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Washington Crossing Council Amateur Radio Operators plan to have K3OSR at the Ockanickon Scout Reservation Science Center, W2ZQ at Mercer County Airport, and the Penn Wireless Association at Pennsylvania's Washington Crossing Historic Park active for Jamboree On The Air (JOTA) 2024. The stations plan to be open from 10 AM to 4 PM on Saturday 19 October 2024. All Cubs, Scouts, Venturers, and GSUSA members are welcome. Ockanickon Scout Reservation is at 5787 State Park Rd, Pipersville, PA. The DVRA W2ZQ radio station is on Route 579 directly across from the Ewing Township Water Tower at Exit 75 of I-295. Just look for the tall antennas to find the driveway! The PWA station be will be at the General Greene Pavilion in Pennsylvania's Washington Crossing Historic Park, 1112 River Road, Washington Crossing, PA 18977 Jamboree-on-the-Air, or JOTA, is an annual Scouting event sponsored by the World Organization of the Scouting Movement (WOSM). This is the largest Scouting event of the year, with thousands of Scouts talking to one another around the world! Amateur radio stations around the world help Scouts participate. If the conditions are right, it is common for over a hundred Scouting countries to talk to each other during the weekend. Cub Scouts, Brownies, Scouts, and Girl Scouts exchange greetings with Scouts over amateur radio. The exchanges typically include information such as Name, Location, Scout rank, Hobbies, Age, etc. Some exchanges lead to long-lasting friendships and the exchange of photos, badges, pins, and patches. Scouts can meet two requirements for Radio Merit Badge and one requirement for Citizenship in the World Merit Badge. Cubs meet their International Participation requirements for Arrow of Light. The BSA online Scout Shop makes an optional patch available for participants. Save the date on your unit calendar now! No advance reservations or fees are required, but if you are bringing more than ten Scouts from your unit, we ask that you divide them up and stagger their arrival times so they can have a more active experience. If you are an Amateur Radio Operator and would like to help, please contact Saied Seghatoleslami, AD2CC for the Mercer Airport operation, Ryan Pankoe, N3VJM for the Ockanickon operation, or Debbie Brucks, KC3KEO for the Penn Wireless Operation.. Thanks & 73 Gary Wilson, K2GW ADC, Mercer Area District

