[OFARC] JOTA 2015 report

[Ralph (home)]

JOTA 2015 was much better advertised than previous years.
The Sam Houston Area Council included information their web page plus two of the districts allowed us to present Amateur Radio at their monthly leaders’ round table meetings.

OFARC set up stations at two locations .... the Oak Forest Masonic Lodge and at the Cockrell Scout Center (Houston HQ for scouts).
Two operators manned each location.

One scout visited at the lodge, but 32 visited the HQ station.

Our HF gear at HQ was powered by a generator, but the UHF radio was operating on a battery supported by a 30W solar panel.
Richard (KF5RSA) helped me install a 40M dipole and Mike (KD5MVL) did a major job by raising an 80M dipole in two very tall trees.  
Unfortunately HQ was bothered by a lot of static on HF, so all contacts were on UHF repeater at 146.94 Mhz.
Each of the scouts spoke with 2-5 other operators around the Houston area.  All of the operators were polite, friendly, and patient.
It was gratifying to listen to the conversations as each licensed operator encouraged a boy or girl to relax and just enjoy the contact.
In all, there were just over 100 contacts made by the 32 scouts at HQ.
Cub Scouts came from Pack 80, pack 1517, Pack 55, and Pack 242 (24 boys & 3 girls)
Boy scouts were from Troop 282 (5 boys that completed their Radio Merit Badge)

While I monitored the radio, Mike explained Amateur radio, demonstrated the morse code keys, and let the scouts poke around in an old (non functional) 2M rig that was laying open for that purpose.

I believe the lodge was operated by Terry (W5PCJ) and Richard (KF5RSA) with assistance from Dick and Jim.
(PLEASE correct anything missed or incorrect!!!)

There was also a class on how to be a Boy Scout Merit Badge Counselor.  I heard that 5 people attended.

I have attached a few photos from HQ station.
If anyone has additional photos, pleas send me a copy.

My thanks to all who provided help or encouragement!!!

Regards,
Ralph KE5HDF 


PS... the 40M dipole was fed with home made ladder-line (using popsicle sticks)  it tuned up nicely on 20M and 40M



JOTA 2015 report
https://onedrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=0e2661b0e8fdc6fa&page=browse&resid=E2661B0E8FDC6FA!477&parId=E2661B0E8FDC6FA!120&type=5&authkey=!AJhwDOGyzbOlRW0&Bsrc=Photomail&Bpub=SDX.Photos
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.qth.net/pipermail/ofarc/attachments/20151031/e08aeb22/attachment-0001.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: -631976930492B8D9A.png
Type: image/png
Size: 155685 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://mailman.qth.net/pipermail/ofarc/attachments/20151031/e08aeb22/attachment-0007.png>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: -631980255225D775A.png
Type: image/png
Size: 33164 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://mailman.qth.net/pipermail/ofarc/attachments/20151031/e08aeb22/attachment-0008.png>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: -1241628349225D775A.png
Type: image/png
Size: 37280 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://mailman.qth.net/pipermail/ofarc/attachments/20151031/e08aeb22/attachment-0009.png>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: 1619214566504ACA12.png
Type: image/png
Size: 31954 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://mailman.qth.net/pipermail/ofarc/attachments/20151031/e08aeb22/attachment-0010.png>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: 16192144697E381CCA.png
Type: image/png
Size: 39266 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://mailman.qth.net/pipermail/ofarc/attachments/20151031/e08aeb22/attachment-0011.png>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: 16192143767E381CCA.png
Type: image/png
Size: 18689 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://mailman.qth.net/pipermail/ofarc/attachments/20151031/e08aeb22/attachment-0012.png>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: 161921460969469A57.png
Type: image/png
Size: 38517 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://mailman.qth.net/pipermail/ofarc/attachments/20151031/e08aeb22/attachment-0013.png>