RSGB IOTA AWARDS FOR THE CALENDAR YEAR 1998 BACKGROUND Malcolm Johnson, VK6LC has very generously presented five beautiful pearl shell trophies to the IOTA Committee. Each is mounted on a red hardwood 'Jarrah base' and bears an inscription on a metal plate to the effect that it is an original pearl shell from the Lacepede Channel, north western Australia, donated in "appreciation of outstanding DXpedition support to VK6ISL OC-214 Indian Ocean May 1996". The occasion for the presentation was the Gala Dinner at the IOTA 98 Convention in Las Palmas (Canary Islands) last April. At Mal's request the Committee awarded one of these pearl trophies to his long time QSL Manager and President of the Diamond DX Club, Giovanni Varetto, I1HYW and a second to David Bamford, VK6DLB, his companion who displayed much courage and support at difficult times on more than one of his DXpeditions. . The three remaining trophies will be awarded annually to DXpeditions which are judged to have excelled all others in the year in question. There are two categories, the Most Courageous IOTA DXpedition and the Most Outstanding DXpedition of the Year. In the latter category there are two trophies, one for expeditions in Europe, Africa and Asia and the other for expeditions in North and South America and Oceania. The Committee has taken the view that the principal contenders will be first time operations from new groups during the year and operations from very rare already numbered groups. This however is only a guide and other deserving cases will be considered. Suggestions are given below. The Committee has decided to give the IOTA community the opportunity to indicate their preferences for the operations which they feel deserve to win recognition in this way. This will be done by a vote organised each year. While it will have the final decision, the Committee will normally be guided by the result of a free and fair vote. Considerable thanks are due to Malcolm, VK6LC for his outstanding generosity. Given the superb nature of the gift the Committee has had to give careful consideration on how to proceed. In the event it decided that these original trophies should be kept in London and not exposed to the risks of damage or worse by being sent overseas. Victor Rusinov, UT8LL, a long term supporter of IOTA, has stepped in and offered to fund the purchase by the IOTA Committee of replica trophies of high quality to be given annual winners for retention. Such was the scale of Victor's generosity that the Committee will be able to continue this arrangement well into the future. The Committee is indeed grateful to these two IOTA enthusiasts. ELIGIBILITY TO VOTE All IOTA enthusiasts are entitled to vote. Each enthusiast has three votes, one in each category. Each person voting must give his/her callsign. The way the vote is cast will be kept confidential. No special application forms are required though a suitable one may be found on this web-site. All votes must be received by the IOTA Co-ordinator, RSGB IOTA Programme, PO Box 9, Potters Bar, Herts EN6 3RH, England by midday 1 July 1999, or preferably by e-mail to IOTA.VOTE@RSGB.ORG.UK ANNOUNCEMENT OF RESULTS The results will be announced at the RSGB HF and IOTA Convention at Windsor over the weekend 8 - 10 October 1999 and published immediately thereafter on the RSGB website and other IOTA internet sites. NOMINATION/VOTING FORM CALLSIGN E-MAIL ADDRESS NOMINATION FOR MOST COURAGEOUS EXPEDITION OF 1998 COMMENTS NOMINATION FOR MOST OUTSTANDING DXPEDITION OF 1998 IN AFRICA / ASIA / EUROPE COMMENTS NOMINATION FOR MOST OUTSTANDING DXPEDITION OF 1998 IN NORTH AND SOUTH AMERICA AND OCEANIA COMMENTS The Committee welcomes comments in support of your nominations; these comments will aid the evaluation process. The Committee has published a list of suggestions for winners in each category which is based on validations received for new and rare IOTA groups but votes may be cast for any expedition during the 1998 calendar year. E-Mail to IOTA.VOTE@RSGB.ORG.UK Suggestions for the most Courageous IOTA DXpedition of the Year V5/DK6AO AF-070 Penguin Island August 1998 ZS26BI AF-079 Bird Island March 1998 6M5DX, D98TOK AS-045 Tokdo Island July/August 1998 XUX0 AS-133 Koh Poah Island February 1998 BI3H AS-134 Shijiutuo Island April 1998 BI4Q AS-135 Ping Island June 1998 BI4C AS-136 Changxing Island July 1998 BI5Z AS-137 Zhoushan Island July 1998 BI5P AS-138 Pingtan Island August 1998 BI7W AS-139 Weizhou Island August 1998 RA1QQ/1 EU-160 Korga Island July 1998 ZA0IS EU-169 Sazan Island September 1998 ZA0B EU-169 Sazan Island September 1998 KL7/W6IXP NA-150 Little Diomede Island July/August 1998 VE8C NA-173 Charlton Island August 1998 N6VV/P NA-184 St George Reef October 1998 H75A NA-209 Venado Island May 1998 KL7/K6ST NA-210 Sledge Island July 1998 W5BOS/7 NA-211 Tillamook Rock September 1998 H76C NA-212 Cardon Island October 1998 H40AB OC-065 Pigeon Island April 1998 ZK1SCQ, ZK1SCR OC-159 Mangaia Island August 1998 V85QQ OC-184 Muara Besar Island November 1998 4H8TI OC-225 Taganak Island April 1998 V63RL/P OC-226 Mwokil Atoll June 1998 HK3JJH/0M SA-007 Malpelo Island April 1998 LU5DV/D &others SA-021 Bermejo Island December 1998 PQ8MM/P,PQ8VA/P SA-045 Maraca Island February 1998 CE1LDS/2 SA-086 Damas Island June 1998 Suggestions for the most Outstanding IOTA DXpedition of the Year (Africa, Asia and Europe) V5/DK6AO AF-070 Penguin Island August 1998 ZS26BI AF-079 Bird Island March 1998 6M5DX, D98TOK AS-045 Tokdo Island July/August 1998 XUX0 AS-133 Koh Poah Island February 1998 BI3H AS-134 Shijiutuo Island April 1998 BI4Q AS-135 Ping Island June 1998 BI4C AS-136 Changxing Island July 1998 BI5Z AS-137 Zhoushan Island July 1998 BI5P AS-138 Pingtan Island August 1998 BI7W AS-139 Weizhou Island August 1998 RA1QQ/1 EU-160 Korga Island July 1998 ZA0IS EU-169 Sazan Island September 1998 ZA0B EU-169 Sazan Island September 1998 Suggestions for the most Outstanding IOTA DXpedition of the Year (North & South America and Oceania) KL7/W6IXP NA-150 Little Diomede Island July/August 1998 VE8C NA-173 Charlton Island August 1998 N6VV/P NA-184 St George Reef October 1998 H75A NA-209 Venado Island May 1998 KL7/K6ST NA-210 Sledge Island July 1998 W5BOS/7 NA-211 Tillamook Rock September 1998 H76C NA-212 Cardon Island October 1998 H40AB OC-065 Pigeon Island April 1998 ZK1SCQ, ZK1SCR OC-159 Mangaia Island August 1998 V85QQ OC-184 Muara Besar Island November 1998 4H8TI OC-225 Taganak Island April 1998 V63RL/P OC-226 Mwokil Atoll June 1998 HK3JJH/0M SA-007 Malpelo Island April 1998 LU5DV/D &others SA-021 Bermejo Island December 1998 PQ8MM/P,PQ8VA/P SA-045 Maraca Island February 1998 CE1LDS/2 SA-086 Damas Island June 1998