FYI. Nice publicity about JOTA in the Washington Crossing Council Newsletter. Please help out at one of the locations on October 19 and publicize at your Dustricts Roundtables 73 Gary, K2GW. Begin forwarded message: From: WCC Trail Guide <news@...> Date: September 5, 2024 at 9:32:06 AM EDT To: k2gw@... Subject: September Newsletter from the Washington Crossing Council Reply-To: news@... ? Cub Scouts, Fall Activities, Training, and more! SEPTEMBER 2024? CUB SCOUT PACKS: GET READY FOR FALL NEW CUB SCOUT WELCOME KITS All new Cub Scouts who register online between August 1 and October 31 will receive a "New Scout Welcome Kit" in the mail! The welcome kit includes a vinyl sticker, Scout Life mini magazine, magnet, and information card. Plus, new Scouts will have the opportunity to earn their first patch by recruiting a friend. Details on that opportunity will be included in the welcome kit. MEMBERSHIP RESOURCES A number of great resources for Cub Scout packs to use as part of the fall membership campaign are available online at the WCC webpage. Nearly every resource shared at the August 1 and August 7 Membership Rallies is available at the site. MEMBERSHIP RESOURCES WEBSITE CUB-A-RAMA Adventure awaits at the CUBCOT Cub-a-rama! Join Cub Scouts from around the Washington Crossing Council on September 28 from 9am to 2pm. LEARN MORE ABOUT CUBARAMA Cub Scouts will travel around the world, just like Epcot with passport in hand, visiting country-themed stations and learning about different languages, culture, foods, and customs while enjoying games and crafts. CUBCOT Cub-a-rama will be held at Kuser Farm Park, Hamilton Township, NJ. DEN LEADER TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES Being prepared for the fall is critical, especially considering the updated Cub Scout program. It’s particularly important that den leaders get trained and are up-to-speed. SIGN UP FOR DEN LEADER TRAINING Cub Scout leader training is available online (see article below). It will also be offered in-person four more times this fall. Training will be available for all pack positions. In-Person Training Opportunities: Friday, Oct 4, 6-9:30pm: Ockanickon Scout Reservation, Pipersville, PA Note: This is the night before BALOO training begins Sunday, Oct 6, 1-5pm: Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Princeton Junction, NJ Thursday, Oct 24, 6-9:30pm: St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Yardley, PA Tuesday, Dec 10, 6-9:30pm: Hunterdon County Chamber of Commerce, Flemington, NJ POPCORN SALE The popcorn sale is underway! Participating units picked up their initial orders in late August. Overall, initial orders from units were 15% higher than last year! It isn't too late for units to opt to participate - and the "online option" is a great way to go. Please reach out to Michael Kostic for more information. Resources for unit leaders are available at the popcorn website. SUMMER CAMP AT OCKANICKON SCOUT RESERVATION LEARN MORE ABOUT OSR SUMMER CAMP The OSR program team has already started planning for the summer of 2025 with the theme "Ockanickon Olympians". Units that want to learn more about OSR’s summer camp program can schedule for the program team to visit a unit meeting and describe the program offerings and answer any questions. Even better, units camping at OSR for a weekend can arrange for a tour of the facilities lead by a member of our staff. This is a great opportunity to learn about all the program offerings at camp. Interested in arranging an in-person visit at a unit meeting or a camp tour? Contact Todd Warner. SAVE BIG BY RESERVING NOW! DISCOUNTED RATE! Troops can start planning now for summer camp 2025 at Ockanickon! With over 90 merit badges to choose from, every troop should consider OSR as a summer camp option. Troop deposits are now being accepted! Troops can choose from six different sessions which are: June 15 – June 21 June 22 – June 28 June 29 – July 5 July 6 – July 12 July 13 – July 19 July 20 – July 26 Troops that sign-up with a $150 deposit by September 30 will lock-in a special discounted rate guarantee allowing their Scouts & families to have until April 3

Ryan and I finished up our last week of Radio Merit Badge at K3OSR. We found out there were no Radio Merit Badge students this week, so we emailed Ben that he didn’t have to travel up there. But the good news is our Radio Merit Badge instructor Noah used the freed up time to start studying for his Technician license exam! That will be a big help for next year. I also showed off to the station to two visiting Scout leaders and had a QSO with one of their husbands on 40 Meter Phone. We gave them some hints as to how to get "Radioactive" back in their home council. We also got some things updated. We added CW Get which will display decoded Morse characters to the Scouts when we operate in CW mode. I also started working on the soundcard macros and options in Logger 32, so eventually we will be able to do RTTY and PSK31 there . L32Lookup now displays the other stations QRZ page on the second monitor to show the Scouts what the other operator's station looks like and its location on a map. Steve W2SRH uploaded all our contacts prior to this week into LOTW. I then was able to download any confirmations from LOTW and so update our logs in the computer. Now each contact line is color-coded. Pink is a new contact that hasn’t been submitted yet. Blue indicates a contact has been submitted to LOTW. Green means the contact has been confirmed in some format. Knowing this info allows the computer to identify which packet spots and FT8 decodes are for new countries or unconfirmed ones. Ryan also updated the computer with FTRestore software to better program the repeater memories on the Yaesu FT-991. We were able to test the 991 on other repeaters and had good signals in the DVRA’s 2 meter and 440 repeaters as a back up for the Warminster repeaters. We also used W2JIL's dust cover and the Ranger's three sided box to secure things for the winter. It should only take about ten minutes to restore things to operational status whenever needed. Finally , I saw Camp Director Todd Warner and he sent his thanks on to Radio Scouting Committee for their continued support of the camp. So it was another successful summer thanks to you with 15 Scouts and staff members earning the badge and others also getting on the air for the first time. I particularly want to thank Jon, Ryan, Ben, Jean, Saied, Steve, and Mike for their contributions this summer as well as Jim and the others answering the calls on the other end. Save June 18, 25, and July 2, 9, 16, 23 2025 on your calendars for next year! Thanks & 73 Gary Wilson, K2GW

