What is COTA?
December 7, 2008 by Darren
What is COTA?
COTA is an acronym for the special radio DX activity known as Castles On The Air. COTA is an exciting concept most likely born in Spain (home to many of the world’s finest castles) which involves radio transmissions occurring from castle grounds or within a maximum of 500 metres from castle walls.
A slight variation of that phrase, yet one which carries the same implication and is commonly added as a suffix to the callsigns of Freeband operators undertaking COTA activity, is the term CF (Castles and Fortresses).
While CF stands for Castles and Fortresses, the first two letters or numbers after CF refer to the department, province, state, county or other where the CF is located. The suffix, composed of three numbers, is the reference assigned to the castle or fortress.
Who Invented COTA?
The Delta Radio DX Group is credited by most as the creator of the COTA concept. The DR World Castles and Fortresses Weekend was once one of the most eagerly anticipated weekends of DX adventure in many sections of the Freeband Community with activities occurring in most continents of the world.
Why COTA?
Like Lighthouse On The Air (LOTA) activations, COTA activity presents an opportunity for radio operators to educate and promote the historical significance and architectural uniqueness of castles. In the past, they have also been used in conjunction with important fundraising ventures to assist with the repair or renovation of ‘at risk’ castles.
DA-RC and COTA
The Dx Adventure Radio Club fully supports the COTA concept, including its objectives as outlined by the now defunct Delta Radio (DR) group. DA-RC members, in fact, have undertaken many castles and fortresses activities in the past and will continue to do so in the future.
The DA-RC Achievement Program offers a fabulous range of COTA awards which include a COTA Hunter award for the operator who successfully works and confirms 50 COTA stations, as well as four COTA DXpeditioner awards for 10, 20 and 30 activities respectively.
Welcome to 14DA062 Eric
October 27, 2008 by Darren
The Dx Adventure Radio Club continues to attract outstanding candidates to its ranks with the recent signing of one of Europe’s most proficient DXers in 14DA062 Eric. Founder of the Golf Tango and Sierra Sierra DX Groups respectively, a past member of Alfa Tango, a former high ranking official with Sugar Delta, and a current Cluster dk Lounge Member, Eric qualifies for DA-RC membership via the Leadership classification and, with over 250 DXCC worked and confirmed, the DX Hunter classification also.
An experienced conductor of Special Event Station work also through efforts with GT and SD, Eric is committed to contributing to DA-RC’s dx adventure schedule in the future and looks forward to linking with other members of the French team to achieve these goals. Furthermore, this experience and unique skill set ensures Eric will also prove a valuable asset for the Club’s Mentor Program which sees experienced DXers assigned to new and/or interested members and others seeking to achieve membership status with the World’s most prestigious DX Group.
Outside of the radio communications hobby, Eric is a committed family man and enjoys getting out and about with them in the beautiful French Countryside. Like many radio hobbyists in modern times, Eric also enjoys studying facets of the hobby such as antenna construction and propagation forecasts on the internet, reading product reviews on the latest Yaesu products and more!
On behalf of the World Headquarters Team and the DA-RC membership body, welcome 14DA062 Eric to the Club. It is an honour to have you on board.
73 de Darren 43DA001/010DXpedition Quandary
October 16, 2008 by Darren
With propagation on the improve and the next long-awaited 11m cycle almost upon us, more and more thought by DA-RC members is sure to be put into possible DXpedition locations – knowing that efforts to activate that elusive DX entity will be well and truly worth it in terms of progressive numbers issued and contacts in the log.
One of the burning questions on the end of all members’ lips, however, is, “Which DXCC, or which island, do I choose? If I do choose to recruit DA-RC members for a DX excursion, which DXCC or IOTA would be the most attractive to fellow members and the DX Community abroad?” Clearly, it’s a valid consideration given the enormous amount of islands, lighthouses, castles, windmills and DXCC available to the roving DX’er…
Obviously, a DXpedition to a DXCC or IOTA that has never been heard before is much more exciting to DA-RC members than one which has appeared on the band previously – even one which is already known to house one or two 11m DX’ers. After all, knowing that you have played a part in 11m DX history and made a major contribution to the hobby is something that can never be taken away from you!
It goes without saying that a DXpedition to an extremely rare DXCC or IOTA is also more attractive to the DX chaser also. Some operators around the world are so eager to work rare DXCC, for example, that they are prepared to sponsor or part sponsor DXpedition parties, not to mention QSL cards. The Dx Adventure Radio Club also has systems in place for members to promote and encourage DXpedition work to rare DX entities.
The only problem is that DXCC that have not been active before are usually so remote or isolated from the rest of the world that they present a huge financial and time challenge to DXers to get there. Apart from seclusion, some DXCC have also not been initiates due to the dangers of operating radio equipment in that particular country. Some communist countries, such as North Korea for instance, would likely ‘shoot to kill’ any individuals undertaking radio communications, fearing they were spies sharing secrets on nuclear infrastructure or planning a military coupe. Pirates, cannibals, terrorism and/ or guerrilla warfare activities are all genuine concerns in some potential DX locations that would understandably discourage one from travelling to DX hot spots – no matter HOW MUCH of a hero you would be crowned for going there. Risking one’s life for the purpose of activating a rare DXCC, after all, is something not many of us would do. (Okay, maybe DA-RC members would!)
So which DXCC are considered to be the ‘Most Wanted’ in the 11m DX Community? Which DXCC have never been officially active on the 11m band before? According to our records, only 26 of a possible 346 DXCC remain unconquered by 11m DXers. So obviously, each one of these elusive DX entities represents a ‘pot of gold’ to the DXCC hungry DXer; hobbyists that would give their right arm to work and confirm it by way of a beautiful glossy QSL card.
The following list of DXCC yet to be officially activated on 11m has been put together by the DA-RC Team in the hope that it might kick start some DX adventure plans by members…
071 MIDWAY ISLAND 222 SOUTH SANDWICH ISLAND 229 HEARD ISLAND 231 ST. PETER & ST. PAUL 243 AGALEGA & ST. BRANDO 247 NAVASSA ISLAND 260 BAKER & HOWLAND ISLANDS 262 JOHNSTON ISLAND 263 KERMADEC ISLAND 264 KINGMAN REEF 267 KURE ISLAND 269 MELLISH REEF 270 MINAMI-TORI-SHIMA ISLAND 273 JARVIS & PALMYRA ISLAND 277 SABLE ISLAND 278 WAKE ISLAND 282 AUCKLAND & CAMPBELL 287 MALPELO ISLAND 294 PETER 1ST ISLAND 296 CLIPPERTON ISLAND 297 BOUVET ISLAND 321 CONWAY REEF 334 NORTH KOREA 335 SCARBOROUGH REEF 336 PRATAS ISLAND 343 DUCIE ISLAND
* Note: If you think we have missed one, or listed a DXCC that has in fact been active in the last few years, please let us know by posting comments.
73 de Darren 43DA010