(Note: this email focuses on the IOTA award program, NOT the IOTA contest.)
The rule quoted is old. There was an update pushed in the past few months:
https://www.iota-world.org/info/directory/rules-en.pdf
The short version is:
* If you're an IOTA chaser, there are now restrictions on remote stations
counting for credit. Use of a network of remote stations (like RHR or BeLoud)
is not permitted for IOTA chasing credit.
* If you're an IOTA activator, similar rules apply. However, IOTA will grant
exceptions for RIB-style operations (quickly set up a station on shore, remote
control it from a boat offshore) if this is the only way government authorities
would permit an island group to be activated.
So, Radio in a Box activations are allowed IF all the operators are on a boat
offshore, if the island group is rare, and if IOTA agrees that's the only way
government agencies would agree to the activation.
Considering the nature of IOTA, where part of the challenge is someone
physically going to an island, the new rules on remote operating for the
activation makes sense.
The rules for chasing are not what I would have chosen....but I'm a believer of
"their program, their rules". And objectively, for an award or contest
organizer that rightly or wrongly wants to discourage geography-shopping and
the use of commercial remote stations, the rule adopted by IOTA seems like a
good balance between that and accepting the reality that some hams are limited
to remote operating (although it could be tweaked to allow remote control of
your home station while temporarily out of your home country).
One other nitpick -- it's no longer true that IOTA requires paper cards. They
now accept ClubLog and LOTW for award credit.
--
Michael Adams | mda@n1en.org
-----Original Message-----
From: CQ-Contest <cq-contest-bounces+mda=n1en.org@contesting.com> On Behalf Of
Jeff Clarke
Sent: Thursday, 27 July, 2023 00:27
To: CQ-Contest@contesting.com
Subject: [CQ-Contest] Operating IOTA Contest Remotely
/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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