Hi everyone! The fifth week of Radio Merit Badge at Ockanickon Scout Reservation was a success with Ben AD2EK, Ryan, N3VJM, and myself traveling to K3OSR to help three Scouts meet their on the air contact requirement. We also had one other very enthusiastic Scout make a contact that he will use for Radio MB in the near future Thanks also to Jim, KB3SYK who answered him and to the Warminster Amateur Radio Club for the use of their 147.09 repeater. We seemed to have a technical issue after the first repeater contact, maybe due to the storms, so we finished up with local simplex contacts. Mike Rauch, K2VPX has donated a larger monitor so we now have dual screens. This helps with the digital modes like FT8 but even for phone or CW, it allows us to easily show the Scouts what the ham on the other end of the conversation looks like on QRZ. We can also track nearby thunderstorms with a bookmark to the KDIX NOAA radar image . And Noah and the STEM staff gave us a hardwired internet connection and found the key to the filing cabinet. You can see the new station configuration on the K3OSR listing on qrz.com. Next week is our last Radio Merit Badge "Wireless Wednesday" session, so it's your last chance to visit and earn your cool K3OSR pocket patch this summer. Hope to see you there! Thanks again for introducing our Scouts to the magic, fun, and technology of Amateur Radio! 73 Gary Wilson, K2GW ADC, MAD, WCC WCC Radio Scouting Committee

Hi everyone! The third week of Radio Merit Badge at Ockanickon Scout Reservation was a success with Ben AD2EK, Ryan, N3JVM, and myself traveling to K3OSR to help one Scout meet their on the air contact requirement. Thanks also to Mark and Jim, KB3SYK who answered him and to the Warminster Amateur Radio Club for the use of their 147.09 repeater. I finished configuring WSJT-X, made a few FT8 contacts to test it and updated a Icom 7300 control panel to Logger32. You can now do many things like band and mode changes with simple mouse clicks. I also allowed the Yaseu FT-991 to interface with Logger32 as "Radio 2" if needed, but we still prefer you use the Icom 7300 for HF and logging. Ryan also troubleshot the repeater memory setting in the FT991A and we found that the Anytone will work using the N3EXA UHF repeater in Plumstead as a remote input into the WARC Repeater. Ryan also gave me some hints as to the first amateur station at OSR and I added that info to the K3OSR listing on qrz.com. I also briefed Ben and Ryan on the station setup and Ryan will be the lead operator for next week. He could use an assistant. While we now have one licensed Amateur Radio Operator operating from Ockanickon each Wednesday evening this summer, it's always better to have two operators scheduled to divide the work and ensure backup. If you could pick one of these Wednesdays (July 3, 10, 17, 24) to be the second operator up there this summer, I'd appreciate it. And remember there's a cool patch you get once you operate from up there! Thanks again for introducing our Scouts to the magic, fun, and technology of Amateur Radio! 73 Gary Wilson, K2GW ADC, MAD, WCC WCC Radio Scouting Committee https://www.signupgenius.com/go/409044BA9AA2BA4FA7-50043553-2024

Regarding repeater access from Ockanickon, Brian Taylor, N3EXA who is the repeater director of Warminster ARC, indicates that beyond a direct transmission on 147.69 to reach the Warminster 147.09 (Offset: +.600 MHz. CTCSS: 131.8 Hz) repeater , we have two closer options that we are welcome to use: His own N3EXA repeater in nearby Perkasie, PA on 449.725 (Offset: -5.0 MHz. CTCSS: 136.5 Hz) is always linked to the Warminster 147.09 repeater. Also, the K3DN UHF Repeater in Hilltown, PA on 443.950 (Offset: +5.0 MHz. CTCSS: 131.8 Hz) is linked to the Warminster 147.09 repeater on Wednesdays We'll try to get these programmed alternate access methods into memories on the Yaesu FT-991A and Anytone radios to give us multiple easy options for getting Scouts on the air. 73 Gary Wilson, K2GW

