/So is the "Radio in a Box" on island with the operators operating
remotely less than a km off shore a valid IOTA operation? Sounds like if
the operator remotes in from around the world using the boat floating
offshore as the gateway, that wouldn't count. So was the whole recent
RIB Dxpedition not allowed for IOTA credit? Ed N1UR///
Ed,
I found this in the IOTA program rules
/B.3.7 Contacts made using a radio, Internet or non-wire direct link
from a land-to a sea-based station or from a sea-to a land-based station
to facilitate or enhance signal transmission or reception will not count.//////B.3.8 Remote operation is defined as where the link between the base
station and the remote may be by radio, internet or other means.//////•As the IOTA chaser (i.e. the applicant registered at IOTA with a
personal profile): Contacts made by the applicant using a single remote
receiving and transmitting site will be accepted for IOTA credit if the
remote site is land-based, not located more than 500 kilometers (310
statute miles) from the applicant’s location and / or land-based base
station and is nominated as being in use, even if only occasionally, on
the applicant’s personal profile. The base station may be the
applicant’s home station if he / she is temporarily away from home and
remoting it. The applicant, base station and the remote site must all be
located within the same DXCC entity. Use of more than one remote site or
a network using multiple remote sites to make contact will not be
accepted for credit. Contacts between fully automated remotes at both or
either end of a path will similarly not receive credit./////
Personally I think the IOTA program is behind the times. For confirmations I
think they still require paper QSL cards that have the information printed on
them. When someone sends me a QSL wanting a confirmation I usually take my home
QSL and print (using printer) the IOTA info on the back. You can't just write
the information on the card. Also, I don't believe there isn't a way to
electronically submit a confirmation for their awards. Personally I'm not an
avid IOTA chaser. I just operate the IOTA Contest for the rush of a pileup like
I do when I go roving in a QSO Party.
I've also never really understood their criteria for what counts as an island.
During the Summer my wife and I take a vacation the the Georgia coast. I
usually schedule that during the IOTA Contest weekend. I just play around using
my mobile setup in the car to activate NA-058. I believe I'm the only station
on from that island group. We usually go to either Jekyll or St Simon's Island.
What's strange is those two islands count for IOTA but several of the coastal
islands around Savannah,GA don't count. A good example is Tybee Island. Jekyll,
St Simon's and Tybee are all separated from the Georgia coast by the
Intercoastal waterway. But for some reason Tybee Island doesn't count for IOTA
but the other two I mentioned do.
EI5DI made a comment that operating a station remotely isn't really ham radio.
That's just not true. The only thing that's at my station is the logging
program and interface to control the remote station. All the radios, antennas
etc.. are located at the physical station location I'm operating. If you think
about it this is really no different then you operating your station at home
with all everything hard wired. I'm just doing it wirelessly thru an internet
connection.
Like K9YC said Bonaire isn't a rare island. My friend PJ4DX will probably be on
in the contest on SSB. I just want to operate from there remotely because the
contest is much more fun when you're on an island.
Jeff
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