Program Ideas

The types of activities during JOTA as well as leading up to and after the event are limited only by your imagination. Here are a few thought starters.

Before JOTA

  • Ask an amateur radio operator to talk about ham radio communications. In patrols, visit his station to see how it works. Learn about radio waves and their propagation.
  • Design special QSL cards with Scouting themes for the JOTA weekend. QSL cards are exchanged with the other stations and Scouts you contact during JOTA.
  • Find an unusual location for the JOTA station, working closely with your amateur radio partner.
  • Find out about commercial radio and television. How are programs made? Visit a television or radio station. How are programs transmitted? How does a radio receiver work? Build a radio receiver.
  • Learn about electricity. How is it produced? Learn about safety procedures. Visit an electricity generating station.
  • Learn and practice using Morse code. Build a Morse code practice oscillator.
  • Find out about other countries and prepare questions to ask over the air.
  • Practice talking into a microphone using radio operating procedures and terminology.
  • Find out about your local area to be able to answer questions from Scouts in other countries and other parts of the U.S.
  • Send a report of your plan to the local newspaper. Ask them to visit during the event.
  • Learn a few words of greeting in other languages.

During JOTA

  • Arrange a weekend camp or camporee and set up the station at the site.
  • Arrange a program of camp activities to run concurrently.
  • Invite parents and other supporters to visit the station to see what the Scouts are doing.
  • Organize a weekend hike and take portable radio equipment. Log the contacts made for the amateur radio operator.
  • Ask each Scout to prepare his own personal logbook. Include details of the names of the Scouts contacted, the frequency, the station call sign, and the mode of operation.
  • Set up an information section that can quickly find out a few details about the location of the station you’re in contact with, including the country or state.
  • Plot contacts made on a world map or a U.S. map.
  • Complete QSL cards to send to the people contacted.
  • Make a tape recording of the conversations.
  • Build simple electronic kits.
  • Prepare and publish a JOTA newsletter or a story for your troop, district, and council newsletters or websites.
  • Prepare a quiz and ask the questions over the air.
  • Complete participation cards for each Scout who talked. Use the certificate/log forms that can be downloaded from this site.
  • Determine the distance between each radio station and your station.

After JOTA

  • Write the Scouts contacted. Send QSL cards and/or a patch.
  • Start planning to participate again next year.
  • Send your report and photos to the national JOTA organizer at jota@scouting.org. See the report form on this website.

2010 World Jamboree JOTA Video

You might gain some program ideas from this video production by the World Organization of the Scout Movement that highlights 2010 JOTA activities.