Hi everyone! The second week of Radio Merit Badge at Ockanickon Scout Reservation was a success with Jean AD2EK and myself traveling to K3OSR to help two Scouts meet their on the air contact requirement. (A weather emergency prevented a few other Scouts from making it down to the station). Thanks also to Lee, KB3MUZ who answered them and to the Warminster Amateur Radio Club for the use of their 147.09 repeater. I used metallic tape to seal the window, organized the file cabinet, and labeled the cables going into the new computer. I finished configuring WSJT-X, made a few FT8 contacts to test it and added a Icom 7300 control panel to Logger32. You can now do many things like band and mode changes with simple mouse clicks. The Morse paddles now control the 7300, and we have a mouse pad (we could use a better looking one if you have one), and an old sheet to serve as a winter dust cover, so we're now pretty set for the summer. While we now have one licensed Amateur Radio Operator operating from Ockanickon each Wednesday evening this summer, it's always better to have two operators scheduled to divide the work and ensure backup. If you could pick one of these Wednesdays (July 3, 10, 17, 24) to be the second operator up there this summer, I'd appreciate it. And remember there's a cool patch you get once you operate from up there! Thanks again for introducing our Scouts to the magic, fun, and technology of Amateur Radio! 73 Gary Wilson, K2GW ADC, MAD, WCC WCC Radio Scouting Committee https://www.signupgenius.com/go/409044BA9AA2BA4FA7-50043553-2024

Hi everyone! The first week of Radio Merit Badge at Ockanickon Scout Reservation was a success with Saied, AD2CC, and Jean AD2EK traveling to K3OSR to help four Scouts meet their on the air contact requirement. Thanks also to Jim, KB3SYK who answered them and to the Warminster Amateur Radio Club for the use of their 147.09 repeater. I also was up there to brief this years STEM staff on our program, do some weed cleanup around our surge protectors outside, and continue configuring the new computer that Jon W8JRF donated and installed this month. I was able get Logger32 looking more useful and communicating with the Icom 7300, the DX Cluster for spots and solar indices, and qrz.com for easy logging. My next steps are to finish getting it configured with WSJT-X and adding a control panel to the Logger32 screen so many things like band and mode changes can also be done with simple mouse clicks. Saied was able to make a CW contact to Florida and I made a 40M SSB contact to North Carolina so we're in good shape for HF for the summer. We were told that the Anytone VHF audio was a bit light into the repeater, so this summer I'd like folks to use the Icom 7300 for HF and save the Yaesu FT-991 for 2 Meter FM. I'll be adding an adaptor so the that the Morse paddles will now go into the 7300. Other things I'm bringing up are a mouse pad (we could use a better looking one if you have one), an old sheet to serve as a winter dust cover, and metallic tape to better seal the outside of the window edges. I hope to do that June 26. While we now have one licensed Amateur Radio Operator operating from Ockanickon each Wednesday evening this summer, it's always better to have two operators scheduled to divide the work and ensure backup. If you could pick one of these Wednesdays (July 3, 10, 17, 24) to be the second operator up there this summer, I'd appreciate it. The number of Scouts taking Radio Merit Badge will really increase once we get to the fully booked weeks. And remember there's a cool patch you get once you operate from up there! Thanks again for introducing our Scouts to the magic, fun, and technology of Amateur Radio! 73 Gary Wilson, K2GW ADC, MAD, WCC WCC Radio Scouting Committee https://www.signupgenius.com/go/409044BA9AA2BA4FA7-50043553-2024

Attached is pdf giving specifics of the WARC (Warminster Amateur Radio Club) GOTA station for 2024 K3KH

