RGSB IOTA CONTEST 2014

August 2, 2014 - Update: I've contacted 285 islands and confirmed 223 out of 1166 possible islands. All without trying to focus on IOTA QSO's!

July 27, 2014 (6:15AM EDT) - There is less than 1.5 hours remaining for the 2014 RSGB IOTA Contest. Sleep "won out" over staying up late, so I'm back on 20M Phone and listening for other interesting contacts. My log (MacLoggerDX) indicates I have contacted 284 out of 1166 possible islands to date, and have confirmed contact with 222 of all possible islands.

Thus far, several contacts made this weekend qualify for the 2014 DX Marathon (114 entities out of 340 possible) but I've not yet made an "first-ever" contact with new DXCC entities (per Club Log: 226 worked, 197 confirmed entities out of 340 possible). I hope to contact and confirm three new DXCC entities by the end of this month. That goal would raise my LoTW confirmed status to two hundred.


July 27, 2014 (12:05AM EDT) - The HF bands have "perked up." I took a long break from the contest this afternoon and watched some movies. I'm back in the ham shack and there's plenty of interesting IOTA / DX! Reunion Island, Cyprus, Israel, Jersey, St. Kitts & Nevis and South Cook Islands were among successful contacts.

July 26, 2014 (1:40PM EDT) - The 2014 RSGB IOTA Contest is s-l-o-w event, thus far. HF propagation is fair to poor at times, making this a hard-won effort. So I've selected specific IOTA's and DXCC entities and am operating in a leisurely manner. Some more interesting contacts include: CK2I (NA-128 Isle aux Grunes), GJ6YB (EU-013 Jersey), HQ3W (NA-160 Cayos Cochinos), VC1S (NA-126 Bon Portage), VY2TT (NA-029 Prince Edward) and WB8YJF/4 (NA-067 Ocrakoke). Also, I send "thanks" to KW7Y in Washington state for helping me add a new state to 17M SSB before he stopped operating for the day.

Perhaps a more interesting IOTA contact was with VC1S on NA-126 (Bon Portage Island):

VC1S (NA-126 Bon Portage)

See below for more information on the 2014 RSGB IOTA Contest and a summary of stations I've contacted.

July 26, 2014 - The 2014 RSGB IOTA Contest, using the Islands on the Air concept, will begin soon. I'm listening to HF bands and will casually operate during the contest. I hope to contact radio amateurs on "needed" DXCC Entities or islands which have not have been previously confirmed from my primary station here in Silver Spring, MD. 

The RSGB IOTA Contest was created in 1993. This is now a major international event during which Radio Amateurs seek to contact islands around the globe.

Contest bands are 80m, 40m, 20m, 15m and 10m, both CW and phone. The duration is 24 hours, starting at 12:00 UTC on Saturday (1 p.m. UK time). Stations send a signal report and serial number, with stations on islands sending their IOTA reference number. NG3K has an excellent website that lists planned "activations." Visit the RSGB for Rules.

HQ3W Honduras 15M SSB

CK2I 20M SSB

Bon Portage Island   VC1S   20M SSB

Isle of Man   MD4K   15M SSB

Scotland   GM3X   20M SSB

Here's a summary of my progress (keep in mind, I seek new DXCC entities for my overall "standing" and for 2014):

