ETH039 - Jamboree On The Air(JOTA)

Everything Ham Radio Podcast

Hello everybody and welcome back to the Everything Ham Radio Podcast! In this episode we are going to be talking about the Jamboree On The Air, the Red River Radio Amateurs Amateur Radio Club, Upcoming events and hamfests for the next two weeks and Hurricane Matthew and other news.

Tech Corner - Jamboree On The Air

Jamboree-on-the-Air(http://www.scouting.org/jota.aspx), or JOTA, is the largest Scouting event in the world. It is held annually the third full weekend in October. JOTA uses amateur radio to link Scouts and hams around the world, around the nation, and in your own community. This jamboree requires no travel, other than to a nearby amateur radio operator's ham shack. Many times you can find the hams will come to you by setting up a station at your Scout camporee, at the park down the block, or perhaps at a ham shack already set up at your council’s camp.

Tell Me More

Scouts of any age can participate, from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts and Venturers, including girls. Once at the ham radio station, the communication typically involves talking on a microphone and listening on the station speakers. However, many forms of specialized communication may also be taking place, such as video communication, digital communication (much like sending a message on your smartphone but transmitted by radio), or communication through a satellite relay or an earth-based relay (called a repeater). The exchanges include such information as name, location (called QTH in ham speak), Scout rank, age, and hobbies. The stations you’ll be communicating with can be across town, across the country, or even around the world! The World Scout Bureau reported that nearly 1 million Scouts and almost 20,000 amateur radio operators participated in the 2015 JOTA, from more than 17,776 stations in 151 countries.

When Is It?

Jamboree-on-the-Air is held the third weekend in October. There are no official hours, so you have the whole weekend to make JOTA contacts. The event officially starts Friday evening during the JOTA Jump Start and runs through Sunday evening.

Frequencies To Use HF SSB Voice

Band

WOSM Calling Frequencies

Suggested Band Segment for US Stations

Notes

80 m

3.940 & 3.690(1)

3.920 – 3.940

3.670 – 3.690 (1)

(1) Extra segment

40 m

7.190 & 7.090 (2)

7.180 – 7.200

7.270 – 7.290

(2) 7.090 not available in Region 2

20 m

14.290

14.270 – 14.290

14.320 – 14.340

17 m

18.140

18.140 – 18.150

15 m

21.360

21.360 – 21.400

12 m

24.960

24.960 – 24.980

10 m

28.390 (3)

28.350 – 28.400 (3)

(3) Includes Novices & Techs

6 m

50.160

50.160 – 50.200

HF CW

Band

WOSM Calling Frequencies

Suggested Band Segment for US Stations

Notes

80 m

3.570 (3)

3.560 – 3.570 (3)

(3) Includes Novices & Techs

40 m

7.030 (3)

7.030 – 7.040 (3)

(3) Includes Novices & Techs

20 m

14.060

14.050 – 14.060

17 m

18.080

18.070 – 18.080

15 m

21.140 (3)

21.130 – 21.140 (3)

(3) Includes Novices & Techs

12 m

24.910

24.900 – 24.910

10 m

28.180 (3)

28.170 – 28.180 (3)

(3) Includes Novices & Techs

6 m

50.160

50.150 – 50.160

HF PSK-31

http://bpsk31.com

Call CQ JOTA. The chart below shows the commonly used frequencies for PSK-31.

Band

Frequency

Notes

80 m

3.580

40 m

7.080 (4)

(4) Region 2 (USA).

7.040 to 7.060 for Regions 1 & 3

30 m

10.142

20 m

14.070 (5)

(5) Most activity for JOTA will be on 20 m

17 m

18.100

15 m

21.080 (6)

(6) Most activity can be found at 21.070

12 m

24.920

10 m

28.120

2 Meter FM Simplex

147.450, 147.480, 147.510, 147.540* * Use 147.540 as Calling Channel. Always listen first to avoid interfering with another QSO or auxiliary or control link. Avoid 146.520, the National FM Simplex Calling Frequency, as well as 146.550, which is commonly used by mobiles and RVers.

70 CM FM Simplex

446.000*, 445.950, 446.050, 446.100, 446.150 * Use 446.000 as Calling Channel. Always listen first to avoid interfering with another QSO or auxiliary or control link.

