425 DX News- IOTA Notices

>>> IOTA REFERENCE NUMBERS ISSUED IN FEBRUARY 2000 <<< None issued. At this date all IOTA Reference Numbers were confirmed. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- >>> OPERATIONS WHICH HAVE PROVIDED ACCEPTABLE VALIDATION MATERIAL (*) <<< NA-123 V31JZ Blackbird Caye, Turneffe Islands (Jan/Feb 1999) NA-123 V31RL Blackbird Caye, Turneffe Islands (Jan/Feb 1999) SA-032 XQ5BIB/8 Wellington Island (January 2000) (*) Includes operations where validation material was volunteered, ie not specifically required for credit to be given - in all cases cards now submitted will be accepted by Checkpoints if they meet normal standards. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- >>> OPERATIONS FROM WHICH VALIDATION MATERIAL IS AWAITED <<< NA-064 AL7RB/P Attu Island, Near Islands (September 1999) OC-076 YC8XNE Sulabesi, Sula Islands (Feb/March 2000) OC-114 FO0DEH Raivavae Island, Austral Islands (Sept/Oct 1999) SA-050 CE8/R3CA Riesco Island (January 2000) Checkpoints are not authorised to credit QSL cards for operations from which validation material is still awaited. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- >>> HONOUR ROLL / ANNUAL LISTING <<< The Honour Roll and Annual Listings will this year be published in the July RadCom issued at the end of June. The later date is due to the need to give priority to work on the new IOTA Directory. However, if time allows, it is envisaged that it may be possible to put the listings on the RSGB website in late May once the Directory has gone to print. Please do not ask about progress. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- >>> NEW IOTA DIRECTORY <<< The new Directory will be published in the middle of June. If you are an active IOTA participant, or indeed a closet island chaser, you will certainly need a copy. The changes are sufficiently significant that, without it, you will be at a real disadvantage. Copy-holders will know instantly whether or not the island worked counts for IOTA - because if it is not listed, it probably won't. Copy-holders will know instantly which island to target for their next DXpedition - no need to check first with IOTA HQ. Copy-holders will know instantly how to maximise the use of their time, and to target their efforts in an effective way to get those valid IOTA QSLs. Watch for an announcement in June about the publication date. Copies will be available from RSGB, price to be announced. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- >>> IOTA 2000, THE IOTA ACTIVITY PROGRAMME <<< The IOTA 2000 Programme got off to a good start in January with some stations working over 100 islands and all 7 continents in the month - enough to qualify for the basic IOTA 100 award. January was a tough month in which to collect premium points since the qualifying islands were those just to the west of the International Dateline. Propagation from northern Europe was not good but despite this several stations report having worked over 10 premium pointers. February has shown a different picture as all the Japanese islands and many others in the Far East and in Oceania have been very active. Quite a few rare JA and YB8/9 islands have been on the air. Some stations report having worked over 30 premium pointers. In March we expect a good deal of activity from Asia and Oceania and from the remaining parts of Indonesia. It should be possible to pick up another 15 to 20 premium pointers in this month. The IOTA 2000 Programme gets easier as we move towards the middle of the year. In June and July nearly all the European islands count for premium points. Remember, it's still not too late to start. You can find all the information you need on the CDXC website at www.cdxc.org.uk. [TNX G3NUG] ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- >>> RSGB HF & IOTA CONVENTION WINDSOR 2000 <<< Put the date in your diaries now. This year's RSGB HF and IOTA Convention will be held over the period 13, 14 and 15 October at Old Windsor, Berkshire. An interesting programme, with plenty of IOTA content, is under preparation with a number of well-known speakers lined up. The IOTA Committee will explain the background to changes and developments in IOTA as it enters the New Millennium. More on this later. The Convention Centre is served by excellent road and rail links and, for those coming by air, is within easy reach of London Heathrow Airport. Let's have a really big IOTA attendance this year. IOTA enthusiasts planning to come are encouraged to drop me a note so that we can monitor likely attendance and plan the IOTA programme accordingly. Booking arrangements will be announced later. The following responded to last month's first announcement to say that they are planning to attend: CT1EEB, G3OAG, GM3ITN, I1JQJ, IK1ADH, IK1NLZ, JI6KVR, NN2C. Guaranteed - there's going to be a great amount on IOTA to talk about. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- >>> CHANGE OF SOUTH AMERICAN CHECKPOINT <<< As a result of other commitments, Carl, PY2DBU, has had to relinquish his checkpoint duties for South America with effect from the end of January. The IOTA Committee would like to thank him for his assistance over the past three years. The IOTA Committee would also like to thank Dan Sullivan, W4DKS, for agreeing to take on the role of checkpoint for South America in addition to his existing tasks as checkpoint for USA call numbers 1 to 3. Dan's address is Daniel Sullivan, W4DKS 14737 Pickets Post Road Centreville VA 20121 USA ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- >>> CHANGE OF URL FOR THE RSGB IOTA WEB SITE <<< Please note that the RSGB IOTA web site is now to be found on http://www.rsgbiota.org . Both this and the IOTA Manager's web site (http://www.eo19.dial.pipex.com/index.htm) are being developed as and when time can be prised away from IOTA Directory revision and accompanying map-work. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Roger Balister, G3KMA Mauro Pregliasco, I1JQJ RSGB IOTA Manager RSGB IOTA Committee Member (Europe) Past IOTA Notices are available at http://www.425dxn.org/iota as well as the 1999 Honour Roll/Annual Listing and the latest Most Wanted IOTA Islands Groups listing Mauro Pregliasco, I1JQJ/KB2TJM 425 DX News Editor http://www.425dxn.org i1jqj@425dxn.org