It is with much reluctance that the VK5KI team have decided to suspend preparations to travel to Kangaroo Island IOTA OC-139 in July.

The rapidly deteriorating situation revolving around the COVID-19 Pandemic has recently seen locals on the island calling for a full quarantine. Out of respect for them, and for the new requests from the Australian Government for people to avoid all non essential travel and inter-person contact, we will reschedule the project to a later time (potentially 2021).

In addition, the RSGB contest committee has announced the following:

RSGB HFCC: IOTA Contest and additonal contests(Nick G4FAL – hfcc.chair@rsgbcc.org)

We have reached a point with COVID-19 that it is inappropriate for us to run the IOTA Contest in July 2020 in its usual format. We cannot encourage our participants to operate in multi-operator groups nor to travel to island locations where visitors are not currently welcome. We would like your opinion on whether we should cancel outright or should retain a contest this year for single operator, home stations only.

It is clear that the IOTA contest, one of the main drivers for the intended dates, will now not accept the expedition as an entry. This was a major motivation behind our decision.

We will re-plan VK5KI and other IOTA projects once borders and quarantine conditions both reopen.

Meanwhile everyone, stay home, avoid personal contact and stay safe through these extraordinary times! See you on air instead!