Cannot select correct IOTA reference

[KA3RCS]

Hello,

I have recently started using Log4OM, and so far I like it a lot. I was initially drawn to the program due to its SOTA support. I'm using the latest version, with all support files updated within the last few days. I'm in the process of updating/correcting many old entries which I imported from another logging program which had too many problems to count. I've run into an issue for which I have not been able to find a solution. My apologies if this has been asked previously, but I could not find anything pertinent in extensive searching.

I have a particular contact which occurred during an IOTA contest. I am not a contester per se; I simply made a few contacts for fun. I'm entering the data as a normal contact, not in contest mode. Anyway, this contact was with a GW station in Wales, who gave an IOTA reference of EU-005. Log4OM only allows me to select EU-106 or EU-124 for this contact. I don't know a whole lot about IOTA, but from what I have been able to determine (from http://www.rsgbiota.org/info/groupinfo.php?refno=EU-005), EU-005 includes Wales. In fact, the activations link on the EU-005 page includes the call of the very station whom I worked. Am I missing something, or is this an issue with the program?

Thanks,

---73 Karl KA3RCS

[IW3HMH]

I think the station worked used a wrong IOTA definition.
Island groups are related to DXCC codes. If the station was in WALES, these are the available IOTA references, as extracted from IOTA database

Search results
You searched for IOTA groups in EU in DXCC WALES
The following island groups were found:
Ref. No. Group Name DXCC % Claimed
EU-106 St Tudwal's Islands WALES 39.3
EU-124 Welsh Coastal Islands WALES 46.2

2 activated groups (and 0 un-activated groups) found.

Welsh stations are not included in the EU-005 group that represent the England mainland (Wales is a separate DXCC)

[DF5WW]

Hi Karl,

the reference EU-005 is the reference for the DXCC England ..... If you work stations with EU-005 from the british mainland (England, Wales or Scotland) you can reach the IOTA reference EU-005 only if you change DXCC Country to England. So i think that´s not a Log4OM Issue. The actual IOTA list will be downloaded from the RSGB IOTA site, so it´s a problem with the IOTA list i beleave ....

[GW4BLE]

Had to chip in on this one!

Stations on the mainland in Wales are ALL in EU005, its' only those on islands off the coast that can sometimes have IOTA references different to the mainland.

Steve
GW4BLE - EU005

[DF5WW]

Hi Steve,

yes, Wales and Scotland on the mainland also have EU-005 but it looks like the official IOTA listing don´t provide this. The used IOTA reference list is the official IOTA list and updated from RSGB IOTA page in L4O. We don´t use an own list for the IOTA island references. If you log DXCC Wales or Scotland as DXCC country the EU-005 wasn´t shown in the usuable IOTA references, EU-005 only will be show´n in the dropdown list when the DXCC is logged as England .... So that´s must be a mistake in the official listing but not in Log4OM ....

B.t.w. maybe it´s possible to change the program code that there was an option to fill in a IOTA reference maual but that´s a question to Lele it makes sense or not

[IW3HMH]

Yes, a manual IOTA reference should be possible...
Check the attached file, some islands are reported "in Wales" but the whole EU-005 has only one DXCC code and it's the England one.

A list of alternate DXCC should be a way, but must be mantained and released by RSGB

[DF5WW]

Hi Lele,

i know that mistake and i know also that the RSGB has to correct their listings. It´s not a L4O problem but a function to enter a IOTA manual would be helpful for the guys who are collecting IOTA. Other side is, if you worked stations with DXCC county "England" on each band you have the EU-005 full for the award That´s why i asked did it make sense or not to implement a manual IOTA input

But i can understand when the Welsh ans Scottish Ham´s are "not amused" when EU-005 only is possible if the DXCC is set to "England" ....

[IW3HMH]

RSGB decided (a wiser decision than the SOTA one) to "link" islands to DXCC codes.
We can implement a "group function", mantained centrally, to "merge" island codes from other DXCC codes when one specific DXCC is selected, but this could create some difficulties and confusion.

I'm still not convinced about stations in Wales can "give away" the EU-005 except for areas specifically indicated into IOTA definitions... but once again it's a trivial question that should be forwarded to RSGB...

[KA3RCS]

Thanks for all of the replies. I figured it couldn't hurt, so I emailed the IOTA management with this question. I got a very prompt response confirming that I had found an error in the IOTA database which had never been reported previously. I was told that the fix will be incorporated in the next release of the XML file, which should be within the next month or two (as it's an involved process, and they have other changes to incorporate as well). Great news!

Thanks again!

---73 Karl KA3RCS

[IW3HMH]

Great
Anyway, i've added an option to "unlock" IOTA references from country, in order to show all references without country filter.
Will be available in the next release