JOTA 2016

[VK4ADC]

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