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The following resources will provide ideas for Amateur Radio activities. You’ll find resources that are specifically focused on the Boy Scout Merit Badge as well as general activities to engage Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts in the exploration of Amateur Radio.

Jamboree on the Air (JOTA) is an international scouting event to promote friendship around the world through Amateur Radio.   It engages Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and Guides around the world in an annual October Amateur Radio operating event. To learn more and for resources that will help you plan JOTA activities click here.

Merit Badge Resources

• Requirements for the Radio Merit Badge
• The Valencia County Amateur Radio Association has produced some exceptional materials that may help you organize a Radio Merit Badge seminar that leads to achieving the badge.  Get Your Radio Merit Badge Day: Planning and Materials Notebook.
• Merit Badge Projects from ARRL’s Technical Information Service
• Get Your Radio Merit Badge Day, developed by Gary Wilson, K2GW, Radio Merit Badge Counselor, Mercer Area District, Central New Jersey Council Boy Scouts of America.  Includes lesson plans, visual aides and hand-outs.
• Become a Radio Merit Badge Counselor, by Steve Place WB1EYI.  How to get started and a discussion of the radio merit badge requirements.
• Teaching the Radio Merit Badge, by Larry Wolfgang WR1B 
• Boy Scout Trail information page

Informational Articles and Other Resources

• Amateur Radio Ideas for Cub Scout Advancement, by Larry Wolfgang WR1B
• For information about ongoing Scout nets as well as JOTA refer to the World Radio Scouting Pages.
• Amateur Radio in Scouting & Other Young Peoples Groups, by Mel Goldberg N6MEL.  Goldberg relates his experiences and how he promotes Amateur Radio in Scouting and among young people.
• Regulatory rules applying to control operators during operating events and activities involving un-licensed operators can be found in Dan Henderson’s comprehensive FAQ page, Who’s in Control of  Your Station?
• Scout Radio Yahoo Group
• Search for listings of other youth groups that want to set up schedules at Youth Skeds.
• Girl Scouts do not have a formal program to guide the study of Amateur Radio.  Each local troop may decide on its own area of interest.  An example of one concept for a Girl Scout Amateur Radio Patch: A Proposal.
• Rapid RDFing: An Introductory Scouting Activity, by Stan Pozerski, KD1LE
• Printed flyers describing Amateur Radio the Scouting audience to use as hand-outs at Scouting events or other public events are available from ARRL.  Please review ordering information at www.arrl.org/brochures/.
• To listen to a recorded satellite contact with Scout Troop 340 in Minden, NV on August 28, 2007 via AO-51 click here.  Recording is courtesy of KI6IUC.
• To listen to the contact between Boy Scouts at the Prairielands Council Space Jamboree Camp and Astronaut Clay Anderson on board the International Space Station on October 6, 2007 click here.
• Scouts often enjoy learning and practicing Morse code.  Find tips on learning Morse code and its history on our website.  Other resources for Morse code practice include Morse Code for Radio Amateurs, by Roger Cooke, G3LDI and Ham University--Extra and Morse Code Edition.  Morse code practice sites can be found on the Web.  For the beginner try www.aa9pw.com/radio/morse.html.  To increase proficiency: www.rufzxp.net/