2015 Jamboree-on-the-Air, Jamboree-on-the-Internet dates set

Each October, there’s something special in the air.

Scouts from down the street, across the country and around the world gather for the annual Jamboree-on-the-Air and Jamboree-on-the-Internet.

The two events, held concurrently the weekend of Oct. 16 to 18, 2015, use amateur radio and Internet-connected devices to link Scouts from all over the Earth.

Will your Scouts be a part of the fun — and earn the patch to prove it? Here’s what you need to know.

2015-JOTA-Patch2015 Jamboree-on-the-Air (JOTA)

What: Annual Scouting event that uses amateur radio to link Scouts around the world, across the country and in your own community.

When: Third full weekend of October (this year it’s Oct. 16-18, 2015)

Who: Scouts of any age!

How: Once at the ham radio station, the communication typically requires speaking into a microphone and listening on the station speakers. However, many forms of specialized communication can also take place, such as video communication, digital communication using typed words on the computer screen transmitted by radio, communication through a satellite relay or an earth-based relay (called a repeater), and many others.

Where to find help: Contact your local council. They may already have an event set up that your Scouts can attend. Otherwise, find a local American Radio Relay League club here.

Learn more: Get resources, quick-start guides, patch order forms and lots more at the JOTA website.

2015-JOTI-Patch2015 Jamboree-on-the-Internet (JOTI)

What: JOTA’s younger brother, JOTI is an annual Scouting event that uses the Internet and the numerous devices that are used to get online — home computers, iPads and more — to link Scouts from around the world.

When: Third full weekend of October (this year it’s Oct. 16-18, 2015)

Who: Scouts of any age!

How: Scouts can participate at home with the help of an adult (remember two-deep leadership!), or they can participate in a Scout group at a councilwide event. JOTI is an economical way of communicating around the world. The event allows Scouts to “meet” other Scouts from around the world through the Internet and share more information than just “Hi.”

Where to find help: Contact your local council. They may already have an event set up that your Scouts can attend.

Learn more: Get resources, quick-start guides, patch order forms and lots more at the JOTI website.

See also

Check out this cool archive of JOTA patches through the years.


About Bryan Wendell 3282 Articles
Bryan Wendell, an Eagle Scout, is the founder of Bryan on Scouting and a contributing writer.