[SD-User] IOTA Contest

[Paul O'Kane]

V15.15 is now on he website.  It tidies up a few loose
ends before the contest.

______________________________________________

  When you're operating from an island, your
  own IOTA Reference is shown underneath the
  serial on the logging line (in case you
  forget).

  It is now cleared any time the band/mode
  mult analysis appears.

  When you type an IOTA Reference in the
  callsign field, you get a corresponding
  band/mode analysis - with slots needed
  highlighted in blue.  This was broken in
  V15.14.  
____________________________________________


The IOTA Contest takes place from 12:00 UTC Saturday 24th
to 11:59 UTC Sunday 25th July, with CW, SSB and mixed-mode
categories on the 5 contest bands from 80m to 10m.

Rules at www.rsgbcc.org/hf/rules/2010/riota.shtml

  Select SD's "IOTA Contest" template.

Work everyone.  Exchange 59(9) + serial.  Island stations
add their IOTA reference and, in general, are worth 5
times as many points as non-island stations.

Mults are IOTA references, by band and by mode.

IOTA10.LST, included with V15.15, lists Callsigns and IOTA
references for announced island operations.  When you use
the LOAD command to load IOTA10, or add the contents to
your normal .LST file, SD pre-fills IOTA references on a
callsign match.

A few operating tips: -

If you want a high score, don't work non-island stations
in preference to island stations (the ones that give an
IOTA reference).  You'll get more points, and more mults,
by working island stations at 30 per hour rather than the
others at 150 per hour.  Of course, if you just want to
have fun, work all callers.

As you type callsigns, SD compares them, character by
character, with callsigns already logged.  When there
is a match, the band/mode analysis underneath the 
callsign changes according to whether it's an island
station.  If it is, band/mode multiplier slots needed
are highlighted in blue. If it's not an island station,
the band/mode slots needed are white (they can't be
multipliers).  In either case, band/mode slots worked
(including the current one) are black - so you can
thank the other station for 5 QSOs, or whatever, as
appropriate.

In the IOTA Reference field, SD pre-fills the prefix
for the continent.  When you hear EU005, all you have
to type is 5 - it is expanded when logged, and
compressed when editing.  If no reference is given,
simply press Enter to log the QSO with no reference,
there's no need to clear the continent prefix.

To see your multiplier status for any island, type
the reference in the callsign field - you don't need
leading zeros.  Type EU1 to see the band/mult slots
for EU001, add a 2 to see the slots for EU12 etc.
The ones needed are highlighted in blue - you'll
need V15.15 for this.  Use Esc to clear the field.

If you're operating CW, don't forget to update your
keyer memories (with Shift-F1 etc) before the contest.

Use SDCHECK to create your Cabrillo .LOG file, and send
it to iota.logs at rsgbhfcc.org.

Please mention SD in your soapbox comments, as this
encourages others to try it.

73,
Paul EI5DI