[amsat-bb] Scout Jamboree on the Air -- Please let the Scouts have the birds.

[Tom Schuessler]

Greetings satellite enthusiests,

With the notice earlier today from the SO-67 ground crew opening up
worldwide passes for this coming Jamboree on the Air weekend, there are now
multiple opportunities for Amateur Satellite communications for the many
JOTA stations globally.  

As an AMSAT member and as a organizer for a JOTA operation at the National
Scouting Museum in Irving, TX (K2BSA/5), I am very excited for the
possibility to have now many good passes for satellite demonstrations during
our operating day.  I am very invested in developing a great experience for
the many Scouts who I expect to come through our event and also the many
thousands worldwide who will experience Ham Radio and satellites, some for
the first time.

My request of the many regular satellite operators around the globe is this;
please let Scout stations have preference on the birds this weekend.  Like
our effort, so many of these JOTA satellite demos will be low power and
handheld.  If they have to compete with big fixed guns, they can find
themselves with little chance of making meaningful contacts with other Scout
JOTA groups.  My experience of being unable to bust through the din of an
AO-27 pass at a Scout demo several weeks ago is still fresh.  Our hope on
JOTA weekend is to provide a meaningful introduction to Ham Radio to the
Scouting community.

Please let Scout JOTA demos have first chance at a pass.  Please inhibit
Packet activity on HO-68 as the satellite will be in "FM" only mode.
Observe the "QRP" request for the AO-51 second repeater.  And let's all slow
down on AO-27 despite the short windows.

Many Ham Radio operators got their first exposure during Scout events like
JOTA.  Let's hope this year we pick up some more.

73 de N5HYP

Tom Schuessler
2713 Lake Gardens Drive
Irving, Texas  75060
972-986-7456
214-403-1464 (Cell)
n5hyp at arrl.net