D-STAR

http://www.dstarinfo.com

REF033A has been allocated as a full-time JOTA/Radio Scouting D-STAR Reflector. After contact is established, stations should disconnect from REF033A and connect to one or other repeater or migrate to an unused Reflector.

SIMPLEX Channels: 145.670*, 145.640, 145.610, 438.010. * 145.670 and 438.010 are commonly used as the National D-STAR Simplex Channels and should be used only as Calling Channels for JOTA. Always listen first to avoid interfering with another QSO.

DMR

http://www.dmr-marc.net

All wide area talkgroups are permitted for use for JOTA for establishing contacts. After contact is established, stations should utilize as few resources as possible. For international, national, and regional QSO's, stations should move their transmissions to one of the DMR-MARC UA talkgroups or to the DCI TAC-310 talkgroup.

For intrastate contacts, stations may use their area's statewide talkgroup (if applicable). The use of your repeater's local talkgroup (if applicable) is always permitted. A full list of repeaters and their available talkgroups can be found at http://www.dmr-marc.net/repeaters.html .

SIMPLEX Channels: 441.0000*, 446.5000, 446.0750, 433.4500, 145.7900*, 145.5100. All simplex frequencies operate on time-slot 1 and use color code 1. (*are commonly used as the National DMR Simplex Channels and should be used only as Calling Channels for JOTA. Always listen first to avoid interfering with another QSO.)

IRLP

http://irlp.net

http://www.irlptopics.net

Use Topic Channel Node 9091 as a Common Meeting Place or Calling Channel. After contact, disconnect from 9091 and one station should connect to another's local node.

EchoLink

http://www.echolink.org

Software or apps available for Windows, Mac, iPhone/iPad, and Android. Dedicated Conference Node *JOTA-365* (node 480809). When contact is made on a Conference Node, it is recommended the two parties establish direct contact with each other to free up the Conference Node.

APRS

144.39

http://aprs.org

http://aprs.org/cqsrvr.html

http://www.aprs-is.net/CQSrvr.aspx

CQSRVR: CQ JOTA

CQSRVR: CQ SCOUTS (other times of the year)

General Guidelines

• Jamboree-on-the Air is about getting young people to talk to each other using amateur radio.
• Arrange for the use of a club call sign, or apply for a special-event call sign in plenty of time.
• Prepare some simple diagrams and explanations showing how radio works and how signals can be transmitted around the world as well as to the nearest repeater.
• Arrange with the Scout leaders regarding venue, QSL cards, patches, participation certificates, other activities, physical arrangements, publicity, and details required for the JOTA report form on this website.
• Notify the national JOTA organizer of your event using the details on the registration form on this site.
• Go to Scout meetings beforehand to introduce the subject.
• Organize activities such as kit building, soldering practice, SSTV, FSTV, packet radio, and weather satellite reception. The simplest of things, such as a closed-circuit RTTY station, can generate a great deal of excitement.
• Offer to train Scouts for the Radio merit badge.
• Offer a Technician license preparation course for those interested in learning and doing more with ham radio.
• Ensure that no more than three Scouts are watching one Scout on the air. Keep Scouts involved and active or they will quickly grow bored.
• Ensure that the station is safe for young visitors.
• Observe your license conditions, especially regarding third-party traffic.
• Involve the Scouts in the contact. The goal is to involve as many Scouts as possible in making a contact. It is not to maximize the number of contacts or the distance of the contacts; it's about the experience for the Scouts.
• Try to use plain, understandable English where possible. When you do use Q-signals and other ham radio terms, take time to explain them to the Scouts.
• Don't try to work weak stations from remote locations. Go for stronger, more local stations that unpracticed ears can hear easily and understand. Local FM repeaters can be just as exciting for Scouts.
• Don't feel you have to keep the station on the air with no Scouts present.

