first submission. Only one record is maintained per applicant, so, if he/she chooses a particular mode or band, updates will only be accepted on the same basis. Credit will not be given for cross-mode, cross-band or satellite-aided contacts.

C.4

THE QSL CARDS

(C.4.1) QSL cards submitted must confirm two way radio contacts made personally by the applicant (holder of the callsign) from the same DXCC country. No apology for repeating this!

(C.4.2) QSL cards submitted should bear an island/group name or other indication of an island QTH such as the name of a town or, in Antarctica, a base. WARNING: DO NOT YOURSELF TYPE OR WRITE ON ANY QSL THE ISLAND/GROUP NAME, OR AMEND THE CARD IN ANY WAY as this may lead to rejection of the QSL or, where deception is suspected, to your disqualification from the award programme.

(C.4.3) Wherever possible, submit QSL cards with PRINTED IOTA Reference Nos. Where this is not possible, submit QSL cards with, at least, PRINTED callsigns and island/group names.

(C.4.4) Cards with a hand-written or type-written or rubber-stamped callsign or island/group name may be accepted exceptionally if they are supported by:

• mention of the activity in DXNS at the time (give the DXNS issue number), and/or
• receipt by the IOTA Committee of similar QSLs from other applicants,

(C.4.5) Photocopies of QSL cards are not acceptable for credit.

Applicants should realise that on occasions the checkers will have no option but to reject cards pending the receipt of more information. In such cases a letter from the island operator giving the dates of the operation may provide the only acceptable solution it will normally be for the applicant to obtain this.

C.5

HOW TO APPLY

(C.5.1) First, decide whether you plan to submit your application on a computer disk or on paper. If you choose a computer disk, you will need to obtain the IOTA MEMBERS APPLICATION DISK (IOTAMEM for short). If you choose to submit your application on paper, you will need to complete both parts of the IOTA MEMBERS APPLICATION FORM at Annex A.

(C.5.2) Start with the basic IOTA 100 Islands of the World award. It is best to send a minimum of 120 cards in case any are rejected. There is no upper limit the extras will be credited to your score shown in the Annual Listing (see Section D). Include at least one QSL from all seven continents.

(C.5.3) If you use an IOTAMEM, follow the instructions given with the disk to prepare your application. In addition you will need to complete Part 1 of the IOTA MEMBERS APPLICATION FORM (Annex A).

(C.5.1) If you choose to submit a paper application on an IOTA MEMBERS APPLICATION FORM (Annex A), first arrange the cards numerically by IOTA Reference No, by continent in the following order: EU-AF-AN-AS-NA-OC-SA. Use the Short Title IOTA Reference No List at Annex D to get it right it will save a lot of time. Then list the callsigns in this order on Part 2 of the form. The entries should be TYPED or clearly PRINTED. Give the precise island name as recorded on the card. Take the group name either from the card or from the Directory list, abbreviating as necessary. See sample entries below.

(C.5.5) If you prefer to submit your own computer produced listing, you may do so - a single column of callsigns instead of a double column is acceptable.

(C.5.6) List all callsigns in exactly the form shown on the QSL - include /A, /P or /xxx as appropriate, and in particular do NOT change callsign/xxx into xxx/callsign.

(C.5.7) Check your application before despatch for callsign and IOTA Reference No errors. It will be rejected if it contains more than 5% careless or avoidable errors or does not otherwise follow these instructions.

(C.5.8) Do not include 'doubtful' cards for which you are unclear of the group as this can delay processing of your application. Please try to find out the answers yourself by checking a good atlas or map or by asking another island chaser.

(C.5.9) Before despatch check that your application includes a completed and signed Part 1 of the IOTA MEMBERS APPLICATION FORM. Then, when ready, send the application to your Checkpoint together with the QSL cards and appropriate fees, not forgetting return postage for the cards and disk, if it is a disk application.

(C.5.10) When applying for additional certificates, follow the same procedures but do not include calls already credited. You may at any time change from using a paper application to using an IOTAMEM.

(C.5.11) Keep your own record of credits gained. A record of all QSLs accepted is maintained on computer at IOTA Headquarters. Applicants using the IOTA Members Application Disk will receive a full listing of their credits, free of charge, on the disk when it is returned. All other applicants will receive a paper Record Sheet on their initial application for the IOTA-100 Islands certificate. Thereafter, they will receive a Record Sheet, on request, if they pay:

• a minimum administration fee of UK£6 or US$10 or 16 IRCs before applying the discount (see paragraphs C.6.2 & C.6.3), in which case it will be provided free, or
• a Record Sheet fee of UK£2 or US$3 or 5 IRCs.

** Note that the Annexes are not available on the Web. They can be found in the available in the IOTA Directory and Yearbook.

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