If you've been around ham radio for a while you will have heard of the Jamboree On The Air (JOTA). It happens on the 3rd full weekend in October and is an opportunity for Scouts all over the world to get on the radio and chat with each other via ham radio.
I've taken part in every JOTA event going back to 1988 and can honestly say that I've enjoyed every one of them. I was even involved in the startup of Jamboree On The Internet (JOTI) which is held concurrently over the same weekend.
If you've got a few spare minutes over the JOTA weekend please keep an ear out for the Scouts and drop in for a chat. It's an excellent opportunity for them to earn a few merit badges, discover ham radio and learn about peoples from all over the world.
I got this certificate from the now defunct International Listeners Association (hi, Trevor!!). Back in those days the UK Scouts had to receive 50 radio stations as part of their Communicator merit badge. Of course, they all complained that it was too hard so I sat down with them before breakfast on the Sunday morning and managed to log my required 50 in the time it took to get breakfast cooked (we were camping at the Scout hut).
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