Useful Internet Sites

K2BSA Amateur Radio Association

http://www.k2bsa.net

BSA JOTA Information

http://www.scouting.org/jota.aspx

World Organization of the Scout Movement JOTA Information

http://www.scout.org/jotajoti/

ARRL JOTA Information

http://www.arrl.org/jamboree-on-the-air-jota

Ultimate resources site for everything ham radio

http://www.ac6v.com/

Discussion Groups

Best all-around Radio Scouting discussion group

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ScoutRadio/

Worldwide coverage; however, be certain to post identical information at ScoutRadio at Yahoo

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/JOTAskedbook

Emphasis on discussion, announcements, and promoting getting "Scout Camps on the Air (SCOTA)"

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scoutcamps_ota/

Are you looking for some new radio gear? Maybe you need a new computer for your shack? Did you lose a piece off you tower and you just can't find it without a metal detector? You can find all this and more at GigaParts.com.

While you are there, check out the Nanuk cases! These cases are awesome! They are made of hard exterior and a soft foam interior. Both the inside foam and the outside can be customized to meet your purposes! Why Nanuk? Because they are awesome!

Check out all the options that are currently in stock at GigaParts right now!

GigaParts has graciously given one of these cases as a giveaway. Tune in next week to find out how to enter to win it! Until then, head on over to GigaParts.com and check out their wide selection of cases. If you decide to buy one, enter the coupon code of...

EHR10

...at checkout to receive 10% off the price of the case!

Amateur Radio Club Spotlight

Red River Radio Amateurs

Website: http://rrra.org/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/W0ILO

Meetings

• Third Tuesday of each month at 7PM in the basement of the Cass County Annex, 1010 2nd Ave South, Fargo, ND 58103 . Please enter through the north doors adjacent to the 2nd Ave S parking lot.

Repeaters

• 145.350 - PL 123 Moorhead, MN
• 146.760 - PL 123 Grandin, ND
• 147.255 + PM 123 Wheatland, ND
• 444.875 + PM 123 Moorhead, MN

Nets

• Sundays at 9p - RRRA Repeater System
• Sundays at 8p - 146.520 Simplex

Activities

• Skywarn Class
• Hamfest
• Hospital Exercise
• Fargo Marathon
• Headwaters Rally
• ADA Tour de Cure
• Field Day
• MS TRAM Ride
• Ojibwe Forests Rally
• FM Rotary Ride 2016
• Simulated Emergency Test
• Jingle Bell Run
• License Testing

