KOTA Czechia 2023

The Kids On The Air (KOTA) event today had its third and last day held in the Trhanov Castle in Czechia.

The day began with a presentation by Philipp, DK6SP, who shared insights into the possibilities within amateur radio. He told us stories about his travels and showed us how important friendship is in amateur radio.

Before lunch, we got the opportunity to take part in a high-altitude balloon launch, carrying a 20m WSPR beacon as payload.

Over the last two days, we received a step-by-step introduction to contesting. We learned how to do QSOs and had some training in the Off-Air contest. For a final activity, we got to try out our newly gathered skills in a PMR contest, where all participants gathered in the nearby park and got two times 35 minutes to make as many contacts with each other as possible.

The closing ceremony was held in the lecture room, where not only did every participant receive their camp certificate, but the winners of the contests held during the camp got their awards and some presents for the sponsors.

KOTA, Kids On The Air, has successfully ended day 2 of their camp in Czechia. The participating kids did have a long and eventful day.

On today’s agenda were World Wide Flora Fauna activities from three OKFF entities. Also, various workshops were held, e.g. soldering, QO-100, “How to do a good QSO”, SSTV and ARDF on a nearby mountain. Furthermore, all attending took the group photo. In the evening the famous “Off-Air Contest” was held. The day finished with some OL1KOTA shortwave and QO1-100 activity.

Stay tuned for the final day at this event tomorrow.

KOTA, which stands for Kids On The Air, officially opened today. This event is organized by the Czech Radio Club (ČRK/CRC) in collaboration with the IARU Region 1 Youth Working Group and marks a new addition to the well-known YOTA program. It’s aimed at a different age group and is considered a Subregional Camp.

Approximately 30 kids between the ages of 10 and 15 have gathered at Trhanov Castle in Czechia. Today’s schedule included their arrival, having dinner, a brief welcome session, and their first workshops on “What is amateur radio?” and “How to have a QSO.” These enthusiastic kids are already on the air using the callsign OL1KOTA. They are operating on the HF bands and the QO-100 geostationary satellite throughout the upcoming weekend.

Additionally, during the camp, participants will have the opportunity to take part in various interactive sessions, workshops, and hands-on demonstrations. The program is designed to provide valuable insights into the world of amateur radio, encouraging a sense of exploration and learning.

We are excited to announce that the Czech Radio Club (ČRK/CRC) in cooperation with the IARU Region 1 Youth Working Group is organizing the KOTA Subregional Camp at castle Trhanov, from September 15th to 17th, 2023. This camp provides a fantastic opportunity for young radio enthusiasts between the ages of 10 and 15 to come together and participate in thrilling programs and activities.

During the camp, participants will have the chance to engage in various interactive sessions, workshops, and hands-on demonstrations. The program is designed to offer valuable insights into the world of amateur radio, fostering a spirit of exploration and learning.

Please note that the program will be conducted primarily in Czech language, and due to the young age group, we kindly request that you consider this factor when recommending participation.

If you have any queries or require additional information, please do not hesitate to contact Martina OK2YLQ at detiamladez@crk.cz.

We kindly ask you to share this announcement with your national societies and young enthusiasts who may be interested in joining us for this enriching event.

Note: This event is intended to be an extension of the existing YOTA initiative. Since the event includes a new target audience, the 2023 event is intended to serve as a pilot project to further discuss the concept at the upcoming IARU R1 General Conference in Serbia in November. Meanwhile, it will be treated as a YOTA Subregional Event in terms of monetary support and program.

Source: IARU Region 1, Youth Working Group