10/17/2009 | GN2BX A brief note on the City of Belfast Radio Amateurs' Society's (CoBRAS) successful Jamboree On The Air event from the 6th Belfast scout hall off the Cavehill Road signing GN2BX. Neither the hams nor the scout leaders involved have done JOTA before.

I'd particularly like to thank Harold GI4GOS, Paul GI6FEN, Davy GI8SKN
and Willie MI0XMN for making our operation so successful and so much fun.

After some initial concerns about the local noise level last night
(which in a fairly dense suburban area remained high, but within
acceptable limits, throughout today), the doublet at around a height of about 12m worked a treat. Although conditions on 20 were scratchy, some of the scouts were able to exchange greetings with amateurs in Germany, Portugal, Italy and Bulgaria. 40 was the stellar band with local scouts able to have long conversations with excellent signals at both ends with their counterparts in Great Britain, Holland and Belgium.

The day started slowly with just two members of the 6th Belfast troop,
who hosted us, joining the two girls from the house next door to the
scout hall - who weren't scouts but clearly were interested in amateur
radio. In some ways this was a blessing as both Joe from the scout
troop (aged 8) and Niamh from next door (aged 9) both able to enjoy long periods on the mic - both were absolute naturals! Joe took my advice to speak loudly into the microphone to heart and could be heard by scouts in England even without a radio!

In the afternoon, a minibus load of scots from 108th Belfast scouts in
Glengormley descended on us and we were kept busy with all the scouts
keen both to speak on the air and to try out the morse oscillator. Adam (aged 11), twins Rachael and Matthew (aged 14) and Lyndsay (aged 16) spent particularly long periods talking to counterparts in GB and the near continent and became confident and competent operators in a short time. Rachael and Matthew managed to have long conversations with very young and shy cubs from the 6th Hove Scouts in Sussex. Some of the local 6th Belfast children also turned up in the afternoon, with a very small Conal (just turned 8, and looked even younger) overcoming his shyness to enjoy himself.

A great time was had by the scout leaders, scouts and CoBRAS members and what was a first time experiment for both of us passed off very
successfully. Some people ask whether young people can be interested in amateur radio with easy and instant worldwide communication available on tap through the internet - but radio has a magic all its own, and anyone who doubts that is in the wrong hobby. There is no point selling radio as a cut down, slower internet - because anyone under the age of 16 has grown up with the real thing. But if you are enthusiastic about your radio and clearly enjoy it, that sense of fun and enthusiasm will communicate itself to young people.

And as Michael, one of the 6th Belfast leaders said when we were erecting antennas - "this really is very boy scoutish, isn't it?"

The Chairman also took the opportunity to put a few CW QSOs in the CoBRAS log, with KP4 coming through an Eu pileup on 40 last night for
the best DX, while HS0ZEE was heard on 80 at a good 569 but the huge
pileup was unbreakable this far West with only 100 Watts.

73

Gerry GI0RTN, Chair, City of Belfast Radio Amateurs' Society Gi2BX/GN2BX -- GI0RTN