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Jamboree On The Air Brings Scouts Around the World Together |
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The big weekend for Scouts around the world is here. Jamboree On – The – Air (JOTA) and Jamboree On – The – Internet (JOTI) is the world’s largest Scouting event. The three-day event runs from October 18 – 20, 2024 using amateur radio and the internet to connect Scouts worldwide for a full weekend of on-air and online activities that promote friendship and global citizenship. In 2023, JOTA/JOTI had a record 600,000 registered participants, a 40% increase compared to 2022, and included 7000+ Scout groups and tens of thousands of individual participants from 149 countries.
When Scouts contact each other by amateur radio, the stations are operated by licensed amateur radio operators. Many Scouts and their 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 communication. This technology offers Scouts the exciting opportunity to make friends in other countries without leaving home.
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.
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| Webelos Scouts attending the Great Lakes Council’s Ottawa District Unity Camporee in 2011 talk with fellow Scouts across the country on the 20-meter band. The operator is Dave Edenfield, W8RIT. [Frank Maynard, NF8M, photo] |
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Participating using JOTI, Scouts of any age can take part, from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts and Venturers. Scouts may participate at home with the help of an adult, or they can participate in a Scout group at a council event. JOTI is an economical way to participate in an international jamboree and participation fulfills requirements for Tiger and Arrow of Light adventures, the Citizenship in the World merit badge, and the International Spirit Award.
More information about JOTA/JOTI – including rules, regulations, callsigns, and worldwide frequencies – can be found at Jamboree on the Air (JOTA) (arrl.org). Additional information is available in the JOTA-JOTI Ham Radio Handbook.
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Radio Orienteering Championships Held in Michigan |
| The 23rd USA and 12th IARU Region 2 Radio Orienteering Championships, held October 5 – 13, 2024, brought together more than 50 competitors from 13 U.S. states, as well as participants from Canada, Australia, Uganda, and China.
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| William Wright, WB6CMD, from California’s Bay Area Orienteering Club, William [Ken Harker, WM5R, photo] |
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Set in the scenic parks and forests near Chelsea, Dexter, Pinckney, and Brighton, Michigan, the event was organized by the Southern Michigan Orienteering Club (SMOC), with communications and logistics help from the Chelsea Amateur Radio Club, an ARRL Affiliated Club.
Radio orienteering, or Amateur Radio Direction Finding (ARDF), blends navigation using a map and compass with radio transmitter hunting. This sport not only provides a challenging competition but also has practical applications in search and rescue, wildlife tracking, and defense communications.
Competitors faced difficult terrain, signal reflections, and elite-level navigation challenges, while beginners were welcomed with coaching and a two-day training camp held before the championships. A highlight was a search and rescue exhibition featuring Civil Air Patrol volunteers.
Medals were awarded across various categories, with standout performances in both women’s and men’s divisions. These results will factor into the selection of Team USA for the next World ARDF Championships. For complete results, photos, and further details, visit radioorienteeringchamps.us.
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The 19th Annual ARRL Online Auction, sponsored by RT Systems Inc., gets under way on Friday, October 18, at 10 AM EDT. The auction continues through Thursday, October 24.
A preview of the items that will be up for bid is open now. This year’s auction features over 200 items and includes ARRL Product Review equipment, vintage books, new donations, ARRL Lab tested donations, and the ever-popular ARRL Lab “Mystery” boxes.
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| Visit the auction website, register to bid, and check out details on the items available so you’ll be ready to place a bid on your favorites. Plus, keep an eye on the ARRL Facebook page and Instagram for featured products and auction highlights throughout the event.
Prospective bidders must register and create an account. Your arrl.org user ID and password will not work on the auction site. Registration is a one-time action. If you have previously registered for the ARRL Online Auction, you can use the same username and password to sign into this year’s auction. (If you have forgotten your username or password, click on the “Help” tab for assistance.)
It’s not necessary to register to browse the items for sale on the site, and you can register at any time during the auction at ARRL Online Auction.
ARRL’s Annual Online Auction is an important fundraiser and a critical means of support for ARRL educational programming. Auction proceeds ensure the continuation of programs that support the licensing of new hams, as well as Amateur Radio Emergency Service training, and enhancements to technical and operating education for all ARRL members and the greater amateur radio community.
