LET'S CONTEST / IOTA

Tue Jul 25 14:29:52 EDT 1995

George AA3JU wrote:

> Lets take and do a contest big time!  I propose the NJ QSO party ......

Don't wait until the NJQP. This weekend is the RSGB IOTA contest and below
is a copy of the full rules, which I posted some months ago on here. Note
also that you can send logs via email to Laurence G4HTD. Please include
all QSO data as specified in rule 8, plus a summary sheet. The address
is   laurence at lsil.com   or   laurence at lsi-logic.co.uk

Dave G4BUO

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Islands on the Air Contest Rules 1995

1.  General.  The aim of the contest is to promote contacts
between stations in qualifying IOTA island groups and the rest
of the world and to encourage expeditions to IOTA islands. UK
entrants must be RSGB members, see the general rules for HF
contests published in January 1995 Radio Communication. Note:
mainland G/GM/GW = EU005, mainland GI/EI = EU115.

2.  When.  1200 UTC Saturday 29th July to 1200 UTC Sunday 30th
July 1995.

3.  Bands and Modes.  3.5, 7, 14, 21 and 28MHz, CW and SSB. IARU
bandplans must be observed, and CW contacts must be made only in
the recognised CW ends of the bands. Contest preferred segments
must also be observed, i.e. no operation must take place on
3.56-3.6MHz, 3.65-3.7MHz, 14.06-14.125 and 14.3-14.35MHz.

4.  Categories.
(a) Single operator. CW only, SSB only or mixed-mode. (b) Single
operator limited. CW only, SSB only or mixed-mode. Operation is
limited to 12 hours, and contacts on any THREE bands count for
points. Off periods must be clearly marked and must be a minimum
of 60 minutes in length. (c) Multi operator single transmitter.
Mixed mode. Only one transmitted signal. Use of packet cluster
or other assistance during the contest places the entrant in the
multi operator category.

5.  Sections.
(a) IOTA Island Stations
Stations on an island with an IOTA reference, for example AS007,
EU005. This section includes the British Isles. Entrants
intending to operate from a location whose IOTA status is not
clear are advised to confirm validity by reference to the IOTA
directory available from RSGB headquarters. Please indicate on
the entry whether the station is permanent or a contest
DXpedition, i.e. antennas and equipment installed specifically
for the contest.

(b) World (listed by continent) Any station in a location which
does not have an IOTA reference.

(c) Short Wave Listener See rule 10. The format of the listings
will depend on the number of entries received.

6.  Exchange.  Send RS(T) and serial number starting from 001,
plus IOTA reference number if applicable. Do not use separate
numbering systems for CW and SSB. Stations may be contacted on
both CW and SSB on each band. Entrants in section (a) MUST send
their IOTA reference as part of each contact.

7.  Scoring.
(a) QSO Points
Each contact with an IOTA island counts 15 points. Other
contacts count 5 points, except contacts with the entrant's own
country or own IOTA reference, which count 2 points.
(b) Multiplier
The multiplier is the total of different IOTA references
contacted on each band on CW, plus the total of different IOTA
references contacted on each band on SSB.
(c) Total Score
The score is the total of QSO points on all bands added
together, multiplied by the total of multipliers.

8.  Logs.  UK stations must use a Summary Sheet and RSGB-style
log sheets, other entrants may use log sheets in local format,
together with a summary and signed declaration that the rules
and licence conditions have been complied with. Separate log
sheets must be used for each band (but not each mode). Single
mode entrants who make contacts on the other mode should submit
these separately as checklogs.

Logs must show: Time, Callsign, RST/serial number/IOTA reference
sent, RST/serial number/IOTA reference received, multiplier
claimed, and QSO points. Entrants are encouraged to submit
cross-check ("dupe") sheets and a multiplier list. Logs on
computer disk are welcomed, in accordance with RSGB format.
Entries must be postmarked 26 August at the latest, and mailed
to the following address: RSGB IOTA Contest, c/o S. Knowles
G3UFY, 77 Bensham Manor Road, Thornton Heath, Surrey, CR7 7AF,
England. IOTA stations must state their location, i.e. island
from where they operated, as well as their IOTA reference
number. Checklogs from non-entrants are welcome.

9.  Penalties.  Points may be deducted, or entrants
disqualified, for violation of the rules or the spirit of the
contest. This includes refusal by IOTA island stations to make
contacts with their own country when requested. Use of a third
party to make contacts on a list or net is also against the
spirit and may lead to disqualification. Duplicate contacts must
be marked as such with no points claimed. Unmarked duplicates
will be penalised at ten times the claimed points, and excessive
duplicates may cause disqualification.

10.  SWL Contest.  Scoring is as for the transmitting contest.
Logs must be separate for each band, and show Time, Callsign of
station heard, RST/serial number/IOTA reference sent, callsign
of station being worked, multiplier claimed, and QSO points.
Under "callsign of station being worked", there must be at least
two other QSOs before a callsign is repeated, or else ten
minutes must have elapsed. If both sides of a QSO can be heard,
they can be logged separately for points if appropriate.

11.  Awards.
(a) The IOTA Trophy (non-returnable) will be presented by the
IOTA Committee to the entrant, whether single-operator or a
multi-operator group in the IOTA Island Stations Section
(DXpedition subsection), with the overall highest checked score,
regardless of mode. A trophy will also be awarded to the leading
non-DXpedition IOTA entrant, and it is hoped to introduce
further trophies as the contest grows.

(b) The DX News Sheet Trophy (retained for one year only) will
be presented by the Editor of DX News Sheet to the British
entrant operating from a location in the UK (including GD, GJ
and GU) with the highest checked score in the single operator
SSB category, (Category A). The winner of the IOTA Trophy will
not be eligible for this award.

