Little did I think when I drew up the plans and rules for the first event in 1958 that it's popularity would increase and spread around the world. Even more astonishing is the fact that after all this time it still holds it's popularity and now has a participation of some half a million Scouts and Guides in over one hundred countries involving some ten thousand amateur radio stations. In fact it has become the largest international Scout event ever.

Have I been aware of any significant changes in the event since it started? Possibly the most noticeable change to me has been that in 1958 so few members of the Scout Movement were qualified radio amateurs that we had to call on the help of local amateur radio clubs to organise and run stations taking part in JOTA. Over the years Scouts taking part in the event have become so interested in the hobby that they have become radio amateurs themselves and a significant number of JOTA operators today are members of the Movement. This of course makes participation in the event far more interesting for those at both ends of a contact.

There are two other significant changes which have vastly improved the event. One is the change from Amplitude Modulation (AM) to Single Side Band (SSB). This has led to more efficient signals enabling one to make contacts further afield using only the often simple temporary aerial arrays erected during JOTA.

The second improvement is the miniaturisation of the equipment. In 1958 a single station consisted of several large sized and heavy pieces of equipment, mostly home-constructed, which would fill a car boot and took a long time to install. Today one can carry a complete station in a small suitcase and assemble a station within a few minutes. It is only the aerial which still needs the same amount of installation time as it did in the past!

Finally, JOTA is great fun but there is one simple point you must remember - even the most efficient communication system in the world is useless if you have nothing to say. If you put nothing into the event you may get nothing out of it! JOTA is your chance to speak to Scouts and Guides over the horizon …. Silence makes no friends!

Good Radio Scouting contacts!

October 2000