Amateur Radio, Traffic-Handling Opportunities to Abound at Scout Jamboree

NEWINGTON, CT, July 21, 2005--From Monday, July 25 until Wednesday, August 3, thousands of Boy Scouts will converge on Fort AP Hill, Virginia, for the 2005 National Scout Jamboree. K2BSA, the official Amateur Radio station of the Boy Scouts of America, will be on the air (as K2BSA/4) for the duration of the Jamboree. Staff and volunteers (including ARRL staff member Larry Wolfgang, WR1B) will assist already-licensed scouts to operate the station and experience all that ham radio has to offer. In addition to workshops for the Radio merit badge, the K2BSA staff will offering licensing classes and examinations for those bitten by the radio bug while at the Jamboree.

Scout Frequencies

By monitoring the Scout frequencies and making a contact with K2BSA, you just might be helping a Scout to earn his Radio merit badge or even be the first to contact for a scout who's earned his new Amateur Radio privileges.

Band	SSB Frequency	CW Frequency
80 meters	3.940 MHz	3.590 MHz
40 meters	7.270/7.290* MHz	7.030 MHz
20 meters	14.290 MHz	14.070 MHz
15 meters	21.360 MHz	21.140 MHz
10 meters	28.360/28.990 MHz	28.190 MHz

* Note that 7.290 MHz is the AM Calling Frequency, according to the ARRL Band Plan.

A sample ARRL Radiogram destined for a scout at the National Jamboree.

Jambo Traffic In

With a ban on cell phones at the Jamboree, K2BSA will serve as an important contact point for message traffic into and out of the Jamboree. Those who know scouts who will be attending the National Jamboree can surprise them with a greeting via Amateur Radio! Make your station and traffic-handling skills available to parents and Scout leaders back home and offer to send messages to the campers.

Traffic handlers are encouraged to use the National Traffic System (NTS) rather than the Scout frequencies to pass traffic. There's a list of traffic nets on the ARRL Web site.

Scouts attending the National Scout Jamboree in Virginia will have lots of opportunities to learn about Amateur Radio.

To address traffic to a scout at the Jamboree, use the following address format:

Scout's Full Name
Jamboree Troop XXXX
Subcamp No XX
2005 National Scout Jamboree
Bowling Green, VA 22428-Troop#

The Troop number used in the address is a special number assigned for use during the Jamboree. It is not the scout's hometown troop number. Scouts and parents can get the Jamboree troop number and subcamp number from the Jamboree registration information they received. (Tip: The subcamp number is actually part of the troop number. The last two digits identify the troop, and any preceding numbers identify the subcamp. For example, Troop 1234 is in Subcamp 12, Troop 411 is in subcamp 4.)

If you don't have the Jamboree troop number and subcamp number, then use the scout's hometown BSA council name.

Jambo Traffic Out

July 25 until August 3 is also an important time to consider checking into your local traffic net, because scouts may be generating traffic home from the Jamboree. Outlets are needed to clear traffic from the nets and deliver them to parents and friends.

For more information, visit the K2BSA Web site. QSLs to K2BSA go to K2BSA c/o Ray Moyer S219, Boy Scout National Headquarters, 1325 Walnut Hill Ln, Irving, TX 75062-2079.

Scouts, Take Along your Handhelds!

Given the ban on cellphones, your VHF/UHF handheld will be more handy than ever at Jamboree. There will be two repeaters on site. The 2 meter repeater is on 145.17 MHz (down 600 kHz). The 70-cm repeater will be on 442.90 (up 5 MHz shift).. Both machines will use 100.0 Hz CTCSS access tones. The 2-meter repeater could be available as early as July 21 for early-arriving staff. K2BSA staffers will monitor the repeater throughout the Jamboree.

Scouts at K2BSA/4 hope to be able to speak with astronaut John Phillips, KE5DRY, seen here during a school group contact from NA1SS. [NASA Photo]

There's a Jamboree Net every evening at 1900 (7 PM) on the K2BSA 2-meter repeater for the latest announcements, weather and to pick up any incoming messages for your subcamp.

Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) Contact

K2BSA/4 has been approved for a contact with the crew of the International Space Station. The date and time of the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) QSO have not yet been established, however, and current plans to launch the shuttle Discovery to the ISS on July 26 could complicate matters. A list of 21 questions has been established from among several dozen submitted by scouts.

Thanks to the staff of K2BSA and members of the ScoutRadio newsgroup for providing information and answering questions about K2BSA and Jamboree 2005.--Brian Cieslak, K9WIS

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