The biggest scout event in the world – Jamboree-on-the-Air (JOTA) – takes place from October 15 to 17. During JOTA, Scouts and Fans from all over the world, country and your own community meet on air via amateur radio. Scouts of all ages and genders can participate, from Cubs to Boy Scouts and Adventurers. Participating Scouts often meet at a station made available by a volunteer, or at a facility just for JOTA. Communication typically involves SSB or FM voice, but it is also possible that other modes, such as video or digital, will be used – or even repeater or satellite communication.

Scouts typically exchange information such as name, location, Scout rank, and hobbies, and many participating Scouts are expected to be licensed as Amateur Radio. Contacts can take place across town, across the country, or even around the world. The World Scout Bureau reported that over 1.5 million Scouts from some 160 countries participated in JOTA / JOTI (JOTA-on-the-Internet) in 2017. No restriction on age or number of participants, and at little or no cost, the JOTA allows scouts to meet and get to know each other through amateur radio.

JOTA officially begins on Friday evening during the JOTA Jump Start and continues until Sunday evening. Any amateur mode of operation can be used, such as CW, SSB, PSK, SSTV, FM and satellite. JOTA is not a competition.

To find out which JOTA activity is planned for a given area, contact the Scout Council, or contact a local amateur radio operator or amateur radio. Your local club may be able to direct you to planned JOTA activities. These can include ham stations set up at camporees or other events. If no activity is planned, work with them to set something up or arrange a visit to a local radio operator’s ham shack at a scheduled time to participate in JOTA.

If nothing is currently planned, or if current plans do not reach your area, you can work with the council or a local unit (pack, troop, team) to set up a JOTA station or arrange visits to your area. ham hut. You can also participate simply by making contact with the many JOTA stations that will be on the air. A good resource for finding a local Scout unit is the Be-A-Scout Website.

Since the first JOTA in 1958, millions of Boy Scouts have come together through this event. Many JOTA contacts resulted in relationships between Scout Troops and Individual Scouts which lasted for many years.