The JOTA event was held at the DVRA shack on Saturday, October 21st from 10 – 3:00 pm. All Cubs, Scouts, Venturers and GSUSA members were welcomed to participate.
The DVRA W2ZQ radio station is on Route 579 directly across from the Ewing Township Water Tower at Exit 75 of I-295 (Driving Directions). Just look for the tall antennas to find the driveway!
Jamboree-on-the-Air, or JOTA, is an annual Scouting event sponsored by the World Organization of the Scouting Movement (WOSM). This is the largest Scouting event of the year, with thousands of Scouts talking to one another around the world!
Amateur radio stations around the world help Scouts participate. It is common for over a hundred Scouting countries to talk to each other during the weekend.
Cub Scouts, Brownies, Scouts, and Girl Scouts exchange greetings with Scouts over amateur radio. The exchanges typically include information such as Name, Location, Scout rank, Hobbies, Age, etc. Some exchanges lead to long-lasting friendships and the exchange of photos, badges, pins, and patches.
Scouts can meet two requirements for Radio Merit Badge and one requirement for Citizenship in the World Merit Badge. Cubs meet their International Participation requirements for Arrow of Light. The BSA online Scout Shop makes an optional patch available for participants. This year’s patch is listed as SKU 660418.
Please contact Jon Frush, W8JRF (w8jrf@arrl.net) for more details for next years event.
