Jamboree on the Air is the largest Radio Scouting event, indeed it is the largest event in the World Scout calendar. A group of Scout Leaders who were also licensed radio amateurs, had the idea following their experience with a large station at the 9th World Scout Jamboree in Sutton Park in 1957.
Getting Started
Many Scout Leaders and Radio Amateurs ask what is involved in running a JOTA station. Liz, G0RJX, wrote this after helping run JOTA and TDOTA stations for several years but before she forgot the problems encountered by someone who was new to running a special event station. Download
This is an attempt to describe a special event station as seen by a visitor progressing through from first arrival to passing a greetings message and doing some of the activities. Download
Here the steps involved in planning and running an amateur radio station for the Scouts is summarised in a series of “bullet points”. While it was written with JOTA in mind, it is equally applicable to any station.
In 2009 there was an article about JOTA in the supplement to Scouts magazine. Although a couple of the names have changed, little else has. Scout-mag-sup-jun_jul09-pp16&17
The Scout Association Fact Sheet FS120522 Radio Stations at Scout Events downloaded June 2018 FS120522-Radio-Stations-at-Scout-Events. As the title suggests, this Fact Sheet covers Amateur Radio stations at all Scout events, not just JOTA.
FAQs
Here are some of the most frequently asked questions.
Register station
When operating, especially under bad conditions, it is very useful to have a list of the other stations taking part. If you are planning to run a JOTA station this year, please leave the details here. Do not enter anything that you don’t want to be displayed on the web because just before the event we will publish this list as an Excel spread sheet and a summary as a PDF file. If you are not sure, take to look at last year’s lists further down the page.
JOTA Registration Form
This year’s PDF summary is at the top of the list below and is updated every few days. You will not appear on the list until you have confirmed your registration by clicking on the link in the email you are sent after completing the form.
UK Station Lists
The lists of those who intended to take part are not removed but are available for reference here.
2023 PDF: UK-JOTA station list 2023
2022 PDF: UK-JOTA-station-list-2022
2020 PDF: UK-JOTA-station-list-2020
2019 PDF: UK-JOTA-station-list-2019
2018 PDF: UK-JOTA-station-list-2018
2017 PDF: UK-JOTA-station-list-2017 Excel: UK-JOTA-station-list-2017
2016 PDF: UK-JOTA-station-list-2016
2015 PDF: UK-JOTA-station-list-2015
2014 PDF: UK-JOTA-station-list-2014
2013 PDF: UK-JOTA-station-list-2013
2012 PDF: UK-JOTA-station-list-2012
2011 PDF: UK-JOTA-station-list-2011
2010 PDF: UK-JOTA-station-list-2010
2009 PDF: UK-JOTA-station-list-2009
2008 PDF: UK-JOTA-station-list-2008
2007 PDF: UK-JOTA-station-list-2007
2006 PDF: UK-JOTA-station-list-2006
Report Forms
All National JOTA Coordinators are required to send a report with an estimate of the numbers taking part in their country to the World JOTA Coordinator. So all stations taking part are asked to send in a report – no matter how brief. To make it easier, there are forms which indicate the sort of information that is needed but should not inhibit anyone who wishes to add more. There are two forms which request different information, one for the Scout Leader and one for the Radio Amateur. These forms are available in Word format and in PDF for those who prefer to send their report on paper.
UK National Reports
From the Station Reports received, the UK JOTA Coordinator (and his wife) prepare the UK contribution to the World report and also the UK JOTA Report which mentions all the stations that sent in a Station Report. Here are the reports from previous years.
- JOTA-2018-UK-Report
- JOTA-2017-UK-Report
- JOTA-2016-UK-Report
- JOTA-2015-UK-Report
- JOTA-2014-UK-Report
- JOTA-2013-UK-Report
- JOTA-2012-UK-Report
- JOTA-2011-UK-Report
- JOTA-2009-UK-Report
- JOTA-2008-UK-Report
- JOTA-2006-UK-Report
- JOTA-2005-UK-Report
- JOTA-2004-UK-Report
- JOTA-2003-UK-Report
- JOTA-2002-UK-Report
- JOTA-2001-UK-Report
JOTA-JOTI World Report
The World JOTA Coordinator compiles the World Report from the information supplied by the National Coordinators. All the World Reports are available here.
History of JOTA
A large amateur radio station was operated at the 9th World Scout Jamboree in Sutton Park in 1957 and during a discussion about its success, the idea of Jamboree on the Air was formed. While many people have contributed to the success of JOTA, two names stand out: Les Mitchell G3BHK who organised the first JOTA and Len Jarrett VE3MYF who was the first World JOTA Coordinator. Their efforts over the years led to an increase in interest Worldwide and the number of countries participating rose quite rapidly to 70 in less than 10 years while the number taking part rose steadily to round half a million in 1993. Here is a brief history of Radio Scouting which naturally includes JOTA.