Scoutings Jamboree on the Air (JOTA) Looking Forward to Successful 2018 Event
Some 450 sites in the USA are among nearly 3,000 locations around the world that are hosting Jamboree on the Air (JOTA) or Jamboree on the Internet (JOTI) stations over this weekend, October 19 21.
The United States JOTA Coordinator, Jim Wilson, K5ND, said "One site that will be activated for JOTA is the Voice of America (VOA) Museum in Ohio, which hosts the West Chester Amateur Radio Associations club station WC 8 VOA. Member Jocelyn Brault, KD 8 VRX, grew up in Canada, where, as a 12-year-old, he took part in a JOTA event, making a friend in France and becoming pen pals. Years later, he became a Scout leader and a radio amateur."
The ham station in the VOA station has been hosting JOTA for the past 5 years and allows anyone in Scouting to participate from the museum. Wilson urged JOTA station coordinators to review the best practices and to try taking some video of JOTA-JOTI activity.
One million young people from around the world are expected to take part in this years Jamboree on the Air and Jamboree on the Internet.
These take place from the 19th to the 21st of October and are the worlds biggest Scouting event. Some 20,000 licensed amateur radio operators put 12,000 radio stations on the air. This offers an excellent opportunity for radio amateurs both young and old, to inspire Scouts with the charms of radio techniques. During JOTA- JOTI, Scouts and Guides will encounter numerous different languages and cultures in a worldwide learning experience that lasts all day and well into the night.
From Far North Queensland, JOTA with the Tablelands Radio Group planning is well underway. Mike/VK4MIK (Yes the same Mike that for years has brought to the world the AM - CW for ANZAC Day event) well Mike and the Tablelands Radio Group will be operating for Jamboree on the Air from the Northern Beaches Scout Den in Cairns using VK 4 GHL callsign.
Mike hopes that they are able to contact lots of other JOTA Groups during the weekend of October 20 and 21.
Other Scouters at the top end of Australia are on air right now,
theTARCinc with Flinders Guides VK4AAH or VK4YWG at Bluewater Training Centre
theTARCinc with Loam Island, Alice River and Kirwan Scouts VK4SPP at Alice River Scout Den
VK2SBP 1st Chinderah Scout Group will be on air. Their Scout Hall is located at Chinderah, just before Tweed Heads.
They are lucky in that they have ALL the Amateur Radio equipment, including antennas already permanently set up and apart from the usual HF bands, attending radio operators have access to the 147.225 and 438.100 repeaters on the Gold Coast, and the 438.675 repeater at Mount Nardi. They will also have world-wide access to IRLP and EchoLink Nodes via a local 2m RF Node. Operators also have access to local and international DMR Talk Groups. Overseas:-
The Sandringham Scout Group, ZS 6 SSG will be among the 24 stations registered from South Africa to take part in this JOTA.
3rd Limerick Scout Troop on-the-air for 61st Jamboree-On-The-Air
Excitement is here asn the 3rd Limerick Scout Group from IO 52 NO, in which the Curraghchase Scout Centre in County Limerick, Ireland is located, are wireless camping in this woodland location. The Expeditionary Radio Team from the Kerry Amateur Radio Group are again assisting the Scout Group. The group are registered on the JOTA website as participating so will be easy to track down. The callsign E I 1K will be used for the Jamboree.
The 3rd Limerick Scout Group are looking forward to meeting both fellow Scouts and amateur radio operators from around the world. A short promotional you tube video on the 3 rd Limerick Scout Troop participation can be found at the link in the text edtion of this WIA news on
https://youtu.be/4N02U6Ze3nU
(SouthGate, RSGB & theTARCinc)
From text edition for Oct 21 2018 - VK NATIONAL NEWS BROADCAST ON VK1WIA : http://www.wia.org.au/members/broadcast/wianews/
Also in MP3 edition of news available at: http://www.wia-files.com/podcast/wianews-2018-10-21.mp3