Here's a copy of the instructions that are found at the K3OSR Camp station if you want to get familiar with them before going up there. It's very easy to operate there. Refer to https://www.qrz.com/db/K3OSR to see a picture of the station. K3OSR Amateur Radio Station Operating Instructions K3OSR is dedicated to promoting Radio Merit Badge and Amateur Radio. Scouts and Leaders with valid FCC Amateur Radio Operator Licenses are encouraged to use the station, assist Scouts working on Radio Merit Badge, and have fun in the process. Please follow these guidelines when operating the station. General: -Please check in with the Science Center staff before using the station. Merit badge activities take priority over any casual use of the station. Use headphones when needed to avoid annoying others. -Please turn all power supplies and radios off, and disconnect the radio antenna patch cords from the window pass through cables when not in use. The area is subject to frequent lightning strikes!! -Please do not remove anything or rewire things without the approval of the staff. -Sign yourself in and out on the operator sign in sheet so we know who used the equipment. -Read the problem log to determine what is new or inoperative. Record any problems in problems log. -Keep the area clean, disconnect antenna patch cables from the window, and unplug the equipment when you leave. Check out with the Science center staff or make sure the building is locked. -If you use the K3OSR callsign instead of your own, please enter all contacts in the station log, either the paper one or in Logger 32 on the computer. The password for the computer is “Owner”. -HF Antenna connections: The coaxial cable with the red HF tag connects the LDG Antenna tuner output to the Alpha Delta DXCC HF antenna. Connect it to operate HF and disconnect it when you are done. -UHF/VHF Antenna connections: The coaxial cable with the blue VHF/UHF tag connects the VHF/UHF Antenna Switch to the Diamond 500 A 144/440 antenna. Connect it to operate VHF/UHF and disconnect it when you are done. -Power connections: The PowerWerx power supply provides 12 VDC to the radios. The computer, and monitor are turned off and on individually. Turn everything off and unplug the AC cord when you leave. HF Operation: -The Alpha Delta DXCC HF Antenna is currently resonant on 80, 40, 20, 15 and 10 meters. -Keep the RF gain at the midpoint. -Press the power button to turn on the Icom 7300. -Touching the “Mode” indicator on the touch screen brings up mode choices. Touch the mode you wish to use. -Touching the “MHz digits” indicator on the touch screen brings up brings up band choices. Touch the band you wish to tune to. -Touching the “KHz digits” indicator on the touch screen changes the tuning speed of the tuning dial. -The “Tuner” button on the Icom 7300 will control the LDG outboard tuner to automatically tune the HF Antenna with a low power signal. With the LDG outboard antenna tuner, you should be able to use most HF bands. -Be careful with the multiple PTT buttons on the desk mike. It’s easy to lock them in transmit! VHF/UHF Operation: -Turn the antenna switch to the radio you wish to use. The Anytone 778 is easier for VHF/UHF FM. -Simply turn the power on the Anytone 778. Note that pressing “PF6” allows the received volume to then be adjusted with the front panel knob. -The Anytone 778 is normally set to the memory channel programmed for the WARC repeater system. -The Warminster folks are extremely helpful in providing contacts to Scouts working on Radio Merit Badge. Please return the rig to the WARC memory if you use another repeater. -The Yaesu FT-991A may also be used for HF, VHF, or UHF, but please return things to the way you found them afterward Leaving the station: -Turn off all radios and power supplies! -Disconnect all antenna leads at the window patch panel! -Shut down all computers after station use! -Disconnect the marked power cord! -Remove all trash from the area. -Ensure that the station and area are cleaner than when you entered. -Note your exit time in the operator sign in sh

If you're interested, there is a new private K2BSA Radio Scouting group on Facebook to share ideas about Amateur Radio in Scouting. To sign up, you just give them your callsign and "Washington Crossing" as your council. Here's the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/784816519752759/ 73 Gary Wilson, K2GW

