Pfadfinder beim Jamboree-on-the-Air am Funkgerät

JOTA — Scouts & radio amateurs

JOTA and JOTI are the global highlights of radio and internet scouting — held in conjunction with Swiss radio amateurs on the third weekend in October.

JOTA and JOTI together form the global highlight of radio and internet scouting. The Jamboree-on-the-Air (JOTA) offers Scouts the opportunity to make radio contact with one another worldwide without significant financial or time commitments. With the help of radio amateurs and their equipment and antennas, Scout groups can talk to, write to or exchange pictures with people all over the world — contacts that often lead to long-lasting friendships across all borders.

JOTA

The Jamboree-on-the-Air takes place every year on the third weekend in October — the main event in the world of radio scouting. Over this weekend, thousands of Scouts around the world take to their radios alongside radio amateurs. Over 50 years ago, the first Scouts began communicating with one another using radio technology. Particularly on shortwave, connections are made across Europe and from continent to continent. Year after year, additional activities are organised — such as direction-finding during fox hunts and soldering electronic kits — in collaboration with radio amateurs.

It is essential to register: this provides an overview of the participating stations, and the BAKOM can process the microphone authorisation for the Scouts for all stations at the same time.

JOTI

The Jamboree-on-the-Internet takes place at the same time as JOTA and uses computers and the internet to link Scout groups around the world.

Communicating with the whole world

With the right shortwave radio and a suitable antenna, it’s no great trouble to talk to Scouts from the USA, Brazil, African countries or Australia. VHF radios allow contact within one’s own region. As very few Scout groups in Switzerland have their own radio – let alone the necessary amateur radio licence – Swiss radio amateurs step in to help.

The list of USKA sections helps you find a section in your own region. Many Swiss radio amateurs organise JOTA at various locations across Switzerland on the third weekend in October, together with interested Scouts.

Further links