JOTA stands for Jamboree On The Air, which is an annual collaboration where Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts can communicate with other scouts that could be around the corner or around the world. The event is held every year on the third weekend in October. This communication is done through amateur radio operators (often called hams). The fall camporee for the Eagle district will be the JOTA, hence JOTAREE.
Amateur radio is a friendly, high-tech hobby that is an excellent way to meet new friends that could be around the corner or around the world. It is also an excellent way to learn about many different ways of communicating (in ham language these are called modes). Many hams also get involved in the hobby to assist with community service that can range from assistance with community event to providing emergency communications. (There is a big similarity between amateur radio and the scouting movements with helping with community service).
The distance amateur radio operators can reach depends on the mode of communication, the frequency used, and the output power used. Some frequencies can also be bounced off the ionosphere to enable them to talk halfway around the world. Power output can range from 1 Watt or less for a hand-held to as much as 1000 Watts (1 kilowatt) for a base station.
Amateur radio operators can communicate in many different modes. These modes vary depending on the distance and the modes available to the operators at the time. The intricacies of when which mode is used is beyond the scope of this article, and thus will not be covered. However, below is listed a brief overview of some of the modes that we anticipate being available at the JOTA, as well as some of the modes that we don't anticipate having available.
FM stands for Frequency Modulation, and the theory of operation is very similar to the FM radio that many people listen to music on. This is by far the most popular mode of communication, and is usually the first mode hams get acquainted with.
SSB stands for Suppressed-carrier Single sideband. This mode works similar to the AM radio (like WHAM) but without the carrier and one sideband is used. Operators that like to work long distance like to use SSB, finding that this is a better mode than FM.
Amateur radio operators are even able to exchange video (Cool!!!!) There are two TV modes available, and we anticipate having both available.
Also called ATV, this is full motion video. The format is the same as broadcast TV. Scan rate is 24 frames per second.
This a narrow bandwidth, still image mode. Scan rates can vary from 8, 16, or 32 frames per second. Can even do it in color.
There are a number of modes that fall into this category, all with their own names and formats, but this is essentially computers talking to each other over the radio. Names of some of these modes are packet and RTTY.
OSCAR is communicating by satellite. Hams have designed and built many satellites that are currently in orbit. Many astronauts are hams so we have stations on space shuttles and the international space station.
CW is an abbreviation for Continuous Wave, which in ham lingo means Morse Code. You're probably thinking "Morse Code? as in dot dot dot dash?" Yes, that is correct. Hams are just about the only people that use it, but if someone wants to talk long distance with very little power, CW is the mode of choice. After all, just because a mode is old, doesn't mean we have to stop using it.
Hams may like to stick with old stuff, but we also are on the leading edge of technology. Many hams make use of computers with their radios, and many like to connect their computers to the radios. This method has several modes, but they all fall into the same category.
AM stands for Amplitude Modulation. This mode is similar to the AM radio that we all listen to WHAM on. AM is the earliest technique use to transmit voice over radio. This mode is not used much in amateur radio because it takes up so much bandwidth.
Amateur radio operators are also experimenters. Quite often the frequencies that we can work the world with work by bouncing the signals off the ionisphere. Do you think that's the only thing we can bounce signals off of? No Way Jose! Some of the bouncing modes are:
EME stands for Earth Moon Earth. This mode is exactly what it sounds like. We bounce signals off the moon and listen to them when the signals return.
Meteor is similar to EME, only we bounce the signals off meteors.
Most people are familiar with the sun spot cycle that the sun goes through. These sun spots are responsible for the bouncing affect that makes long distance ham communication possible. When theses same particles that the sun emits approach the earth, they enter our atmosphere around the poles, creating the Aurora Borealis. This also creates interference that we can bounce signals off of.
QRP is an acronym for Quit Running Power. Some hams like to see how far they can reach with as little power as possible. With the correct signal conditions the world can be reached with one watt from your lawn chair! The mode of operation is primarily CW.
This will give many future radio stars a chance to get on the air and show their stuff (Any Scott Spizano wanna bees out there?)
We hope to have stations up that will enable the scouts to work quite a distance. What we are planning on doing is posting the contacts on a map board. Really helps to put the hobby into perspective when you see how far you can reach with such a small signal.
Here's a chance to use some scouting skills. What we're planning on doing is putting up a tower that we can mount an antenna from. Getting your antenna just a few feet off the ground can make a big difference on the range.
Here's a chance to use another of your scouting skills. Downed aircraft, lost hikers and avalanche victims use radio beacons so rescue crews can locate them. We'll have a beacon that you'll be able to locate by radio. Hams do this for sport and call it a foxhunt. Kids in many countries do this activity as part of their gym class or school activity, and they have international olympic-like competition to see who can find the beacon first.
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For more information on amateur radio the following links are helpful