I want to first thank Eric WS3RIC for setting up a Radio Scouting table at the University of Scouting last weekend. It's great publicity for K3OSR, JOTA and Radio Merit Badge! To build on that, WCC just announced "Scouting Adventure Con" which will be held at Bucks County Community College on Thursday, May 21 from 6-8:30. . It's basically an expo where units can get ideas about activities to add to their unit calendars. Does anyone want to lead setting up a similar booth on Radio Scouting there? Eric has display materials that might be reused, and I can provide leads on flyers, so most of the hard work is done. And I'm sure we can get some hams to help if someone first steps forward to be the coordinator. More details here: https://myemail.constantcontact.com/March-Newsletter-from-the-Washington-Crossing-Council.html?soid=1122865384551&aid=R9jX4ptzWzM March Newsletter from the Washington Crossing Council (constantcontact.com) Thanks & 73 Gary Wilson, K2GW

I was asked to have a table promoting K3OSR and the opportunities that we offer up at camp at the university of scouting lunch time midway. . this will be at fisher middle school in Ewing, NJ. Would anybody want to help make a science fair style diorama to show off the station and the Radio Merit Badge and JOTA opporutunities?

Anyone interested in participating in this event for a Cub Pack in Cranbury? Please contact the organizer and cc this list if you are. 73 Gary, K2GWE Begin forwarded message: From: Bob Bowden <bbowdendatatbd@...> Date: February 17, 2024 at 12:16:37 PM EST To: Sara Woodhead <skdwoodhead@...> Cc: Martin Crabtree <martin.j.crabtree@...>, Gary Wilson <k2gw@...> Subject: Re: Pack 52 Science Event ?Sara and Steve, Thanks for your question about the opportunity to participate at your event on March 16. I’m now the past president of our Amateur Radio club, the Delaware Valley Radio Association (DVRA), which has a new 2024 President Martin Crabtree who I’m copying on this email reply. I’m also copying Gary Wilson, who has led dozens of Scouting support efforts in the past for our club, most recently a big Radio Merit Badge event at The College of New Jersey just six weeks ago. Normally our club appreciates several months advance notice before staging an event, to allow us to plan our participation, avoid scheduling conflicts, and make sure we have the bandwidth to support the event, but I don’t presume to know what the answer will be for your March 16 event. I’m copying Martin and Gary on this email, and they can follow up with you. Best wishes for your 2024 Science Event! Sincerely, Bob Bowden On Feb 15, 2024, at 12:41 PM, Sara Woodhead <skdwoodhead@...> wrote: ? Hi! We are Den Leaders Sara and Steve from Cranbury Cub Scout Pack 52. We are planning a Scout Science event for our Pack. We were given your names from various members of the Pack and wanted to know if you would be interested in helping out at our event. For this event we are having the scouts cycle through several stations based on different areas of science. We are asking if you would be willing to lead a station. The stations would be about 20 minutes in length and depending on how many scouts attend will determine how many times you present the same station. Scouts range from 5 - 11 years old. Stations should be quick and fun activities. The date of the event is March 16th at the Cranbury School Main Gym. We have the space from 12:30-4:30, but the event will be 1-3 or 2-4. Our questions for you: Are you able to attend this event? Are you willing to lead a station? What area of science would your station be about? Thanks for your time and we hope to hear from you soon. Sara and Steve

