I have been approached by Ashmore Scouts on the Qld Gold Coast to assist with a JOTI/JOTA activation on 15/16 October 2016.
I can sort out most of the requirements but I am wondering if there are any Advanced or Standard call (in particular but won't say no to an enthusiastic FL) who lives in the vicinity of the northern part of the Gold Coast and who would be able to provide some hands-on either day.
The 'hands-on' will be either operating on HF or VHF, directing a UHF fox hunt or one of the anticipated JOTA activities. UHF handhelds (which can operate at 441.1, 441.2, 441.3, 441.4) would be useful for the likes of the fox hunt, wide games and the phonetics message passing so if you have one of those, that would be a bonus.
There looks to be possibly 100 scouts attending at the Asmore Den over the weekend and the larger the number of operators then the more likely that they can complete all of the currently-planned JOTA activities.
The scouts will also have a bank of JOTI computer set up so there will be options to make contacts even if HF propagation is poor.
The equipment, antennas, coaxes etc is all to hand and setup on Saturday AM /pulldown Sunday PM is under control.
PM me if you think you may be able to help.
73 Doug VK4ADC
Ashmore? that's a long way from home for you.
You'd think that these scout groups would be making contact with radio clubs much sooner than this... i.e. straight after the last JOTA .
Brendan
Quite correct, it is a reasonable distance but the Ashmore Scout Leader tried contacting the Gold Coast Society's President a while ago and didn't manage to arrange anyone local. I was included in the process through my daughter who is an assistant Scout Leader up my way and having done their JOTA activity last year.
I was hoping amateurs around the Gold Coast would see my post and volunteer to help - but nothing as yet and it is only a month away (this weekend) so, yes, time is getting short. They look like having 100 scouts there over that weekend so some extra hands will make a real difference.
Doug VK4ADC
With JOTA 2016 just over a week away, I am somewhat surprised that there haven't been any other postings about scheduled JOTA activations on this forum - let alone any response at all to my request for assistance.
What about it guys (& gals), what are you doing for JOTA this year ??
73 Doug VK4ADC
I did JOTA/JOTI last year with our Scout Group and had about 10 Joeys/Cubs/Scouts come through. It was the first year we did it, Echolink was a saviour as HF was horrible in the suburbs where we are. Also a few contacts on the SRESU linked repeater system. I plan on doing it every 2nd year though as it was only myself and my F call son to run it.
Grant, VK3VIM
vk3vim Wrote:I did JOTA/JOTI last year with our Scout Group and had about 10 Joeys/Cubs/Scouts come through. It was the first year we did it, Echolink was a saviour as HF was horrible in the suburbs where we are. Also a few contacts on the SRESU linked repeater system. I plan on doing it every 2nd year though as it was only myself and my F call son to run it.
Grant, VK3VIM
The Geelong amateur radio club will be on air on Saturday for JOTA. Not sure what to expect but we'll have a number of cubs at our rooms.
Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk
Hi All,
Western VIC JOTA will be operating again this year in the Grampians national park.
we will be using the call sign VK3SAW look out for us Saturday and Sunday morning on 40m (and if permits 20m)
Matt Vk3PP
vk4adc Wrote:I have been approached by Ashmore Scouts on the Qld Gold Coast to assist with a JOTI/JOTA activation on 15/16 October 2016.
73 Doug VK4ADC
JOTA/JOTI 2016 has now come and gone with quite a few scouts, guides, cubs etc now given at least an introduction to AR via the JOTA experience.
There were 195 expected to attend the Ashmore Den, but fortunately for us, the final number was probably closer to 100 to 120. There was myself, Ron VK4KLC and Nick VK4FNDG to handle this multitude and give them some on-air time plus experience the UHF fox hunting and other AR-related activities over Saturday to Sunday lunchtime. My appeal for volunteers from the Gold Coast obviously fell flat as no offers were received – and Ashmore is at the northern end of the Gold Coast and we were all from the southern Brisbane area.
The propagation was somewhat flat with a limited number of contacts made on 40m SSB and 2m FM via VK4RAX and VK4RGC repeaters. There was no non-repeater IRLP access from the Den site so the international options via that method simply were not available. The geomag event last week made 20m basically dead with only a few weak stations noted at times when long path Europe would normally have been booming in.
JOTA is always on the third weekend in October each year so approach your local scout or guide group now (while JOTA is still a hot topic) and offer your services for 2017.
73 Doug VK4ADC
Jota operations here in the central tablelands was a tent setup at the scout campground on the Macquarie river north of Bathurst.
There were 4 radio operators from the Amateur Radio Central West Group. We used my callsign vk2jds
There were about 30 joeys, cubs, scouts, guides and 1 venturer to get contacts for, and the JOTI was active too.
Each one had to talk to 2 people at different stations, so we were busy organising the contacts. The leaders had sorted the groups into 5 or 6 at a time.
40 metres worked well and there were lots of stations to talk to. From our location on the river there was no vhf coverage.
the photo shows the campground in the background and some of the operators.
we do this every year.
73 Dave vk2jds
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vk4adc Wrote:and Ashmore is at the northern end of the Gold Coast and we were all from the southern Brisbane area.
I wouldn't say Ashmore is at the northern end of the Gold Coast, Yatala just south of Beenleigh is technically the very northern end of the Gold Coast.
Glad to have been able to communicate with your scouts from the Beenleigh Scout hall, where we did JOTA from.
Got a couple of USA contacts on HF from there, but many via vhf repeaters, and my irlp node.