Upcoming Events

+ Classic Exchange, CW

1300Z, Sep 11 to 0800Z, Sep 12 and

1300Z, Sep 13 to 0800Z, Sep 14

+ Phone Fray

0230Z-0300Z, Sep 14

+ CWops Mini-CWT Test

1300Z-1400Z, Sep 14 and

1900Z-2000Z, Sep 14 and

0300Z-0400Z, Sep 15

+ RSGB 80m Club Sprint, SSB

1900Z-2000Z, Sep 14

+ NCCC RTTY Sprint

0145Z-0215Z, Sep 16

+ NCCC Sprint

0230Z-0300Z, Sep 16

+ AGB NEMIGA Contest

2100Z-2400Z, Sep 16

+ ARRL 10 GHz and Up Contest

0600 local, Sep 17 to 2400 local, Sep 18

+ SARL VHF/UHF Analogue/Digital Contest

1000Z, Sep 17 to 1000Z, Sep 18

+ Scandinavian Activity Contest, CW

1200Z, Sep 17 to 1200Z, Sep 18

+ All Africa International DX Contest

1200Z, Sep 17 to 1200Z, Sep 18

+ SRT HF Contest SSB

1300Z, Sep 17 to 1300Z, Sep 18

+ QRP Afield

1600Z-2200Z, Sep 17

+ New Jersey QSO Party

1600Z, Sep 17 to 0359Z, Sep 18 and

1400Z-2000Z, Sep 18

+ New Hampshire QSO Party

1600Z, Sep 17 to 0400Z, Sep 18 and

1600Z-2200Z, Sep 18

+ Washington State Salmon Run

1600Z, Sep 17 to 0700Z, Sep 18 and

1600Z-2400Z, Sep 18

+ Feld Hell Sprint

1800Z-1959Z, Sep 17

+ North American Sprint, RTTY

0000Z-0400Z, Sep 18

+ BARTG Sprint 75

1700Z-2100Z, Sep 18

+ Run for the Bacon QRP Contest

0100Z-0300Z, Sep 19

+ 144 MHz Fall Sprint

1900 local - 2300 local, Sep 19

+ Phone Fray

0230Z-0300Z, Sep 21

+ CWops Mini-CWT Test

1300Z-1400Z, Sep 21 and

1900Z-2000Z, Sep 21 and

0300Z-0400Z, Sep 22

+ NAQCC CW Sprint

0030Z-0230Z, Sep 22

+ NCCC RTTY Sprint

0145Z-0215Z, Sep 23

+ NCCC Sprint

0230Z-0300Z, Sep 23

+ ARRL EME Contest

0000Z, Sep 24 to 2359Z, Sep 25

+ CQ Worldwide DX Contest, RTTY

0000Z, Sep 24 to 2400Z, Sep 25

+ Maine QSO Party

1200Z, Sep 24 to 1200Z, Sep 25

+ Texas QSO Party

1400Z, Sep 24 to 0200Z, Sep 25 and

1400Z-2000Z, Sep 25

+ AGCW VHF/UHF Contest

1400Z-1700Z, Sep 24 (144) and

1700Z-1800Z, Sep 24 (432)

+ RSGB International Sprint Contest, CW

1700Z-2100Z, Sep 24

+ UBA ON Contest, 6m

0700Z-1000Z, Sep 25

+ Classic Exchange, Phone

1300Z, Sep 25 to 0800Z, Sep 26 and

1300Z, Sep 27 to 0800Z, Sep 28

+ Peanut Power QRP Sprint

2000Z-2200Z, Sep 25

*Information taken from the WA7BNM Contest Calendar

Hamfests

10/13/2016

• Microwave Update 2016 Conference - St. Louis, MO

10/14/2016

• Pacific Division Convention (PACIFICON) - San Ramon, CA

10/15/2016

• Al Brock Memorial Hamfest/Tailgate - Rome, GA
• Anderson RC's 38th Annual Hamfest - Anderson, SC
• ARRL Day in the Park - Columbia, MS
• Coastal ARS Savannah Swapmeet - Savannah, GA
• Greeneville Hamfest - Greeneville, Tn
• Kingman Ham Fest - Kingman, AZ
• Muskegon Color Tour Hamfest - Muskegon, MI
• Socorro Hamfest - Socorro, NM
• SouthSide ARC Hamfest - Belton, MO
• Swaptoberfest - Rickreall, OR

10/16/2016

• 2016 Kalamazoo HamFest and Amateur Radio Swap & Shop - Kalamazoo, MI
• Conneaut ARC Hamfest - Conneaut, OH
• Connecticut State Convention (Nutmeg Hamfest) - Meriden, CT
• FLEA at MIT - Cambridge, MA
• RF Hill ARC Hamfest - Sellersville, PA

10/21/2016

• Arizona State Convention (CopaFest 2016) - Maricopa, AZ
• Florida State Convention (Melbourne Hamfest) - Melbourne, FL
• Texoma Hamarama - Ardmore, OK

10/22/2016

• 4th Annual TailgateFest - Hollywood, MD
• Hamfest Chattanooga 2016 - East Ridge, TN
• Shelbyville Tailgate 2016 - Shelbyville, IN
• Wiregrass ARC Fall Tailgate - Headland, AL
• Wisconsin ARES/RACES Conference - Wisconsin Rapids, WI

10/23/2016

• Mason-Dixon Hamfest - Upperco, MD
• Massillon ARC Hamfest - Massillon, OH

*Information taken from the ARRL Hamfest Calendar

News “Overview of Army and Air Force MARS” Webinar Set for October 25

10/04/2016

Registration is open for the webinar “Overview of Army and Air Force MARS,” October 25 at 8 PM ET (0000 UTC on October 26).

US Air Force MARS Chief Dave Stapchuk, KD9DXM, will discuss the history of the Military Auxiliary Radio System (MARS) program and membership requirements for Amateur Radio operators. He also will highlight the Joint MARS Phone Patch network, which provides daily support to US armed forces. The phone patch network facilitates not only morale/welfare phone patches but routinely handles mission-related radio calls and occasionally assists US air crews with in-flight emergency phone patches when air traffic control cannot be reached.

US Army MARS Program Manager Paul English, WD8DBY, will discuss the quarterly US Department of Defense (DOD) contingency communication exercises, which promote interoperability between the Amateur Radio community and the DOD. English will also discuss initiatives for promoting the use of 60 meters between Amateur Radio and the federal government as well as the types of information MARS operators will request from the Amateur Radio community during the upcoming quarterly DOD communications exercise (COMEX), October 30-November 1.

