Jamboree-on-the-Air

Last weekend out Boy Scout Troop was camping at Camp Rancho Alege in the hills above Santa Barbara, California, to participate in the Jamboree-on-the-Air (JOTA).  JOTA is a nationwide Scouting event involving all things radio.  I'll post some pictures to give you an idea of what it was like.

And for those of you that follow OPOD, camping does make it difficult to compete in PJM's contest.  I had to wake up before sunrise and hike to a hilltop to get reception for my cell phone.

So I thought I'd share some photos from my weekend to give you a glimpse into my life.

(Some of my Scouts learning how to build their circuit boards)

(Alex talking to another Scout in Idaho via ham radio)

(killing a few spare moments)

(the guys learning how to send television signals over ham)

(Mitchell with a homemade radio direction finder)

(Madison on a live wireless television feed)

(a completed oscillator board - way to go!)

(a view of our campsite)

(Sam monitoring the spectrometer in a mobile ham van)

(Alex working on his oscillator)

and I had to include this last one.  The boys got a big kick out of the social nature of this pit toilet.  One of the guys came out and said that a girl must have designed this one because you know they like to talk all the time...