Scouts from Troops 133, 1651 and 175 recently got a taste of high-tech communication during the annual Jamboree on the Air, which was held at Machicomoco State Park, Hayes.
This worldwide event, which was held Oct. 17-19, lets Scouts talk to people across the globe using amateur, or Ham, radios.
Locally, the event was made possible thanks to the members of the Middle Peninsula Amateur Radio Club, especially Bob Beltz and John-Micheal “JM” Payne. They coordinated and ran the entire portable radio station right after the Scouts finished their park service project.
Setting up the station was an adventure in itself, turning into a hands-on science lesson. The Scouts pitched in, helping to raise a mast and connect a special DIY dipole antenna. They had to be careful to choose the right connections for the 20-meter band—that’s the frequency that helps signals travel super-long distances. The entire setup, including the Icom HF 706 Radio, ran cleanly off a battery and a power supply. They had...