Radio Daze is an over-night camping event featuring radio communications for Boy Scouts. Scouts will build a radio, learn signaling methods, communicate by ham radio and link with earth satellite transponders. We’ll have events on Morse Code, semaphore signaling and emergency communications, a campfire and firefly hunt.

 

Radio Daze is held in conjunction with the annual ham radio Field Day by the Yolo Amateur Radio Society. Field Day is a national exercise on communications under emergency conditions. Thousand of stations will participate around the United States and Canada and we will be communicating with many of them.

 

In addition there will be events specifically for the Scouts on the Radio Merit Badge and many aspects of signaling technology. As Field Day runs twenty-four continuous hours, this will be the one event at which Scouts don’t have to go to bed. The ham stations will be operating around the clock for twenty-four hours. One station will be devoted to operation by Scouts.

 

This year’s event will be held at Nelson’s Grove, north of Woodland as an overnight Saturday/Sunday event. Radio Daze runs from 9 AM on Saturday through 11 AM Sunday.

 

Participation: As the event is quite specialized we expect Scouts will register as individuals and be grouped into Contingent Patrols for camping and the activities. Adults will be provided in accordance with youth protection guidelines. Scout attendance will be limited to 18 total in three contingent patrols of six Scouts each. If demand exceeds 18 positions we will limit to two (2) Scouts per home Troop. We need two to four adult Scouters.

 

Scouts may arrive anytime between 9 AM Saturday morning and 7 PM Saturday night. They may sign out and leave at any time with a parent or guardian. If you so choose, Radio Daze can be a day event.

 

Sponsorship: Radio Daze is a joint event between the Yolo District Boy Scouts and the Yolo Amateur Radio Society. It is being managed by Woodland Troop 131.

 

Meals: Bring your own sack lunch for Saturday noon. Dinner and break fast will be supplied.

 

Uniforms: BSA Class A or Activity T-shirt as you prefer.

 

Equipment: Bring an FRS radio hand-held radio, battery powered short wave radios, emergency mirrors, laser pens, CB radios, CD players, iPods, anything electronic.

 

Activities: Radio Merit Badge, Build A Crystal Radio, Operate A Ham Radio Station, Signaling Exercises: Morse Code by Sight and Sound, Heliograph, Laser, Semaphore, Earth Satellite Communication, Antique Equipment Demo, Fun Electronic Circuits. There will be friendly competition to send messages by Morse Code, do an emergency message relay and more.

 

Cost & Paperwork: $15.00 per Scout. No charge for adult Scouters. Each participant will take home the radio receiver he makes and the Radio Merit Badge book. Bring the usual personal permission form for each Scout. A Tour Permit will be filed on behalf of the event with GEC.

 

Schedule (subject to revision)

 

Saturday

  9:00 AM              Checkin and Setup

  9:30 AM              Events  start, Radio Merit Badge, radio station operation

12:00 Noon          Lunchtime

 1:30 PM               Afternoon Activities, Radio Merit Badge, build a radio, radio operation

 4:30 PM               Events end, Dinner will be provided

 6:00 PM               Dinner Ends

 6:30 PM               Evening Activities, signaling, competitions.

 8:30 PM               Campfire

 9:00 PM               Firefly hunt

 overnight             Radio operation into the wee hours of the morning.

 

Sunday

Anytime               Rise and shine

 8:00 AM              Break fast is served

 9:00 AM              Radio staion operation, Site Cleanup
11:00 PM             Radio Daze Ends