If you don’t want to bid but still would like to contribute to the ARRL Education & Technology Fund, visit arrl.org/donate.
For more information about the ARRL Auction, contact Lisa Tardette, KB1MOI, via email.
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Amateur Radio in the News |
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On the Air
Sponsored by Icom
ARES® Task Book Updates
The ARES® Task Book, an important resource an reference for the Amateur Radio Emergency Service®, is used by amateurs who want to be of service to their communities. ARRL Director of Emergency Management Josh Johnston, KE5MHV, joins the podcast to talk about the task book’s place in a ham’s training, as well as recent updates to the book.
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ARRL Audio News
Listen to ARRL Audio News, available every Friday. ARRL Audio News is a summary of the week’s top news stories in the world of amateur radio and ARRL, along with interviews and other features.
The On the Air podcast and ARRL Audio News are available on blubrry, iTunes, and Apple Podcasts.
On the Air | ARRL Audio News
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| A team of 161 amateur radio operators from five Midwest states assisted the 2000 medical personnel volunteering for the Bank of America Chicago Marathon on October 13, 2024. Some 52,000 runners entered the event that featured a chilly, windy, day and saw many personal best times and a world record time for the women. More than 100 countries were represented. This is the 16th that year amateur radio operators have partnered with the medical teams to help coordinate responses, arrange for medical re-supplies, and provide situational awareness for the organizers. This year, Digital Mobile Radio (DMR) was used by the pre-finish team, a group of 25 hams who are staged with medical personnel in a line about every 200 yards on the last mile of the course. The medical people had automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and other supplies while the hams radio for ambulance support. DMR allowed the hams to have two channels on one frequency and permitted them to better manage the traffic when patient load was higher. There were more than 35 newly-trained ham radio operators, and all were new to the event as well. Online training events were offered and then the new operators were paired with more experienced personnel for the event. Organizers said that amateur radio is important to the marathon, but it is just one small component of a very complex event that requires 10,000 volunteers to be successful. Amateur radio has a unique role and works alongside the other many specialty service groups required to support an event of this magnitude. “We are grateful to the many hams who have shared their expertise, time, and resources over the years,” said Robert Orr, Volunteer Lead for the Bank of America Chicago Marathon. “This event has shown that ham radio is very much alive and doing well.”
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| The High-frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP) will be performing routine systems testing and maintenance on October 15 – 17, between 1700 and 2400 UTC daily. Operating frequencies will be 3.3 MHz, 5.8 MHz, and 9.6 MHz. Each frequency will be transmitted in four different directions. There are no specific data collection requests for these transmissions, but reception reports from amateur radio operators are welcome and may be submitted to uaf-gi-haarp@alaska.edu. All information is subject to change. For more information on research at HAARP, see the online HAARP FAQ at https://haarp.gi.alaska.edu/faq.
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| Throughout November, members of Radio Club Limburg (RCLB) in the North Limburg region of the Netherlands, will activate special event station PF16F. The event marks the retirement from the Royal Netherlands Air Force of the F-16, or Fighting Falcon, aircraft after 45 years of service, from 1979 to 2024. RCLB members hope to contact amateur radio operators around the world in November. QSL information is available from QSL Manager PD8RW. For additional information, visit the club’s website.
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| PACIFICON 2024, the ARRL Pacific Division ham radio convention and hamfest, runs October 18 – 20 in San Ramon, California. The three-day event features forums, an all-day antenna seminar, a one-day Technician license prep class, two days of license testing, and an outdoor swap meet. ARRL National Instructor Gordon West, WB6NOA, will teach the Ham Instructor Academy Saturday, October 19 from 8:15 – 10:00 AM. ARRL officials and staff will be available at the ARRL booth with a special membership incentive. Special Event Station W1AW/6, sponsored by the Palo Alto Amateur Radio Association, will be in operation. PACIFICON 2024 is hosted by the Mt. Diablo Amateur Radio Club.