Mercer Area District Radio Merit Badge Day - http://n2re.org/radiomb Are you interested in helping people during disasters? Want to learn about satellites and high-tech electronics? Want your computer to connect around the world via wireless? Think it would be cool to talk to Astronauts in space? Then explore the world of wireless communications through Radio Merit Badge! To help Scouts get the badge in one day, a Radio Merit Badge class will be held Saturday, January 6, 2024. The class is limited to forty Scouts who register in advance. Initial registration preference is given to Washington Crossing Council Scouts BSA members until 7 December. Adults interested in learning about radio are also welcome to stay and participate! Date: Saturday January 6, 2024 Time: 8:45 AM to 3:00 PM Location: Armstrong Hall (park in Lots 1-2), The College of New Jersey, 2000 Pennington Rd, Ewing NJ 08628-0718. TCNJ Driving Directions: https://goo.gl/maps/EL48AZZe2y5nwLSB7 Cost: While the course is free, please consider making a voluntary $5 donation that day to help offset the costs. Here’s what you need to do in advance: 1. Register online at this URL: http://n2re.org/radiomb 2. Read the 2008 or newer Radio Merit Badge pamphlet pages 1-67 and 89-91. 3. Print a copy of the Radio Merit Badge Drawing Requirements from the link on the registration page. We encourage you to complete the chart of the Electromagnetic Spectrum before the class. On the day of the class, report to Armstrong Hall by 8:45 AM on Saturday morning. If your leaders or parents aren’t staying, make sure that you are picked up by 3:00 PM. Bring the following to the class: 1. A signed copy of the permission form. 2. A fully completed Merit Badge Application card for Radio Merit Badge signed by your Scoutmaster. 3. Your printed copy of the Radio Merit Badge Drawing Requirements with the Electromagnetic Spectrum chart completed. 4. Evidence of any requirements you may have completed in advance. 5. A bag lunch and drink. 6. A pen and pencil. 7. A notebook or clipboard to write on. 8. Proper uniform, good behavior and interest! 9. While the course is free, a $5 donation at the door to cover costs is most appreciated. If you have any questions about the class, please DO NOT call The College of New Jersey. ? General questions: Gary Wilson at email k2gw@... ? Registration questions: John DeGood at email radiomb@...

Good evening, everyone! It’s the time of year when we recruit Amateur Radio Operators to assist with the annual Radio Merit Badge Day at TCNJ on Saturday January 6th! This event has been held since 2005 and has introduced nearly a 1000 Scouts, parents and leaders to Amateur Radio! We will be returning to Armstrong Hall at TCNJ again this year. The event runs from 8AM to 4PM on Saturday January 6th for instructors. Please reply to me privately at k2gw@... by November 30th if you are available to help that day. If you have helped in the past and have a preference for which job you do at the event please indicate that. I will try to finish compiling that information by December 11th and have a completed roster to send out. I thank you for all that you do for the amateur community and for Scouting. This event is well known in the area for introducing Amateur Radio to youth, and your excitement for the hobby and willingness to share it could be the spark that kindles a love of something new in a Scout! Gary Wilson, K2GW Assistant District Commissioner Mercer Area District, Washington Crossing Council

Washington Crossing Council Amateur Radio Operators plan to have both K3OSR in the Ockanickon Science Center and W2ZQ at Mercer County Airport Amateur Radio stations on the air for Jamboree On The Air (JOTA) 2023. The stations plan to be open from 10 AM to 3 PM on Saturday 21 October 2023. All Cubs, Scouts, Venturers and GSUSA members are welcome. The DVRA W2ZQ radio station is on Route 579 directly across from the Ewing Township Water Tower at Exit 75 of I-295. Just look for the tall antennas to find the driveway! Jamboree-on-the-Air, or JOTA, is an annual Scouting event sponsored by the World Organization of the Scouting Movement (WOSM). This is the largest Scouting event of the year, with thousands of Scouts talking to one another around the world! Amateur radio stations around the world help Scouts participate. If the conditions are right, it is common for over a hundred Scouting countries to talk to each other during the weekend. Cub Scouts, Brownies, Scouts, and Girl Scouts exchange greetings with Scouts over amateur radio. The exchanges typically include information such as Name, Location, Scout rank, Hobbies, Age, etc. Some exchanges lead to long-lasting friendships and the exchange of photos, badges, pins, and patches. Scouts can meet two requirements for Radio Merit Badge and one requirement for Citizenship in the World Merit Badge. Cubs meet their International Participation requirements for Arrow of Light. The BSA online Scout Shop makes an optional patch available for participants. This year’s patch is listed as SKU 660418. Save the date on your unit calendar now! No advance reservations or fees are required, but if you are bringing more than ten Scouts from your unit, we ask that you divide them up and stagger their arrival times so they can have a more active experience. If you are an Amateur Radio Operator and would like to help, please contact Jon Frush, W8JRF for the Mercer Airport operation at frushyou@... or Eric Sokalski, WS3RIC for the Ockanickon operation at ws3ric@... . Thanks & 73 Gary Wilson, K2GW ADC, Mercer Area District