The world is different from the time many of us got hooked on Ham Radio. Skyping was something we saw on the Jetsons, and our worldwide web existed between the pages of the Encyclopedia Britannica. While we talk about Ham Radio’s ability to “shrink the globe,” today’s technology has shrunk the globe into the size of a microchip. But if you’re worried that our beloved hobby will fade quietly into oblivion, young Hams from around the world are sending out strong signals that you can relax. The future rests in good hands—case in point, YOTA, the Youngsters on the Air program. YOTA is a group of motivated Hams from IARU Region 1 (Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Northern Asia) committed to growing the Amateur Radio community one young person at a time. Check out YOTA’s official website here.
YOTA activities include an annual weeklong summer camp where young Hams gain skills and gather ideas on holding similar programs to promote the hobby when they return home. This year’s camp will be in Bulgaria, August 11-17. Click here for details. Last year, 80 Hams met in the central region of Gauteng in South Africa as they “explored different cultures and shared the hobby that always brings us closer together.”
At DX Engineering, promoting the efforts of young operators is a subject near and dear to our hearts. Read more about our work here:
