[SFDXA] 57th JOTA: October 17-19, 2014

[Bill]

*From **Tony N2MFT:
*


      57th JOTA: October 17-19, 2014

Jamboree on the Air provides the opportunity for millions of Scouts 
around the world to meet on

The air via Amateur Radio. Get ready for the 57th year of this annual 
on-the-air event!


    What is JOTA?

When Scouts want to meet young people from another country, they usually 
think of attending a World Jamboree. But few people realize that each 
year more than half a million Scouts and Guides "get together" over the 
airwaves for the annual Jamboree-on-the-Air (JOTA). The World Scout 
Bureau reported that the 2010 JOTA had just over 700,000 Scout 
participants from nearly 6,000 amateur radio stations!  Modern 
technology offers Scouts the exciting opportunity to make friends in 
other countries without leaving home. JOTA is an annual event in which 
Boy and Girl Scouts and Guides from all over the world speak to each 
other by means of Amateur (ham) Radio. Scouting experiences are 
exchanged and ideas are shared via radio waves. Since 1958 when the 
first Jamboree-on-the-Air was held, millions of Scouts have met each 
other through this event. Many contacts made during JOTA have resulted 
in pen pals and links between Scout troops that have lasted many years. 
With no restrictions on age or on the number of participants, and at 
little or no expense, JOTA allows Scouts to contact each other by ham 
radio. The radio stations are operated by licensed amateur radio 
operators. Many Scouts and leaders hold licenses and have their own 
stations, but the majority participate in JOTA through stations operated 
by local radio clubs and individual radio amateurs. Some operators use 
television or computer-linked communications.

http://www.arrl.org/jamboree-on-the-air-jota