Ham radio has been a part of Scouting since 1918 with the inauguration of the Wireless merit badge. The ARRL was a key contributor in establishing those early requirements and in pulling together that first merit badge pamphlet. This merit badge, among many, is part of Scouting’s legacy of providing concise information and rigorous requirements to introduce Scouts to hobbies, vocations and generally fun stuff. The list of merit badges today numbers over 130, covering diverse topics from Nuclear Science to a recently introduced Welding merit badge. This article provides a brief overview of Radio Scouting, yesterday and today.

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