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| The fifth Youth on the Air Camp for the Americas has been scheduled for June 15 – 20, 2025. The camp will be held in Thornton/Denver, Colorado, and welcomes young amateur radio operators from North, Central, and South America. The camper application period will open online December 1, 2024, at youthontheair.org. Eligible youth are licensed amateur radio operators between ages 15 and 25. Up to 50 campers will be accepted and priority will be given to first-time attendees and to youth residing outside of the USA. Past campers may apply to be considered to serve as leaders during the camp. Potential campers residing outside of the Unites States are encouraged to immediately begin the process of obtaining the necessary passport (and appointment to obtain a tourist visa, where applicable) as processing times may extend for several months. For details about the camp and/or to sign up for updates by email, visit the camp web page at youthontheair.org/denver2025. Dates and locations for the inaugural 2025 subregional camp(s) and the inaugural 2025 YOTA Junior USA camp (for under age 15) will be announced as soon as they are available. For additional information, please contact Camp Director Neil Rapp, WB9VPG, at director@youthontheair.org.
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| This image was taken on October 17, 2024. [Photo courtesy of NASA SDO/HMI] |
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For this Friday’s ARRL Propagation Bulletin, ARLP042
Average daily sunspot numbers decreased from 160 to 129.3 and average daily solar flux from 261.3 to 194.3. Geomagnetic numbers were higher, with the planetary A index rising from 21.4 to 39.3.
Seven new sunspot groups emerged this week, with two on October 10, two on October 13, two more on October 14 and one more on October 15.
Predicted solar flux is 165, 160, and 175 on October 17 – 19; 180 on October 20 – 21; 185 on October 22 – 23; 220 on October 24 – 26; 225, 245, 235, 260, 245 and 235 on October 27 through November 1, and 230 on November 2 – 3.
Predicted planetary A index is 8, 15, 15 and 8 on October 17 – 20; then 5, 15, 12 and 5 on October 21 – 24; followed by 5, 12 and 8 on October 25 – 27; then 5 on October 28 to November 8.
Sunspot numbers for October 10 through 16, 2024, were 150, 130, 95, 108, 146, 141, and 135, with a mean of 129.3. The 10.7-centimeter flux was 216.3, 213.9, 213.6, 194.9, 181.9, 172, and 167.7, with a mean of 194.3. Estimated planetary A indices were 96, 116, 20, 5, 8, 15, and 15, with a mean of 30.3. Middle latitude A index was 50, 68, 16, 3, 6, 9, and 11, with a mean of 23.3.
Send your tips, questions, or comments to k7ra@arrl.net.
A comprehensive K7RA Solar Update is posted Fridays on the ARRL website. For more information concerning radio propagation, visit the ARRL Technical Information Service, read “What the Numbers Mean…,” and check out the Propagation Page of Carl Luetzelschwab, K9LA.
A propagation bulletin archive is available. For customizable propagation charts, visit the VOACAP Online for Ham Radio website.
Share your reports and observations.
A weekly, full report is posted on ARRL News.
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- October 17 – 18 — 14 Walk for the Bacon QRP Contest (CW)
- October 17 — NTC QSO Party (CW)
- October 19 – 20 — ARRL EME Contest (CW, phone, digital)
- October 19 – 20 — JARTS WW RTTY Contest (digital)
- October 19 – 20 — YBDXPI FT8 Contest (digital)
- October 19 – 20 — 10-10 Int’l Fall Contest (CW)
- October 19 – 21 — YLRL DX/NA YL Anniversary Contest (CW, phone, digital)
- October 19 – 20 — New York QSO Party (CW, phone, digital)
- October 19 – 20 — Worked All Germany Contest (CW, phone)
- October 19 – 20 — Stew Perry Topband Challenge (CW)
- October 19 — Feld Hell Sprint (digital)
- October 20 — Asia-Pacific Fall Sprint (CW)
- October 20 — UBA ON Contest 2m (CW, phone)
- October 20 – 23 — Classic Exchange (CW)
- October 20 – 21 — Illinois QSO Party (CW, phone, digital)
- October 20 – 21 — Run for the Bacon QRP Contest (CW)
- October 21 – 25 — School Club Roundup (CW, phone, digital)
- October 24 — RSGB 80m Autumn Series, SSB (phone)
Visit the ARRL Contest Calendar for more events and information.
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