Scouts from across the valley earned their Radio Merit Badge, learned radio skills, and made contacts with Scouts at Vandenberg AFB in Lompoc, California, during the 2025 Jamboree-on-the-Air (JOTA)
What a wonderful time we all had at the Grand Canyon Council’s 2025 Jamboree-on-the-Air (JOTA) at the Heard Scout Pueblo this past weekend!
Scouts and Scouters came from across the valley, some as far as Casa Grande, Tucson, and Prescott Valley. More than 30 Scouts attended and earned their Radio Merit Badge. Every attendee also received a 2025 JOTA/JOTI patch.
Perhaps the biggest hit for our Scouts this year was, without a doubt, the “Fox Hunt” (radio location) event, where Scouts learned how to use a radio to track down and locate a radio “fox.”
A huge thank you to all the ham radio operators who helped our Scouts make radio contact with other Scouts around the world using their assortment of radios, antennas, and various radio bands (frequencies). Some of our Scouts even talked over the airwaves with other JOTA Scouts at Vandenberg AFB in Lompoc, California, who were waiting to watch a Starlink rocket launch. Additionally, one of our GCC Scouts of the Year 2025, Conrad Rhoads (Technician license KM7BZG), set up and demonstrated his vertical 2m antenna to other Scouts.
Thanks to CERT (Community Emergency Response Team), who brought their trailer full of radio equipment and gave demonstrations to our Scouts. The CERT program trains people to be better prepared to respond to emergency situations in Phoenix communities.
Thanks also to our friends at QRZ.com, Fred Lloyd, AA7BQ, and Jaime Jeffries, KF7WIS, who, like last year, donated a dual-band handheld Ham Radio. This was awarded as a door prize to Scout JoJo from Levine. JoJo has since expressed interest in studying for his Technician FCC License.
Plans are already underway for next year’s JOTA! These plans may even include serving hamburgers and hotdogs free of charge to attendees at the Heard Scout Pueblo, tentatively scheduled for Saturday, October 17, 2026. We hope to see you there!
73,
Jose Amorin, KE7KBR
ASM-T41