(c) The David King G3PFS Trophy, In Memory of Geoff Watts,
(retained for one year only) will be presented to the British
entrant operating from a location in the UK (including GD, GJ
and GU) with the highest checked score in the single operator
SSB category, (Category B). The winner of the IOTA Trophy will
not be eligible for this award.

(d) Certificates will be awarded to leading stations in each
category and section, and in each continent, according to entry.

12.  Note from the IOTA Director.
Amateurs planning to activate an all-time new one for IOTA over
the IOTA Contest weekend should, if possible, arrange to
commence their operation in the preceding 24 hours to enable the
new reference number to be issued before the start of the
contest. Once the contest is under way, it will not be possible
to issue a new number and, without this, contacts made will not
count as island contacts.

>From Larry Tyree <tree at cmicro.com>  Tue Jul 25 15:07:01 1995
From: Larry Tyree <tree at cmicro.com> (Larry Tyree)
Date: Tue, 25 Jul 1995 07:07:01 -0700
Subject: Old NCJ's
Message-ID: <199507251407.HAA21368 at cascade.cmicro.com>

There is a pile of old NCJs that are available at Portland Radio.
The ones that are over a year old are a buck!  They do shipping all
over the place.  

Their phone number is (503) 233-4904.  If for some reason they won't
handle your request, let me know and I can go get them for you.

Tree N6TR

>From Troy Majors <troy at southwind.net>  Tue Jul 25 16:43:04 1995
From: Troy Majors <troy at southwind.net> (Troy Majors)
Date: Tue, 25 Jul 1995 10:43:04 -0500 (CDT)
Subject: HELP WITH MY ADDICTION
Message-ID: <Pine.BSI.3.90.950725103559.728A-100000 at onyx.southwind.net>

A wire hooked in parallel off the computer speaker to an external
speaker gives ample volume on my rig -- I am using the Icom SP-7 
placed next to the monitor.  Headphones hooked directly to the
computer speaker will almost burst your eardrums but will work
if you put some attenuation in the line.

As to my RUFZ score here, I'm too embarassed to tell.

Troy WI0R  

On Mon, 24 Jul 1995 K1IU at ids.net wrote:

>                                           .... If anyone knows how to
> increase the volume on the computer speaker i would like to know about
> it. K1AR may turn 40 in 5 days but I'll be 50 in 8 days and need that extra
> volume. :-) I guess listening to cw for all these years has affected my
> hearing over time.
> 
>            73, Jeff Bouvier  k1iu at ids.net

>From ke7gh at primenet.com (Brian Short)  Tue Jul 25 17:06:11 1995
From: ke7gh at primenet.com (Brian Short) (Brian Short)
Date: Tue, 25 Jul 1995 16:06:11 +0000
Subject: LPT Port w/PTT Control, etc.
Message-ID: <199507251606.JAA00753 at mailhost.primenet.com>

Added PTT control per N6TR program.  Any other ideas?
73 de Brian

---------------------------------------------------------
LPT1 Pin Assignments

Pin 2......BAND DATA "A"
Pin 7......BAND DATA "B"
Pin 8......BAND DATA "C"
Pin 9......BAND DATA "D"

Pin 1......CW STROBE         -EMITTER of NPN
Pin 17.....CW SLCT           -thru 1k resistor to BASE
Pin 18.....GND               -to radio
                             -COLLECTOR to radio

Pin 3......DVK SWITCH #1
Pin 4......DVK SWITCH #2
Pin 5......DVK SWITCH #3
Pin 6......DVK SWITCH #4

Pin 11/25..GND

Pin 12.....DOT PADDLE^
Pin 13.....DASH PADDLE
Pin 14.....PULLUP THRU 10K TO 12/13

Pin 1......PTT STROBE@       -EMITTER of NPN
Pin 16.....PTT SLCT          -thru 1k resistor to BASE
Pin 18.....GND               -to radio
                             -COLLECTOR to radio

---------------------------------------------------------
LPT2 Pin Assignments

Pin 2......RADIO 1/2 SELECT

Pin 1......CW STROBE*
Pin 17.....CW SLCT
Pin 18.....GND

Pin 3......DVK SWITCH #1
Pin 4......DVK SWITCH #2
Pin 5......DVK SWITCH #3
Pin 6......DVK SWITCH #4

Pin 11/25..GND

Pin 12.....DOT PADDLE^
Pin 13.....DASH PADDLE
Pin 14.....PULLUP THRU 10K TO 12/13

Pin 1......PTT STROBE@
Pin 16.....PTT SLCT
Pin 18.....GND

---------------------------------------------------------
LPT3 Pin Assignments

Pin 1......CW STROBE*
Pin 17.....CW SLCT
Pin 18.....GND

Pin 3......DVK SWITCH #1
Pin 4......DVK SWITCH #2
Pin 5......DVK SWITCH #3
Pin 6......DVK SWITCH #4

Pin 11/25..GND

Pin 12.....DOT PADDLE^
Pin 13.....DASH PADDLE
Pin 14.....PULLUP THRU 10K TO 12/13

Pin 1......PTT STROBE@
Pin 16.....PTT SLCT
Pin 18.....GND

---------------------------------------------------------
Use the -AC option to get BAND DATA on LPT1 (only) for
use with Top Ten Decoder etc.

Radio 1/2 Select is always on LPT2.

CW Port and DVK Control are subject to software setup to
enable the outputs.

* See the LPT1 CW Port description above for details.
^ Pins 12/13/14 are used by N6TR etc for CW paddle support.
@ Pin 16 is used by N6TR for rig PTT control.  See LPT1.

---------------------------------------------------------