IOTA notice [January 97]

                  >>> PROVISIONAL IOTA REFERENCE NUMBERS <<<

Just a  reminder -  the following  IOTA Reference  Numbers have  been  issued
provisionally (Prov) and still need to be confirmed: 

AF-076 (Prov) 5N4  Gulf of  Guinea group  (operations  by 5N4ALE  from  Bonny
                   Island)

AS-125 (Prov) HS   Gulf of  Thailand North  East group  (operations by  HS50A
                   from Koh Chang)

OC-217 (Prov) YB3  Kangean Is (operations by YB3SPS/P)

OC-218 (Prov) FK   Matthew Island (operations by FK5M)

Checkpoints are not authorised to accept for IOTA credit QSL cards confirming
contacts made with islands/groups whose Reference Numbers have been issued on
a provisional basis.

Mauro Pregliasco, I1JQJ
RSGB IOTA Committee Member (Europe)


Mauro Pregliasco, I1JQJ/KB2TJM
425 DX News Editor
E-mail: i1jqj@amsat.org


           >>> NEWS FROM THE RSGB IOTA COMMITTEE [2/97] <<<

NEW CHECKPOINT
The RSGB  IOTA Committee  is  happy to  announce  the following  new  Country
Assistant and Checkpoint appointments for Brazil and South America:
*  Helio Carlota,  PY2DBU, as  the Checkpoint  for Brazil  and South  America
   (excluding French Guiana),
*  Ronaldo Bastos Reis, PS7AB, as Country Assistant for Brazil,
*  Pedro Sirzanink, PP5SZ, as Country Assistant for South America  (excluding
   French Guiana).
PS7AB and PP5SZ will act as Assistant Checkpoints when necessary.
These new checkpoint arrangements,  which have the  support of the  Brazilian
National Society LABRE, took effect on 1 January 1997.


FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION TO VK6LC'S LACEPEDE IS OPERATION OC-214
" [...]  When  a group  or  an individual  go  out of  their  way to  make  a
collection for a DXpedition without any thought of benefit to themselves,  it
deserves to be  recorded and publicised.  This happened  in the  case of  Mal
Johnson VK6LC's operation  from the remote  Lacepede Is in  May 1996  signing
VK6ISL. DXNS 1704 [as well  as 425DXN 249,  ed.] carried a  note at the  time
that the Diamond DX Club (DDXC) had decided to try and raise US$1000 for  Mal
towards the projected cost of US$5000  for this IOTA New  One. Thanks to  the
tireless efforts of Gianni Varetto, I1HYW, this target was well exceeded, the
amount collected  reaching,  with  a US$260  contribution  from  the  USA,  a
handsome US$1921! This was a tremendous, and extraordinary, gesture on behalf
of an operator who has over  recent years activated many  new IOTA groups  in
Australia at  considerable cost  to himself.  Needless to  say, Mal  is  very
grateful. Hearty congratulations to Gianni and  the Diamonds. (This is  quite
separate from a donation of 450 pounds  made by the IOTA Committee, with  the
assistance of a collection at the Windsor HF Convention, towards the cost  of
replacing equipment lost by Mal in  an accident on his immediately  following
operation from  Sholl  Island OC-140)."  (Roger  Balister, G3KMA,  RSGB  IOTA
Manager).

Mauro Pregliasco, I1JQJ
RSGB IOTA Committee member (Europe)


Mauro Pregliasco, I1JQJ/KB2TJM
425 DX News Editor
i1jqj@amsat.org