Toilets on the Air (TOTA) is an exciting new contest for licensed radio amateurs during HOPE_16. Compete to make the most voice, CW, and digital contacts with other attendees for points and awards like "Worked All Toilets". Use this web site to announce which of the designated restrooms you're outside of and log your contacts.

Rules

Calling frequencies

Any amateur band and mode can be used to make contacts for points in TOTA. Here are some suggested starting points:

• 2 meters
  • FM simplex: TBD (something between 146.40 and .58)
  • FM digital: TBD (something between 145.50 and .80)
  • CW: TBD
  • DMR: TBD
• 70 centimeters
  • FM simplex: TBD
  • FM digital: TBD (something in the mixed mode / weak signal range)

Ground rules

• Be a responsible and considerate radio operator:
  • An amateur radio license valid in the U.S. is required to participate. Please only operate on the frequencies you are licensed for.
  • Please respect the band plans. Choose frequencies appropriate for the band and mode you are operating in. See the calling frequencies for suggestions.
  • Operate your equipment safely: you'll be operating in a crowded conference environment, so plan accordingly.
  • Share the bands: there are many radio amateurs in New York City. Please make sure your contesting activities aren't disruptive to them.
  • Within these rules, all bands and modes are acceptable.
• Be a responsible and considerate conference goer:
  • Don't be rude: never operate in a way that disrupts other peoples' experience at HOPE.
  • Don't unnecessarily block restrooms when others need to use them and always respect the privacy of other restroom users.
  • Please do not activate from within a restroom. A radius of a few meters from the doors (in either direction) is fine.

Terminology

Activator

Person who activates a reference (in this case, toilet). Only the activator needs to log QSOs (contacts) in this system.

Chaser

See hunter

Hunter

QSO partner of the activator. A hunter is not required to be at a reference (toilet). Hunters don't need to log hunter QSOs unless they are also an activator (see T2T). They receive hunter credit automatically, if they have an account and the activator logs their QSO.

RST

System used by amateur radio operators to exchange information about the quality of their signal. See Wikipedia R-S-T System.

Toilet to Toilet (T2T)

When two activators have a QSOs from reference locations, both are activators and hunters at the same time. They receive both activator and hunter credit and they can log the hunted reference.

International radio amateurs welcome

Radio amateurs from many countries around the world can operate in the U.S. Please see this this guide for the agreements in effect. Under most of them, you can identify using W, the number of your FCC call district (New York is 2), a stroke (/), and finally your non-US call sign. For example: W2/G1ABC

Please be aware that we are in IARU region 2. Especially the VHF and UHF band plans may be different than in your home country.

Unlicensed operators

• If you are interested in pursuing an amateur radio license, please find a amateur radio operator who can give you practical on-air training opportunity. The Amateur Radio Station Village at HOPE is a great place to meet them and learn more.
• Want to get on the air? Under FCC rules, only a licensed amateur is eligible to be the "control operator" of a station. However, an unlicensed person may participate under the direction of a control operator as part of rules around third-party traffic handling. Amateurs should review the relevant subpart, but to summarize:
  • An unlicensed operator may participate in stating (speaking into the microphone, etc.) the message, or communicating using an allowed digital mode.
  • The control operator must be present at the "control point" and must be continuously monitoring and supervising the third party's participation.
  • All other requirements remain in effect. In particular, the station still needs to identify itself every 10 minutes.

Additional asks

• Always be excellent to each other.
• Please don't spam the system, it was thrown together in a very short time.
• If there are any problems, please email tota_hope (at) fea (dot) st

Special thanks

• Georg DH5GH for organizing past TOTAs at the 38C3 and 37C3 conferences and supporting this one
• Tobias DC1TC for help with the TOTA software and technical guidance