Jamboree On The Air is a wonderful Youth Outreach opportunity for the
club. We have committed to local area Scout units to operate for JOTA
on Saturday, 16 October. The plan is to set some portable stations at
Glenburnie Park Lion’s Shelter. The Scouts are invited to come out
between 1:00 and 5:00 PM. We will need to set up stations prior to
Scouts arriving. We have the shelter reserved starting at 9:00 am. I
plan to be there by 12:00 but hopefully a little earlier.
I request any members planning to attend to please let me know what gear
if any you can bring and/or what you would like to operate. I will set
up a PSK31 station and will bring my own antenna. I do have a couple of
members committed to be there and have had several tell me “possibly” so
I’m just trying to pin down what we will have available for the young
folks to get some experience with Amateur Radio.
Ideally, I would like to have a minimum of four stations: digital, CW
, and voice on several bands including at least one HF band. If you want
to loan equipment OR operate only, please let me know. The best way to let
me know is via email: jriley@dsbscience.com
There are four 120 VAC outlets at the shelter, but we’ll need extension
cords. I have a couple I can bring as well as a three-way plug. I will
operate the radio off a deep cycle battery and will bring an additional one
if anyone wants to use it.
Even if you cannot personally show up at the park, you can participate
by talking to Scouts – ours and others – on multiple HF bands and modes
and VHF/UHF Simplex from your own station. BSA has published some
frequencies and they are listed on the BSA JOTA pages under Guidelines
for Radio Operators or whatever it’s called.
If you wish to operate on your own, JOTA formally starts on Friday the
15th and runs until Sunday the 17th. Our portable club operation is
only going to be Saturday afternoon, but the actual event runs longer.
Thank you and 73,
John S. Riley, KO4OFO
ASM Troop 13