[SD-User] IOTA Contest

[Paul O'Kane]

A reminder that the IOTA Contest takes place from 12:00 UTC
Saturday 26th to 11:59 UTC Sunday 27th July, with CW, SSB
and mixed-mode (for HP, LP and QRP) categories on the five
contest bands from 80m to 10m.

Rules at
http://www.rsgbcc.org/hf/rules/2014/riota.shtml

SD V17.40 is free from www.ei5di.com

  Select the "IOTA Contest" template.
  and set your starting mode to SSB or CW
  (not necessary with rig control enabled).

Work everyone.  Exchange Serials. Island stations
add their IOTA reference.  If you are operating from
an island, island stations are worth 3 times as many
points as non-island stations, otherwise they're worth
7.5 times as many points - 15 rather than 2.  It pays
to work islands!

Mults are IOTA references, by band and by mode.

V17.40 includes IOTA.LST, integrated with SD to pre-fill
island references (for announced 2014 operations) on a
callsign match.

IOTA operating tips: -

If you want to win, you need to work islands!

In the IOTA Reference field, SD pre-fills the continent
prefix corresponding to the callsign being logged.  To
log EU005, all you need to do is add/type 5 - the
reference is expanded when logged, and compressed when
editing.  If no reference is given, press Enter to log
the QSO - there's no need to clear the continent.

As you type prefixes, SD identifies the country, and
call area when appropriate, to display any corresponding
IOTA references - showing their worked/wanted status.

As you type callsigns, SD compares them, character by
character, with callsigns already logged.  On a match,
two thing happen.  The corresponding QSO total appears
to the right of the callsign - so you can thank the
other station for 4 QSOs, or whatever.  Secondly, a
band/mode analysis appears beneath the callsign.  If
it's an island station (with a known reference from
a previous QSO), band or mode multiplier slots needed
are highlighted in blue.  Otherwise, they appear in
white (can't be mults).  Band or mode slots already
worked, including the current one, are black - you see
instantly if it's worth trying to move the station to
another band or mode.

If you're operating CW, don't forget to update your
keyer memories (Shift-F2 etc) with your IOTA reference
before starting.

Use SDCHECK to create your Cabrillo .LOG file, and send
it to iota dot logs at rsgbcc dot org.  You'll get an
email within 24 hours directing you to a website to
validate your entry.

Please mention SD in your soapbox comments.

73,
Paul EI5DI