Call	DXCC	IOTA	ISLAND	QSO
5B4AHL	Cyprus	AS-004	Cyprus	x
5H1NE	Tanzania	AF-032	Zanzibar
5P2I/p	Denmark	EU-172	Aro
9A/HA9MDN	Croatia	EU-170	Vir
9A/OM2FY	Croatia	EU-136	Krk
9A/OM3RM	Croatia	EU-016	Vis
9A/PA0SON	Croatia	EU-170	Pasman
9A1RAB	Croatia	EU-136	Rab
9A3R/p	Croatia	EU-110	Sv Nikola
9A4J/p	Croatia	EU-016	Lokrum
9A8DV	Croatia	EU-016	Drvenik Veli
BA4TB	China	AS-150	Lingshan
BV0L	Taiwan	AS-155	Liuqiu
BY4IB	China	AS-146	Liugong
C4I	Cyprus	AS-004	Cyprus
CK2I	Canada	NA-128	Isle aux Grues	x
CR2V	Azores	EU-089	Flores
CR5CW	Portugal	EU-145	Culatra
DG5LAC/p	Germany	EU-128	Fehmarn
DL/ON6QR	Germany	EU-047	Langeoog
DL1WA/p	Germany	EU-129	Usedom
DL5KUD	Germany	EU-057	Ruegen
DL5XAT/p	Germany	EU-128	Fehmarn
DL0KWH/p	Germany	EU-129	Usedom
DR0F	Germany	EU-127	Neuwerk
E51AND	South Cook Is	OC-013	Rarotonga
EA8URT	Canary Is	AF-004	Tenerife
ED1K	Spain	EU-080	Ons
ED1W	Spain	EU-080	Salvora
EI7M	Ireland	EU-115	Ireland
EJ1C	Ireland	EU-121	Clear
EJ1Y	Ireland	EU-007	Great Blasket
EJ3Z	Ireland	EU-121	Bofin
EJ5KF	Ireland	EU-121	Bere
ES0U	Estonia	EU-034	Muhu
G4ALE/p	England	EU-120	Isle of Wight
G5XV	England	EU-120	Isle of Wight
GA1J	Scotland	EU-092	Tanera Mor
GJ2A	Jersey	EU-013	Jersey
GJ6YB	Jersey	EU-013	Jersey	x
GM3X	Scotland	EU-009	Main	x
GM4AGG/p	Scotland	EU-008	Iona
GM4NFI/p	Scotland	EU-008	Fladda
GM5O	Scotland	EU-009	Orkney Main
GM7A	Scotland	EU-008	Gigha
GM0FGI	Scotland	EU-123	Bute
GW6W	Wales	EU-124	Holy
GW7O	Wales	EU-124	Holy
GW8K	Wales	EU-124	Flatholm
HL5YI/p	South Korea	AS-081	Kadok
HQ3W	Honduras	NA-160	Cayos Cochinos	x
HS7AT/p	Thailand	AS-125	Chang
IA5/IV3LZQ	Italy	EU-028	Giglio
IB0R	Italy	EU-045	Ventotene
IC8FBU	Italy	EU-031	Capri
IG9Y	Italy	AF-019	Lampedusa
IH9YMC	Italy	AF-018	Pantelleria
IM0/I0PNM	Italy	EU-165	San Pietro
IQ7AF/p	Italy	EU-091	Capezzone
IQ7IA	Italy	EU-091	Pedagne
IS0SSY	Sardinia	EU-024	Sardinia
IT9RZU	Italy	EU-025	Sicily
IV3/DF8DX	Italy	EU-130	Grado
J49A	Crete	EU-015	Crete	x
JA8COE/8	Japan	AS-147	Yagishiri
JI3DST/1	Japan	AS-008	Shikine jima
K1VSJ	USA	NA-046	Martha's Vineyard
K2RMM/4	USA	NA-069	Sanibel
K4P	USA	NA-083	Chincoteague
K5KUA/5	USA	NA-143	Galveston
KL7RRC	Alaska	NA-039	Adak
LA/DL1CW/m	Norway	EU-036	Hitra
LA5GOA	Norway	EU-055	Urter
LI2MOA	Norway	EU-141	Vardo
MJ8C	Jersey	EU-099	Les Minquiers
MJ0ICD	Jersey	EU-013	Jersey
MM0GOR/p	Scotland	EU-008	Islay
MU0GSY	Guernsey	EU-114	Guernsey	x
N2GC	USA	NA-026	Long
N5T	USA	NA-092	Mustang
NP4DX	Puerto Rico	NA-099	Puerto Rico
OG5A	Finland	EU-140	Nuokot
OH5TS	Finland	EU-140	Kuorsalo
OZ/DL8MF	Denmark	EU-172	Samso
OZ0FR/p	Denmark	EU-029	Eno
PA6TX	Netherlands	EU-038	Texel
PF14A	Netherlands	EU-146	Schouwen Duiveland
PQ5M	Brazil	SA-027	Sao Francisco
PX8I	Brazil	SA-060	Itarana
PY5ARP	Brazil	SA-047	Mel
R1NU/p	Russia (Europe)	EU-147	Bolshoi Kimalishce
RI1N	Russia (Europe)	EU-162	Glov
RK1OWZ/p	Russia (Europe)	EU-153	Kumbysh
RN1CW/p	Russia (Europe)	EU-133	Kotlin
RZ0CWH	Russia (Asia)	AS-066	Putiatina
SK0HS/0	Sweden	EU-084	Blido
SM7/M1KTA/p	Sweden	EU-037	Garpen
SN1D	Poland	EU-132	Wolin
SN0RX	Poland	EU-132	Wolin
SV8/OK1FFU	Greece	EU-174	Thassos
SV8/OM6NM	Greece	EU-067	Santorini
SX3AM	Greece	EU-158	Agia Mariani
TF/G3TXF	Iceland	EU-168	Grímsey
TM1BIG	France	EU-107	Petite
TK/OO4O	Corsica	EU-014	Corsica
V47JA	St Kitts & Nevis	NA-104	St Kitts	x
VC1S	Canada	NA-126	Bon Portage	x
VU3ARF/p	India	AS-153	Jambudwip
VY2TT	Canada	NA-029	Prince Edward	x
W1Z	USA	NA-136	Ram
W4O	USA	NA-067	Ocrakoke
WB8YJF/4	USA	NA-067	Ocrakoke	x
WS1SM	USA	NA-137	Seguin
YF1AR/5	Indonesia	OC-122	Tambelan
YJ0GA	Vanuatu	OC-035	Vanuatu
YJ0UO	Vanuatu	OC-035	Vanuatu
ZV1M	Brazil	SA-029	Jurubaiba
ZY8D	Brazil	SA-072	Caju

The above chart is generated from a website hosted by NG3K (© W.B. Feidt 1996-2014).