=  NOW 40 WPM  =  
AKIHIKO WITH HER.  WE REHEARSED QUESTIONS AND ENSURED EVERYONE COULD
HEAR PRIOR TO THE CONTACT.  IT WAS INCREDIBLY SPECIAL TO CONTACT
NA1SS.  WE COULDNT STOP SMILING, AS DREAMS OF TALKING WITH AN
ASTRONAUT FINALLY CAME TRUE.  FUN OFF THE AIR ONE OF THE BIGGEST
LESSONS LEARNED FROM YOUNGSTERS ON THE AIR WAS THE IMPORTANCE OF
DOWNTIME FOR THE CAMPERS.  YOTA SUMMER CAMP STAFF ENSURED THAT THE
SCHEDULE ALLOWED TIME FOR US TO RELAX AND PLAY RADIO, TALK ABOUT
SHARED INTERESTS, OR S THE FIRST EVER YOUTH ON THE AIR SUMMER CAMP
RUTH WILLET, KM4LAO, AND LEAH MCGRANE, KD9LFZ ON JULY 11, 2021, THE
FIRST YOUTH ON THE AIR YOTA SUMMER CAMP IN THE AMERICAS BEGAN,
CONSISTING OF 1 WEEK OF LEARNING AND FRIENDSHIP AT THE NATIONAL
VOICE OF AMERICA VOA MUSEUM OF BROADCASTING IN WEST CHESTER
TOWNSHIP, OHIO.  YOTA IS A MOVEMENT IN THE AMERICAS FOCUSED ON
PROMOTING YOUTH ACTIVITY IN AMATEUR RADIO.  THIS GROUP STRIVES TO
APPLY THE SUCCESSFUL TECHNIQUES LEARNED FROM YOUNGSTERS ON THE AIR
IN EUROPE, AFRICA, THE MIDDLE EAST, AND WESTERN ASIA TO CONNECT
YOUNG PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD.  LED BY CAMP DIRECTOR NEIL RAPP,
WB9VPG, AND A TEAM OF STAFF, YOTA CAMP FOCUSES ON ACTIVITIES THAT
ARE PLANNED AND LED BY YOUNG RADIO AMATEURS.  THE GOAL IS TO BUILD A
COMMUNITY OF YOUNG HAMS MENTORING OTHERS AND INCREASING THE NUMBER
OF YOUNG PEOPLE ON THE AIR.  BECAUSE OF OUR INCREDIBLE SPONSORS, 23
CAMPERS BETWEEN THE AGES OF 14 AND 25 AT ALL LICENSE LEVELS WERE
ABLE TO ATTEND.  THE NATIONAL VOA MUSEUM OF BROADCASTING HOSTED THE
CAMP, WITH RADIO OPERATIONS FROM THE WEST CHESTER AMATEUR RADIO
ASSOCIATIONS WC8VOA STATION, USING GEAR PROVIDED BY ICOM.  A
TEMPORARY STATION WAS ALSO SET UP AT THE HOTEL WHERE CAMPERS STAYED.
WE RUTH, KM4LAO, AND LEAH, KD9LFZ BOTH ATTENDED AS CAMPERS, AND RUTH
LED THE SATELLITE OPERATIONS AND ARISS CONTACT WORKSHOPS.  A WEEK OF
ACTIVITIES THE YOTA SUMMER CAMP SCHEDULE WAS PACKED WITH HANDS ON
WORKSHOPS COVERING MANY SUBJECTS.  AFTER AN ENGAGING CAMP
ORIENTATION ON SUNDAY, INCLUDING A KEYNOTE ADDRESS FROM DX
ENGINEERING CEO TIM DUFFY, K3LR, WE WERE ALL EXCITED FOR ACTIVITIES
TO COMMENCE.  MONDAY MORNING STARTED EARLY, AS CAMPERS WERE SHUTTLED
TO THE MUSEUM EACH DAY BEFORE THE WORKSHOPS BEGAN AT 9 AM EXCEPT FOR
WEDNESDAY, WHEN CAMPERS COULD SLEEP IN.  SAM ROSE, KC2LRC, LED A
BUILD FOR AN 80 METER RECEIVER KIT.  ONE OF THE CAMPERS, TAYLOR
LAUB, KE8KWZ, ESPECIALLY LOVED KITS, SHARING, I HAD BEEN WANTING TO
LEARN TO SOLDER SINCE BECOMING A HAM.  I SOLDERED FOR THE FIRST TIME
AT YOTA CAMP AND FEEL LIKE A WHOLE NEW WORLD HAS BEEN OPENED UP TO
ME.  NEXT ON THE SCHEDULE WAS CONTESTING SKILLS WITH BRYANT RASCOLL,
KG5HVO, WHO GAVE AN EXCELLENT INTRODUCTION TO HF CONTESTING THAT
SEGUED INTO PRACTICING RUNNING PILEUPS ON THE RADIOS.  SEVERAL
ATTENDEES MADE THEIR FIRST HF CONTACTS WITH OUR SPECIAL EVENT CALL
SIGN, W8Y, USING IC 7300 TRANSCEIVERS PROVIDED BY ICOM.  BRYANT ALSO
ORGANIZED AN IN PERSON SPRINT TO PRACTICE CONTESTING SKILLS IN A FUN
ENVIRONMENT.  EVERYONE ENJOYED TRYING TO EXCHANGE
=  END OF 40 WPM TEXT  =  QST DE W1AW  <