I am pleased to announce that as of July 2007, this page will become obsolete with the change of the JOTA and Scout frequencies as shown in the WOSM Scout Frequency webpage http://www.scout.org/en/information_events/events/jota/all_about_jota/world_scout_frequencies


For several years, the Jamboree On The Air (JOTA) CW frequency on 20 meters, 14.070 has conflicted with, and interfered with the international PSK-31 "band", also on 14.070. For various reasons, the Boy Scouts of America and World of Scouting Movement have been unable to Officially change this frequency in their publications and websites.

After consultation and agreement with numerous Scout-Hams from around the world, it is the consensus that the world-wide Scouting membership change the frequency themselves to 14.065. This information is being circulated widely through email groups and websites.

The problem is more than the actual interference of CW on top of the narrowband PSK-31 signals. Official Scouting publications, national amateur radio associations, and official websites all promulgate and advertise 14.070 as the JOTA 20 meter CW frequency. Since JOTA is only one weekend per year whereas PSK31 is operated year round with numerous DXpeditions now transmitting PSK-31, the danger is that Scouting will be seen as officially endorsing interference, resulting in conflict between other amateur operators and Scouting in general. Scouting has received enough black eyes without yet another that could have been avoided.

PSK-31 has grown rapidly in popularity since its introduction about 1998 due to its simplicity and inexpense. It may now surpass RTTY in numbers of operators using it. Due to its very narrow bandwidth, many signals may operate in the same bandwidth as a single SSB (2.5KHZ) or CW signal (300HZ). Within the 2 KHZ bandwidth centered on 14.070, it is not unusual to hear 20 to 30 separate PSK-31 signals. Yet also due to PSK-31's low power requirement (10 watts is typcial), a single CW transmission may interfere with that many QSOs. More information on PSK-31 is at: http://psk31.com/

In order for this change to become effective, please post this message to the ham-Scout groups you know and feel free to post it on your website. You may use the html in this webpage:
http://homepage.mac.com/k2frd/JOTA.htm .
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73 de Fred Stevens K2FRD
Chenango Co. (NY) Assistant Emergency Coordinator
Foothills District, Otschodela Council BSA Committees
Otschodela Council (BSA) Amateur Radio Group KZ2BSA and monthly newsletter OCARG EAGLE:
 http://homepage.mac.com/k2frd/ocarg.htm
K2FRD Personal Adventure page:  http://homepage.mac.com/k2frd/K2FRD.html
Subscribe to the EAGLE (no cost, no spam, no ads): mail request to:K2FRD.

For more details, contact Fred K2FRD .



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Last update 19 FEBRUARY 2007.