[CQ-Contest] Operating IOTA Contest Remotely

[Jeff Clarke]

/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