Jamboree on the Air 2015

Date: 20th Oct 2015 Author: Scout Websites

Every year in October, Scouts around the world hold one of their largest international gatherings. Known as Jamboree on the Air, the weekend sees contact by amateur radio and the internet between members of the Scout Movement all over the world.

In Chester we have run a Jamboree on the Air station at Vicars Cross for many years. This year there were over 200 visitors from Scouts and Guides in Chester and Ellesmere Port. Activities for those who took part were provided and included 3D printing, Morse code (a dying art!) astronomy and handicrafts as well as the main event: short wave radio and internet linked radio. Another big attraction was a top of the range drone which some young visitors were able to fly under supervision and which flew over the site taking photographs.

The Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress attended the station and sent greeting messages over the short wave and internet linked radio to Bermuda and Sweden. The Lord Mayor also took the controls of the drone and – very important for all the visitors – later cut the special celebratory cake!

Contacts were made on short wave with Australia (Canberra, Sydney and Brisbane) with Gambian, Finnish, Austrian and Portuguese Scouts and also stations in Algeria, Russia, Italy, Switzerland, USA, Canada, Norway, Spain, Germany, Greece, Morocco, Madeira and Venezuela. On the internet linked radio we spoke with many Australian and New Zealand stations and Japanese Scouts, Namibian Scouts, Andy from Chester in Trinidad and Tobago and Omani Scouts among many others.

Arthur Brighton, organiser of the event for the past 33 years, commented “Another great weekend taking part in what has been proved to be the world’s biggest Scouting event, the Jamboree on the Air, representing Chester. I would like to thank all the people who donated their time and equipment to put this station on.”

Dwayne Fields proudly holds the title of the UK's 11th Chief Scout

An explorer, adventurer and TV presenter, Dwayne's been seen in BAFTA nominated Channel 5 series Race to the Pole, on BBC Springwatch, Countryfile, National Geographic and Disney+.

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