How to Participate in JOTA and JOTI This Year

Jamboree-on-the-Air (JOTA) and Jamboree-on-the-Internet (JOTI) is coming up soon! Did you already add JOTA and JOTI to your unit, district, and/or council calendars? If not, don’t forget to mark Oct. 14 – 16, 2016 as JOTA and JOTI weekend.

Other than an opportunity to meet Scouts from around the world, complete requirements in Cub Scouts, and complete part of the requirements for the International Spirit Award, JOTA and JOTI is another great way to tie in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math). JOTA introduces Scouts to the fun, technology and magic of amateur radio, while you can prepare your Scouts for safe Internet use by incorporating the BSA’s training tool, Cyber Chip, before they participate in JOTI.

Does your unit or council want to participate in JOTA, but not in possession of an amateur radio station? Icom America and the Boy Scouts of America have a sponsorship agreement that began in 2012 and now extends through 2018. One aspect of that agreement is that Icom America will provide up to 10 complete amateur radio stations for use by local Scout councils. Stations can be requested for long-term development loan stations and for event loan stations. You can find the details, application, and loan agreement here.

Be sure to visit JOTA’s webpage, www.scouting.org/jota, and JOTI’s webpage, www.scouting.org/joti, for how to participate, download participation certificates, where to order this year’s patches, and much more! We hope you have lots of fun and success during these exciting events.

Have you or your Scouts participated in a JOTA or JOTI event? Share your stories below!