BOY SCOUT TROOP
Saratoga, California

Radio Station K6BSA "Kilo Six Boy Scouts of America"

Upcoming Events

Watch for us at this year's Jamboree on the Air (JOTA) being held on October 21-22, 2000. Our Troop (with it's K6BSA callsign) will be at the old Fort Ord radio station site near Monterey, CA. We'll be on the standard JOTA frequencies.

1998-99 Events

The ARRL Features K6BSA on its website, in support of Field Day '99!

1997-98 Events

July 26-29, 1998: We were the "Voice of Rendezvous'98" from Sunday, July 26th, through Wednesday, July 29th! This was the International Rendezvous '98 encampment, with over 130 foreign Scouts joining our local Council Scouts for a week of "Mountain-Man" theme camping in the Sierra. Many hams around the world "worked" our Special Event station.
Photo Spread from Rendezvous (500KB).

June 27-28, 1998: We operated K6BSA for the ARRL's Field Day, with a station at a mountaintop near Interstate 80 and State 20 in the Sierra Nevada. We had operators on both 20M and 40M, using our Club call "K6BSA", plus a Novice/Tech+ station on 10M. We also made about 50 contacts on our VHF/UHF station. You can view the pictures now (120KB).

One of the hobbies of our Troop is Amateur (Ham) Radio. We participated in the JOTA (Jamboree on the Air) in October, talking to about 20 Scouts in the USA and Canada. See us in the World Radio Amateur Directory.

We operated K6BSA for the ARRL's Field Day in 1997, with a station at NN7NN (in Crystal Springs, Nevada) at the ranch of K6XN. We had operators on both 20M and 40M, using the station call "K6BSA/7", with operators KM6LH, N7TN (was N6XI), KF6LSH, and K6XN, plus KD6KRS, KD6MOB, and several unlicensed Scouts. We'll hope to post pictures and story soon.

In June, 1994, our Troop prepared and staffed an "emergency preparedness" display for the ARRL's Field Day. We joined with the Tandem Radio Amateurs Club (TRAC) at their site in the Cupertino Village Shopping Center, about 5 miles from our home base of Saratoga. TRAC set up 4 stations (for 40-M CW, 10-M Phone, 10-M Novice Phone, and Packet).

jota Our Scouts showed passing shoppers what supplies should be in their garages and homes in case of another big earthquake . . . .

jota . . . and passed out flyers from the Red Cross that included a checklist of what to have and what to do. Of course, amateur radio can play a part in preparing for an emergency and responding to it; that's why it is one of our Troop hobbies!

Next Licensing Class

Our next licensing class starts this February at Compaq Computer in Cupertino; any Scout in the Cupertino/Saratoga area (from any Troop) is welcome to attend. Cost is $20, and this covers the cost of the "Now You're Talking" instructional book (and the class is free, if you've already purchased the book). You'll get the software (for PC or Macintosh) with the questions and answers to the FCC's tests; the software tracks your knowledge and advises you on which sections need more study.

This is a self-study class with helpful video explanations and demonstrations, and the class meetings are on Monday and Wednesday evenings (5:30 - 7 PM). You'll be able to review stuff you didn't understand in the readings/presentations. Send me a note, if you need the dates and address.

"73", from
KM6LH, N7TN, KC6YEW, KC6YEX, KC6YEY, KC6YFA, KD6MOB, KD6KRS, KD6NFE, KD6TDX, KF6HXY, KF6SGG, KF6SGH and others!

Visit our Troop 566 Home Page or our Venturing Crew 566 Home Page!!