The annual Youngsters on the Air (YOTA) event takes place during the entire month of December, with YOTA stations attempting to contact many other young radio amateurs around the world. The event offers an excellent opportunity for get radio amateurs in their teens and early 20s to get together on the air.

“The idea of this is to show the Amateur Radio hobby to youth and to encourage youngsters to be active within the hobby,” said International Amateur Radio Union Region 1 (IARU-R1) Youth Working Group Chair Lisa Leenders, PA2LS. “Consider giving a demonstration at a school or local club, gather together with your friends, grab a pizza, and make some QSOs, or enjoy a great pile-up. Let’s show this great hobby to the world!”

This is not a formal contest but a way to get young people on the air with their peers. Numerous participating stations, primarily in Region 1, will be sporting YOTA call sign suffixes.