J.O.T.A.

"Jamboree On The Air"

19th October 2002

by: Arthur J Varga (WA9LXT)

Spirits Soar as Scouts and Students hit the airwaves.

Gloomy skies and rain didn’t dampen the spirits of the Salvation Army Adventure Scouts as they participated in Jamboree On The Air and talked with scouts all over the world.  (JOTA is the annual Scouting / Amateur Radio event that takes place on the third weekend of October.) 

Activity at the Salvation Army Community Center aroused the curiosity of neighbors and people passing by, as the Salvation Army and Clarksville Amateur Transmitting Society teamed up to offer local scouts and school students an opportunity to have fun and learn about Amateur Radio.  Captain Martin Kitchen opened the center for Morse code instruction and operations on the HF (High Frequency) Amateur bands, and parked one of the SA’s emergency canteen vehicles in front of the center for operations on the two and 10 meter bands.

C.A.T.S. members sharpened their skills, putting up antennas and setting up temporary stations, similar to those used to provide emergency communications.  Even with poor weather conditions, Scouts talked with distant amateur stations in Germany, Wales, and Mexico on the 10, 12, 15, and 20 Meter bands.  David Gray, KG4FUL, is one of Clarksville’s youngest Hams. David inspired the Scouts as he demonstrated how Amateur Radio and the Internet work together.  Using his low-power hand-held transceiver, David established Internet Radio Links with Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and France.  Hand-held radios linked with Amateur repeater stations also enabled communications with Hams in cars and trucks traveling along Interstate 24, and at the JOTA station located at the Saturn auto plant in Springhill, TN.

The Jamboree event provided a real-life learning experience.  Participating scouts and students represented several local schools.  Chantel and Levon Gibson are students at Barksdale Elementary School.  Jaleece and Destini Dozier attend Moore Elementary.  Elisha Bowen and Angie Ramey attend New Providence Middle School.  Joseph Pianias attends Montgomery Central Middle School.  Michael and Marianne Rye are home school students. Alonzo Slayden and Phillip Rouse represented Rossview and Northwest High Schools.

Special thanks go out to the Salvation Army and Clarksville Amateur Radio Operators for their dedication to community service and for making this a very successful event.  Salvation Army members: Capt. Kitchen, Barbara and Paul Buckey, and James Rogers.  Participating Hams and visitors: Dan Baker - N4GXE, Jim Shelton - KT4FQ, Sharon Black - KF4KSD, Tom Black - KC6TUU, Ralph Brigham - KG4CSQ, Chuck Junker - KF4PCA, Jerome Buie - KB4POA, Art Ahrens - KU4JF, Brian Palmersheim - KB0ETC and XYL - Valerie, John Slater - KG4UMY, David Gray - KG4FUL, Charlie Briggs KE4TSH, James E. Mosley Jr. - KF4ZUN, David and Sue Murray, and Art Varga - WA9LXT. 

For more information about Amateur Radio, please visit the C.A.T.S. website: www.kf4l.org  and the American Radio Relay League website: www.arrl.org