The following general rules and conditions apply to HF certificates and awards issued by the Radio Society of Great Britain and should be read in conjunction with the conditions which govern the particular award programme: 

Applicant eligibility 

1. Claimants from the UK, Channel Is and Isle of Man must be members of the RSGB and, as proof of membership, should provide a recent address label from Radio Communication. Applicants from elsewhere need not be members. 

2. Claimants may be either licensed radio amateurs or short wave listeners. All certificates, but not plaques, are available on a “heard” basis to listeners. 

Claim eligibility 

3. All claims must be submitted in a form acceptable to the Awards Manager. Where application forms are provided for particular award programmes, these should be used although a computer generated form including the same headings will generally be accepted. Each claim must include the following signed declaration: “I DECLARE THAT all the contacts were made by me personally from the same DXCC country and in accordance with the terms of my radio transmitting licence, and that none of the QSLs have been amended in any way since receipt. I accept that a breach of these rules may result in disqualification from the award programme. I further accept that the decision of the HF Committee shall be final in all cases of dispute.” 

4. All claims from within the UK, Channel Is and Isle of Man must be accompanied by QSL cards. Claims from elsewhere must also be accompanied by QSL cards but only in the case of those categories of award attracting a plaque. In all other cases a statement from the applicant’s national society that the necessary cards have been checked will be accepted except that the HF Awards Manager reserves the right to ask to see some or all of the cards. For IOTA claims special rules apply (see the IOTA Directory). 

5. Each claim must be accompanied by a fee of £3.00 or US$6 or 9 IRCs per certificate or class of certificate. Stickers are £1.00 or US$2 or 3 IRCs each. Applicants submitting cards for checking must include sufficient payment to cover their return. Cards will only be returned by air, recorded delivery (UK only) or registered mail (overseas) if adequate postage is enclosed. For registered mail add US$5 or 7 IRCs. 

Contact eligibility 

6. All contacts must be made by the holder of the callsign. 

7. Contacts may be made from any location in the same DXCC country. 

8. Except where otherwise indicated, credit will be given for contacts made on or after 15 November 1945 on any of the amateur bands below 30 MHz. 

9. Contacts with land mobile stations will be accepted, provided the location at the time of contact is clearly stated on the QSL card. 

10. Credit will be given for two way contacts on the same mode and band, ie not cross-mode or cross-band. Certificate endorsements for single mode transmission and/or single band may be made on the submission of cards clearly confirming the mode or frequency of transmission, but the request must be made at the time of application. Special rules apply for IOTA. 

Disqualification 

11. The submission for credit of any altered or forged confirmations or, equally, bad behaviour on or off the air which is judged by the HF Committee to bring a particular programme into disrepute may result in disqualification of the applicant from all RSGB’s award programmes. The decision of the HF Committee on this and other matters of dispute will be finaIs 

August 1997 

Islands On The Air (IOTA) 

The IOTA programme was created by Geoff Watts, a leading British short wave listener, in the mid-1960s. When it was taken over by the RSGB in 1985 it had already become for some a favourite award. Its popularity grows each year and it is highly regarded among amateurs worldwide. 

The IOTA programme consists of 18 separate awards which may be claimed by any licensed radio amateur (also available to SWLs on a heard basis) who has had contacts with stations located on islands. Many of the islands are DXCC countries in their own right; others are not, but by meeting particular eligibility criteria also count for credit. Part of the fun of IOTA is that it is an evolving programme with new islands/groups being activated for the first time (currently there are some 800 listed with reference numbers). 

The basic award is for working stations located on 100 islands/groups. There are higher achievement awards for working 200, 300, 400, 500, 600 and 700 islands/groups. In addition there are seven continental awards (including Antarctica) and three regional awards - Arctic Islands, British Islands and West Indies -for contacting a specified number of islands/groups listed in each area. The IOTA Worldwide diploma is for working a set number of islands in each of the seven continents. A Plaque of Excellence is available for confirmed contacts with at least 750 islands/groups. 

The rules require that, in order for credit to be given, QSL cards need to be submitted to nominated IOTA checkpoints for checking. 

A feature of the IOTA programme is the annual Honour Roll appearing in Radio Communication (May or June issue) and in the RSGB’s DX News Sheet which encourages continual updating of scores. 

If “island chasing” appeals to you (and it can become compulsive), then write for the IOTA Directory and Yearbook which gives full information on the awards. Available, price UK£9.95, US$15 or 25 IRCs for non members of RGSB in UK and Europe. Discounted price to RSGB members UK£8.45, US$13 or 22 IRCs. (Add US$3 or 4 IRCs for airmail postage outside Europe) from: 

RSGB IOTA Programme 
PO Box 9 
Potters Bar 
Herts EN6 3RH 
England 

No foreign cheques please, but most major credit cards are accepted. UK cheques should be made payable to RSGB 

In N America (only) from W4BAA, PO Box 8695, Lacey, WA 98590 at US$15, post paid. 

Applications for Awards (other than IOTA) 

All claims, except for IOTA, should be sent to: 

RSGB HF Awards Manager, 
John Dunnington G3LZQ
Box-36
Gilberdyke
East Yorkshire
HU15 2WX
England

Prepare your application in accordance with the requirements of the award being claimed. Send QSL cards when required and don’t forget to enclose details of your name, callsign and full address as well as the certificate fee and adequate postage for the return of cards. Payment may be made by a cheque drawn on a UK bank and made payable to RSGB.