“Team YOTA” of Youngsters on the Air in IARU Region 1 has announced it will sponsor a new contest, the YOTA Contest. Open to all radio amateurs, it takes place three times a year and runs just 12 hours. YOTA said the aim is to boost on-the-air activity by younger radio amateurs and to support YOTA. The contest will take place on different 12-hour windows on three Saturdays.

The opening event will be on May 22, 0800 – 1959 UTC. The other two in 2021 will be July 17, 1000 – 2159 UTC, and December 30, 1200 – 2359 UTC.

YOTA has established eight different operating categories, which include sub-categories for operators age 25 and younger, but operators of all ages may participate. Covering 80, 40, 20, 15, and 10 meters, the allowable modes will be CW and SSB.

The contest exchange will be the age of the participating operator. Different ages serve as score multipliers during the contest. Stations may work the same station once per band mode.

Contacts between the station’s own continent are worth 1 point, while working DX is worth 3 points. The most points will be achieved by working the youngest operators. “The younger the operator, the more points one will get for the QSO,” YOTA said.

The IARU Region 1 Youth Working Group is working with Hungary’s IARU member-society MRASZ, the Hungarian Amateur Radio Society. MRASZ is providing a contest log robot among other things.

Submit Cabrillo logs only. Contest winners will be announced once logs received have been checked in the various categories. Winners will be awarded with a YOTA Contest plaque.

The contest committee consists of the IARU Region 1 Youth Working Group: Philipp, DK6SP, chair; Markus, DL8GM, vice chair, and members Csaba, HA6PX, and Tomi, HA8RT.

Contact the YOTA Contest Committee with any questions or further information.