Run by the RSGB, IOTA as the RSGB web site describes "is an amateur radio activity programme designed to encourage contacts with island stations world-wide. The oceans' islands have been grouped into some 1200 IOTA groups with, for reasons of geography, varying numbers of 'counters', ie qualifying islands, in each. The objective, for the island chaser, is to make radio contact with at least one counter in as many of these groups as possible and, for the DXpeditioner, to provide such island contacts. For both it is a fun pastime adding much enjoyment to on the air activity. Among its estimated 15-20,000 followers IOTA has become for a very large number a favourite, highly regarded and absorbing activity programme". IOTA is ideally suited to 6M, many DX-peditions activate rare islands and these days most carry Six Metre equipment with them. There will be many Six Metre operators who have already contacted a large number of islands and island groups as part of their DX-chasing activities, and be well on their way to an IOTA award. Like many Countries around the globe, the UK has many islands surrounding our coast which are activated year-round, to provide interest during the Summer E's season and to promote activity during the Solar minimum.

If you want more information on the IOTA programme, whether it's to announce your own activity or claim an award, you will find links to the RSGB IOTA web site and other IOTA sources in the column on the right. If you are activating an island on Six, send an email to our webmaster and it will be published in our 6M Diary. Also, if you are working towards an IOTA award you will soon be able to let everyone know how you are doing by making an entry in our IOTA league table, which should be ready soon.

Six Metre IOTA Table

Have you made in entry in the 6M IOTA table yet? Let other 6M Island chasers know how you are doing by making an entry here in the 6M IOTA table TODAY.

Six Metre IOTA awards

Congratulations to UKSMG members Arne SM7AED, and Silvio IW1AZJ, holders of VHF IOTA award numbers 1 and 2. All contacts were made on Six Metres, and to get his IOTA award Silvio informs us that he worked 57 Islands/Groups from Europe, 19 from Africa, 9 from Asia, 13 from North America, 6 from Oceania and 6 from South America.   Silvio is keen to spread the word about the IOTA programme, he writes "As you know, the cycle is going down very quickly and we must find some interest to keep activity alive on six metres. Obviously there are other areas like WSJT and EME but I think the IOTA programme is also good at promoting activity, especially through portable activity during the Summer. There are more than 185 different IOTA references in Europe and many are easy to work by sporadic-E. To reach the 100 Islands was not easy, mainly because of operators that do not declare their QTH being from an island or they send a QSL card that does not agree with IOTA rules. I needed only two and a half years to complete the 100 Islands but 10 months more to get good QSL's"

2005 VHF/UHF LISTING Pos'n   Callsign   Total   1   SM7AED   101 2   IW1AZJ   100