Ohio River Valley Council - Jamboree on the Air

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Jamboree on the Air

Event Details

The Radio Merit Badge will be offered at the Sandscrest Scout Reservation as we talk to other Scouts and Scouters around the world during the Jamboree on the Air.

A day event, lunch provided at a cost of $10.00 a person includes JOTA patch as well.

Registration begins at 8:30am---Classes start at 9:00am Sharp, the day should wrap up at 5:00pm with a completed merit badge.

Webelos may attend, they will not be able to earn the Radio Merit Badge but they can earn part of their Build a Better World pin. Cost is $10.00 for them and includes lunch and a JOTA patch as well. Troops this is an opportunity for those Arrow of Lights that will soon be crossing over to the Troop to get to know their fellow Scouts in your Troop.

For those who have the Radio Merit  Badge, the Weather Merit Badge is being offered as well. There is a requirement that you must have to complete the on October 16 and they are as follows: Requirement 9A:  Record the Weather for a Period of 7 days and fill in the chart provided. First, use a 7 day forecast and fill out the Predicted weather chart for the next 7 days. Then, fill out the ACTUAL Weather Chart with information from each day.    Please use the same source for each day.   Requirement 10:  Give a Brief Talk about the safety Rules of one of the Following Meteorological Hazards found on the website Link Provided.  https://www.weather.gov/safety/                   You can use the form provided.


Jamboree-on-the-Air, or JOTA, is the largest Scouting event in the world. It is held annually the third full weekend in October. JOTA uses amateur radio to link Scouts and hams around the world, around the nation, and in your own community. This jamboree requires no travel, other than to a nearby amateur radio operator’s ham shack. Many times you can find the hams will come to you by setting up a station at your Scout camporee, at the park down the block, or perhaps at a ham shack already set up at your council’s camp.

Tell Me More

Scouts of any age can participate, from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts and Venturers, including girls. Once at the ham radio station, the communication typically involves talking on a microphone and listening on the station speakers. However, many forms of specialized communication may also be taking place, such as video communication, digital communication (much like sending a message on your smartphone but transmitted by radio), or communication through a satellite relay or an earth-based relay (called a repeater). The exchanges include such information as name, location (called QTH in ham speak), Scout rank, age, and hobbies. The stations you’ll be communicating with can be across town, across the country, or even around the world! The World Scout Bureau reported that the 2017 JOTA-JOTI had over 1.5 million Scout participants from more than 160 countries.

When Is It?

Jamboree-on-the-Air is held the third weekend in October. There are no official hours, so you have the whole weekend to make JOTA contacts. The event officially starts Friday evening during the JOTA Jump Start and runs through Sunday evening.

How Can I Participate as a Scout?

Contact your local Scout council and see what may already be planned in your area. You can also contact a local ham radio operator or a local amateur radio club. You can find a searchable database of clubs at www.arrl.org/find-a-club. This website is operated by the American Radio Relay League, the national association for amateur radio, which is cooperating closely with the BSA on JOTA and many other activities.

Your local club may be able to direct you to its planned JOTA activities. These can include ham stations set up at camporees or other events. Or, if there are no planned activities, you can either work with them to get something set up or arrange to visit a local radio operator’s ham shack at a scheduled time to participate in JOTA.

How Can I Participate as an Amateur Radio Operator?

Contact your local Scout council and see what may already be planned in your area and how you can help. You can find your council using the Council locator.

If nothing is currently planned, or if current plans aren’t reaching your area, you can work with the council or a local unit (pack, troop, crew) to set up a JOTA station or arrange for visits to your ham shack. You can also participate just by making QSOs with the many JOTA stations that will be on the air. A good resource to find a local Scout unit is the Be-A-Scout website at .

When & Where
Sandscrest Scout Reservation
Saturday 10-16-2021
8:00 AM ET to 6:00 PM ET Past
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