Webinar registrants will receive a confirming e-mail that contains information about joining the webinar.

Hurricane Watch Net Stands Down Following Record Activation for Hurricane Matthew

10/09/2016

After the longest activation in its history, the Hurricane Watch Net (HWN) secured operations for Hurricane Matthew on October 9 at 0400 UTC. HWN Manager Bobby Graves, KB5HAV, reports the net was in continuous operation for 6 days, 7 hours, gathering real-time ground-truth weather data and passing it along to the National Hurricane Center (NHC) via the Center’s WX4NHC. Various Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) nets also activated along the Eastern Seaboard over the past week. The first major hurricane of the 2016 Atlantic hurricane season and, at one point, a Category 5 storm, Matthew has been downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone, as it’s poised to head out into the Atlantic.

As of 0900 UTC, Matthew was still generating strong winds over eastern North Carolina, as it moves to the east-northeast just off the Outer Banks. The NHC reported that record-breaking flooding continues over portions of eastern North Carolina. The storm was some 30 miles southeast of Cape Hatteras, with maximum sustained winds of 75 MPH, moving east at 14 MPH. The Hurricane Warning from Little River Inlet to south of Cape Fear has been discontinued, and the Hurricane Warning from Cape Fear to Surf City has been replaced with a Tropical Storm Warning, the NHC said.

“Many have perished in Haiti and Cuba as a result of Matthew, and the death-toll rises still,” Graves noted. “Many residents in the Bahamas and the US East Coast states of Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina have felt the impact of Matthew as well.”

Graves was appreciative of the Amateur Radio volunteers who took part in the HWN activation as well as of those who accommodated the net's lengthy operation on 20 and 40 meters. “As always, having a clear frequency benefits our net control stations and [lets us copy] those in the affected areas,” he said. “It’s unfortunate we had to occupy these frequencies for an extended time, but, no two emergencies are alike. And Matthew was certainly unlike any storm anyone has ever seen before.”

As Hurricane Matthew pulls away from the US East Coast, the Voice over Internet Protocol SKYWARN/Hurricane Net (VoIPWX) attracted a number of visitors, according to net managers. “On board Saturday afternoon, in addition to WX4NHC at the National Hurricane Center, stations representing a number of Federal Emergency Management Agency regional offices and the National Response Coordination Center monitored the net for actionable intelligence to be used to plan recovery operations,” said net Public Affairs Officer Lloyd Colston, KC5FM. The net also activated on October 3 for Hurricane Matthew.

The net said its Georgia Reflector was linked to the WX-Talk conference, so net managers could help to relay relaying reports to local National Weather Service offices on NWSchat and the NHC.

According to Chief of Operations Dennis Dura, K2DCD, the net established a link up the East Coast into North Carolina and continued to monitor for damage assessment in areas the hurricane had already passed.

The net supported the NHC on the WX-Talk Conference, Node #7203 onEchoLink. IRLP Reflector 9219. IRLP Reflector 9553 was the backup.

The Salvation Army Team Emergency Network (SATERN) on 14.265 MHz also was active for Matthew, handling outbound emergency, priority, or health-and-welfare traffic from hurricane-affected areas.

Matthew was the first Category 5 Hurricane to form in the Atlantic Basin since Hurricane Felix in 2007.

Thanks for stopping by today. If you like what you have heard on my podcast or read on my blog and would like to know how you can give your support, check out the Support page! You can make a one time donation through Paypal, become a monthly contributor through Patreon or shop on Amazon through my affiliate link.

If you have not done so already, please subscribe to my site so that you will receive emails when I publish a new post or podcast episode. It's super easy! Just fill out the form below:

Once you click on the Sign Me Up button, you will get an email from me with a link that you will need to click on. Once you click on that link, you will start receiving emails from me. I hate spam as much as anyone does, so I promise you that I will not sell or rent your email address to anyone!

Also, check me out on Facebook and follow me on Twitter. Links to these and all the other social media sites that I am on can be found in the menu at the top of the page under Social.

Until next time...

73 de Curtis, K5CLM