Hello Everyone
We are beginning to put together plans for the 55th Jamboree on the Air (JOTA). This year’s event will take place on Saturday October 20th .
For more information about what JOTA is, check out the following link: http://www.scouting.org/jota.aspx
I will be putting together a group of hams from the Taunton Area Communications Group and our friends from the Whitman ARC.
We will operate from Camp Norse in Kingston MA using the call sign KC1TAC. We will again be using local 2M repeaters and Scout HF frequencies.
Since 2007 we have helped to get 700+ Scouts on the air. The JOTA Group at camp and the several unsung Eastern Mass Radio Operators have encouraged the young would be Hams to get-on-the-air. These young Scouts will be the life blood of our hobby in the coming years and I need your help to make it as exciting as we can for them.
What do we need?
1. Volunteer Operators at camp,
2. The use of local repeaters
3. Contacts!
1st, Volunteers Operators; if you have helped out in the past or would like to help out this year, please contact me and I will add your name to the 55th JOTA Group list.
I will give you all the information you need for a day. Our operation has changed from previous years. Annawon Council is hosting us during its Cranboree WEEK-END. Boy Scout and Venture Crews (Scouts age 11-21) are camping at Norse for the week-end and will be our radio guest. This will allow us more time with Scouts, as they will be able to visit the station in the morning as a small patrol and then return in the afternoon for more mic time on their own.
Furthermore, with NEAR-Fest a week earlier, more hams will be available to assist. Maybe even demonstrate a special part of Amateur Radio. (Fox Hunters, Packet, Satellite, D*Star, Digital)
2nd, Are you a trustee of a local repeater? Or do you know someone who is? Please Ask them if we may list their repeater as a place to make contacts during the JOTA events on Saturday October 20th. The Whitman ARC 147.225 has already stepped up and said YES. I will make a complete list of usable repeaters and pass it to those interested as the date nears. The Eastern Mass Radio Clubs have always been supportive of our effort and I hope to hear from you all soon.
Also if your repeater has Echo-link or IRLP, on the day of JOTA will you add “JOTA” to your Stations name description? Scouts across the country and around the world will be search for contacts via VOIP too.
3rd, Will you be hosting a JOTA event with your Scout Pack/Den or Troop/Crew? I’d like to add your groups to our list of Scout contacts.
Forward me your name, call sign and location. The modes you will use for JOTA and the call sign you will use for the day. I will send you the list of local JOTA Groups before the event.
Maybe you don’t have a Scout connection and want to help from your QTH? Great! We still want to hear from you too! Let me know where you’ll be and when.
Please mark your calendar for the Saturday October 20th
Feel Free to pass this request on to your club members and Ham Radio friends. The bigger the list the better the time!
With your help and some good weather we will have another Great JOTA event in Eastern Massachusetts. Thank you for your assistance, we’ll look for you on the air.
Feel free to contact me with questions.
73’s YIS
Don Burke KB1LXH
Secretary TACGroup
ACM Pack 49
ASM Troop 40