JOTA -- Jamboree On The Air 2007

JOTA
An on-the-air operating event sponsored by the World Scout Bureau, Jamboree on the Air was founded in 1958 by Les Mitchell, G3BHK. It has grown to become the largest international Scout event. JOTA now boasts the participation of nearly a half million Scouts and Guides in over 100 countries, involving as many as 10,000 Amateur Radio stations.
The even relies on the Amateur Radio community and local hams for its success. Getting Boy and Girl Scouts (including Cubs and Brownies) and Venurers on the air to talk with other Scouts around the world provides a great opportunity to expose youth to Amateur Radio. Some troops and clubs team up to make a big splash with lots of activities, radios, antennas and offering a variety of modes to experience. For others, the event provides an opportunity to coach a smaller group of Scouts and to just have fun talking on the radio. Scouts usually enjoy communication by speaking into a microphone, but some radio amateurs are able to provide other modes of operation for Scouts to experience, such as slow-scan TV or amateur TV, satellites, packet radio (APRS) or radioteletype, or even earth-moon-earth contacts.
This year like every year since 1988 (maybe before) Scouts of the North Star District will be able to participate in this annual event at the Fall Camporee. I will be there again this year demonstrating HF (shortwave) radio and giving boys an opportunity to talk with other Scouts around the world. In addition we will have the KC Northland ARES mobile EOC to tour, these guys will be there if another tornado rips through Gladstone as in 2003. We will also have demonstrations of various VHF and UHF station operation maybe even an opportunity to talk through a satellite. Then on Sunday morning Venture Crew 239 and Near Space Ventures will launch VentureStar 3 their third annual Camporee high altitude balloon in celebration of the 50h anniversary of JOTA.

For more information about this very specail JOTA visit the World Scouting Bureau Web site at www.scout.org/jota/, read the JOTA story and brush up on the rules for the Scouting 100 Radio Award, for which JOTA contacts apply.

(thanks to K1DMJ at QST Magazine for her contributions above)