News Release
Scouts to go "Around the World in 50 hours"
Newington, CT Oct 1, 2007 -- The world’s largest international scouting event is when they partner with Amateur Radio operators, often called “hams,” and hold the Jamboree On The Air. The theme of JOTA 2007 is "Around the world in 50 hours". Jamboree On The Air will celebrate its 50th year on October 19-21. The fun begins at 2200 (local time) October 19 and ends at midnight (local time) October 21. Over 500,000 scouts are expected to participate this year.
Sponsored by theWorld Scout Bureau, JOTA was founded in 1958 by Les Mitchell, ham radio callsign G3BHK. It has grown to become the largest international Scout event. Last year more than half a million Scouts and Guides in more than 100 countries participated in JOTA, involving as many as 10,000 Amateur Radio stations.
The event relies on the Amateur Radio community and local hams for its success. Getting Boy and Girl Scouts (including Cubs and Brownies) on the air to talk with other Scouts around the world exposes youth to Amateur Radio and modern telecommunications. In our wireless world, everyone uses radio based tools, but only a few have any idea what makes them work. Scouts enjoy international communications by speaking into a microphone, but learn about other modes, such as slow-scan TV or amateur TV, satellites, digital and packet radio, RTTY or even bouncing signals off the moon.
For more information on the 2007 Jamboree on the Air, please visit the ARRL JOTA Web site at: http://www.arrl.org/scouts/jota
To find your nearest local Boy Scout council, go to http://www.scouting.org/
###
Page last modified: 10:59 AM, 03 Oct 2007 ET
Page author: w1agp@arrl.org
Copyright © 2007, American Radio Relay League, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
