Now that Jamboree On The Air (JOTA) 2016 is history, the Boy Scouts are urging participants to file a JOTA Station Report, in order to determine how things went.

“It's your perfect opportunity to share your stories, photos, and some numbers,” JOTA Coordinator Jim Wilson, K5ND, said. “The reports I've seen so far show some good turnout, particularly from Cub Scouts. We feel this is due to the new requirement for the Arrow of Light Award that asks Scouts to participate in JOTA-JOTI. This is also no doubt responsible for the big increase in JOTI registrations in the US, from roughly 100 last year to what looks like close to 500 this year.”

Reports are due by November 1. Every station that files a report will be entered into a drawing for an Icom ID-51A Plus dualband handheld transceiver and will receive a 2016 Jamboree on the Air Certificate. Five runners up will receive an Icom America Ham Crew T shirt. Only Boy Scouts of America stations are eligible.

“Worldwide we had 11,534 register for the event,” Wilson said, adding that a rough estimate indicated 800 US registrations and nearly 300 of those indicating Amateur Radio call signs. If that number holds, he said, it would indicate a dip in JOTA participation from 2015, when 346 turned out. “Some of that could have been due to the complexity of the registration system,” he allowed. “I assure you that the reporting system now is much simpler.

Wilson said the US JOTA 2016 Report should be out in early December. “Thanks again for all your support to Radio Scouting and Jamboree on the Air,” he said. 

It’s estimated that more than 1 million Scouts in 150+ countries took part in JOTA 2016, engaging with other Scouts to talk about Amateur Radio and their Scouting experiences.