The 1999 IOTA convention has been held on 23, 24 and 25 of April at the Melia hotel located at Playa del Postiguet, the sailing port of Alicante, Spain.The Belgium participation, seven persons, landed at the Alicante airport on Friday, April 23 around 8.30 A.m. After collecting our luggage we looked for a taxi. At my great surprise, I noticed someone holding a great sign with the call ON5KL, apparently waiting for us. Indeed, the URE had provided two cars for our transport to the hotel, an attention very much appreciated by all of us. A good begins of our stay, indeed. Checking in at the hotel was a matter of minutes, as the rooms were booked in advance via e-mail. After completing the hotel forms, off we went to our rooms on the second floor. The view from the balcony was just great: in front the sailing port and the blue Mediterranean Sea, below the sunny beach with already hundreds of sunbathing people and at the left the city with the dominant 'Santa Barbara Castle'. As the registration of the participants and the opening of the convention only started at 4 P.m. and due to our early arriving in Alicante, we had plenty of time to explore the city. After tasting the local food and refreshments at lunchtime, we spent the rest of the afternoon on the beach as the weather was in great contrast with our typical Belgian weather. The result: a slightly tanned skin.
Many hams arrived between 4 and 8 P.m. and after checking in at the URE booth, located in the Altet room, they joined the rest of the IOTA enthusiast near the swimming pool for the traditional welcome drink. It was a pleasure to meet again after one year with old friends and make new one's we had worked before on the band and who we saw for the very first time. Not only the friendship among the IOTA gang, but also the local refreshments served in profusion contributed a lot to the cheerful ambience of that meeting. Animated discussions among the different nationalities were interrupted for the inevitable photo and video sessions. With a dinner started at 9.30 P.m. but ended for some very late came an end at this first day of the convention.

At 9.30 Am Saturday morning the President of the URE welcomed the participants in the Europa congress room and opened the conventions. After the address by the president of the local Alicante radioclub, Roger Ballister, G3KMA, chairman of the IOTA program made a speech. The presentation of the new IOTA honour roll was the beginning of many applause. By taken the dry stuff about rules and reglementation to the minimum, the time schedule was respected and the audience was ready for the coming slide presentations. Joe, I2YDX, started by presenting his E30MA/E30LA dxpeditions to the Eritrean islands AF038, AF080 and AF081. The slides and Joe's comments on the situation gave us a very good understanding of all the difficulties he and his companion encountered during this trip. Looking for the right people to obtain the necessary permits to travel around, for landing on the different islands, explaining the reason for the transmitting from such places and looking for transport en logistics in Eritrea is not as easy as we encounter in our Western world. Joe thanks so very much for all, but especially for the three new IOTA's. The second presentation was given by the well know IOTA dx-peditioner Martin, G3ZAY and was about his recent trip to Australia and activation of two new and two numbered IOTA's. The difference between the two expeditions was astonishing. While Joe's expedition was a one where you had to look for everything in order to stay alive, Martin's one was more on a vacation trip as he mentioned himself, he also wondered why these 'new' islands never had been activated before, as there is good accommodations on and transport to and from these islands. The VK5 one in particular, as it is connected to the mainland by a long bridge. Martin's presentation was very interesting and let us hope that more VK hams will become interested in the IOTA program. The morning session ended around 1Pm.

As the Tabarca island DX-club had invited the participants to have lunch on the island, off we went to the harbour to board.the ferry 'Ton kiki' for an eleven miles crossing to the island. After one hour in the bright sun on the blue sea and already slightly sunburned, we landed on the island and followed the crowd into the restaurant where we enjoyed the local dishes of 'aroz alicanta' and many more. Due the splendid entertainment capacity of the URE president the lunch was a big success.
We activated for a while EG5OTA located in the former Governor house which is the current Tabarca radioclub meeting place and as many more were waiting to relieve us, we spent the rest of the afternoon visiting the village, the lighthouse and the restoration works on some very hold houses. At 6 P.m. we boarded the Ton Kiki once again for the return trip to Alicante.
The Galadiner started at 9.30 P.m. in the Albufereta salon of the Melia hotel. In between the different courses many speeches were given referring to ham radio and in particular concerning islands. A raffle and photo session concluded this successfully day.
The Sunday morning session again was devoted to recent island activation's. The NA-210 and NA-150 activity by K6ST and W6IXP was certainly, due to the bad weather, the most difficult expedition of the year. we have to congratulate both operators for their determinations to bring the operation to a good end. Talks on Italian and Spanish islands and the latest news about the Rowley-shoals activity scheduled for next September brought this meeting to an end. The participants of the alternative program to the Santa Barbara Castle joined us in the Albufereta room for the concluding lunch. The last draw of the lottery sponsoring the VK9 expedition, rewarded Valerie, XYL from I1JQJ, with a special unique handmade T-shirt. Roger, G3KMA, had the honour to close the 1999 IOTA convention.