Radio communication, scouts and abbreviation magic: JOTA, YOTA, POTA

The current Scout movement is very different from what it was 117 years ago. But the importance of practical skills and an active lifestyle has remained unchanged. Modern scouts master not only the basics of survival but also radio communication technologies. They are needed to coordinate joint actions and ensure safety. Today we will talk in detail about them and about amateur radio in general.

Scouts and Radio Communication

In any Scout movement, there is a system of personal achievements. They are expressed in the form of badges or patches on the uniform. These are proofs of passing a test or achieving success in a specific area. And of course, a source of pride for their owner.

You have probably heard the story of David Hahn (aka the radioactive Boy Scout), who assembled a homemade nuclear reactor in his garage. He did it for the Nuclear Science Merit badge. It is clear that other scouts received it in much simpler ways, for example, by creating models of existing nuclear reactors. But David clearly did not want to demonstrate props and eventually became the owner of the coveted badge and at the same time got quite irradiated.

Another important badge that many scouts strive to earn is the Radio Merit Badge. To earn this badge, a candidate must demonstrate an understanding of what radio waves are, where they fit in the electromagnetic spectrum, and how they propagate. Skills also include knowledge of the phonetic alphabet and understanding how it helps in conducting radio communications.

This is only a small part of what a scout needs. They require almost all the knowledge that an amateur radio operator must demonstrate when taking exams to obtain a call sign. In addition to theory, the scout must also master practical skills such as building antennas (for example, for "fox hunting"), and trying their hand at being a shortwave listener (SWL) on medium and short waves.

Finally, the most challenging part for many is going on the air. There are three ways to do this. The simplest and most accessible is a simulation of a radio contact recorded. The scout, using the correct Q-codes, must conduct a communication session where they will be both the caller and the called party. The duration is at least 10 minutes, and they need to simulate contact with at least five stations.

The second method is more complex: the scout needs to contact a local radio club and arrange with experienced radio amateurs to go on the air using the club's call sign and conduct at least five radio communications. These communications can later be confirmed by receiving QSL cards, both physical and virtual eQSL. The latter are confirmed automatically if the log entries match the data of the corresponding eQSL service.

And the third method. Prepare and pass the exam to obtain a call sign. Purchase or build a transceiver and go on the air with their own call sign. This is a very interesting challenge that requires preparation and the acquisition of a lot of knowledge. Therefore, many modern scouts strive to follow this path.

Once every four years, the World Organization of the Scout Movement holds an international scout jamboree. Scouts from all over the world aged 14-17 come to the jamboree site, get to know each other, exchange experiences, and improve their skills. Each time the event takes place in different countries of the world, but not everyone can afford to travel. Therefore, once a year, a virtual scout gathering JOTA-JOTI is held.

JOTA stands for Jamboree On The Air. Along with this abbreviation, another one is often used - JOTI, or Jamboree On The Internet. These are two different events, but most often they are held together. The first was invented by radio amateur Les Mitchell with the call sign G3BHK - now silent key. During the Second World War, he served as a radio mechanic and, returning from the front, became enthusiastic about the idea of ​​interesting scouts in amateur radio communications.

For this, in 1957, at the next scout jamboree in Sutton Park (Birmingham, West Midlands, England), he organized an amateur radio station with the call sign GB3SP, which was operated by local radio amateurs. At that time, scouts were not allowed to go on the air, but they could watch how radio communications were conducted. Mitchell was genuinely surprised at how many radio amateurs there were among the scouts, and they agreed to "meet" on the air on a certain day.

Moreover, it was decided, as an experiment, to give all interested scouts the opportunity to try to contact the same amateurs around the world. In the same year, the first JOTA event was held. The idea turned out to be so successful that the event became annual and was extended to 48 hours. Many scouts participated in JOTA in order to complete the final part of the badge test and receive five confirmed radio contacts.

The modern scout gathering on the radio and the internet is a very large-scale event. In 2024, a record number of scouts registered for it (736,000 people applied). Special call signs are often allocated for the event, and in the DMR digital communication networks (for example, Brandmeister) separate permanent groups (TalkGroups) are allocated for JOTA-JOTI are allocated.

For ordinary radio amateurs, this event is interesting because JOTA-JOTI participants often go on the air from unusual places, for example, from the board of ships or while hiking. At the same time, countries that are rarely heard on a regular day appear on the air. So JOTA-JOTI is also an opportunity to make connections with many countries in one day.

Youth on the air

The ideas embedded in JOTA-JOTI have found a response not only among scouts but also among young people interested in studying radio. A group of 80 radio amateurs from the region IARU 1 decided to hold their own events, organizing field camps in different countries and promoting our wonderful hobby among other young people.

It is no secret that in our age of digital technology, amateur radio seems to many to be an archaic hobby. Why do you need your hissing radio if there is Starlink or fifth-generation mobile networks that drive data at amazing speeds? The answer is simple: your radio station will work regardless of the wishes of corporations or governments. It will become the only means of communication if the existing mobile or satellite infrastructure becomes unavailable.

So amateur radio has not only a hobby but also a quite practical meaning. Any cataclysm, such as a strong earthquake, instantly deprives people of communication with each other. So radio amateurs become those who connect with the outside world and provide support to emergency services. This is just one of the most important reasons why it makes sense to spend efforts to raise a new generation of radio amateurs.

In 2024, the YOTA camp was held in the Czech Republic. It was an eventful event that combined walks through the beautiful places of Prague, a visit to the Prusa 3D printing workshop, lectures on radio communication, programming microcontrollers for radio-controlled models, and much more. New technical skills and communication with peers who share ideas and hobbies are a great reason to continue studying radio communication at a higher level in the future.

And, of course, YOTA allowed many young radio amateurs who do not yet have their own call sign to go on the air for the first time. They used special call signs and the same groups in DMR networks, going on the air under the control of licensed radio station operators. So if you suddenly heard something like "My name is Misha, I am 8 years old, I live in Moravia and I go to the second grade", then this is probably the YOTA event.

Again, many radio amateurs want to introduce their children to this hobby. So setting aside a separate day, going on a hike in nature, and going on the air with a homemade dipole is a great plan to spend time together and at the same time interest the child in radio.

Radio communication from national parks

Let's go back almost 15 years to the USA. This country has a huge number of protected areas, and the history of the National Park Service (NPS) is more than a hundred years old. Just for the 100th anniversary of the NPS, the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) proposed to hold the annual NPOTA event to celebrate this event. US radio amateurs went on the air from various national parks using portable equipment.

Many people liked the idea — and eight years later, this event became permanent and round-the-clock, receiving the general name POTA. In addition to the USA, it is now held all over the world, from the Caribbean to China. Radio amateurs from all over the world take part in it, spending time in nature, while respecting park visitors and local rules.

All POTA participants can be conditionally divided into two categories: hunters and activators. These are those who announce in advance their plans to deploy a station at a specific location on the event website. Usually, small portable radios that fit in a backpack are used. In some cases, if local rules allow the use of cars in a particular park, it is allowed to work with a radio installed in the car. The goal is to make at least 10 QSOs (radio contacts) with different stations in one day.

Antennas can be used in a variety of ways: from telescopic whips to exotic ones, such as antennas raised with the help of a kite. The most popular are homemade ones made from cable and an ordinary folding fishing rod. They are convenient, compact, and can be deployed in a very short time.

The goal of hunters, who can be anywhere, is to make as many contacts as possible with activators in the parks. Thanks to them, you know for sure that in a certain country of the world, at a pre-known time, a specific station will be on the air. Many radio clubs around the world hold internal competitions among participants, where you need to make QSOs with the largest number of countries in a year. POTA helps with this and at the same time motivates you to visit the national parks of your country.

It doesn't matter if you have a radio operator's license or you are just interested in radio communication. Events like JOTA, YOTA, and POTA allow everyone interested to participate. The absence of a radio station does not prevent you from getting to know radio amateurs from your city and trying to get on the air for the first time. And professionals can make rare radio contacts and gain new experience, especially when working with low power (QRP).

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