“What a great and engaging program! My greatest joy was watching some of our scouts who are normally shy or timid talk on the air. It gave them a safe space to venture out of their comfort zones and chat with you all and others around the country.”
- Stacy Jelonek (Leader, Troop 499 in Schaumburg, Illinois)
There are over 750,000 US Amateur Radio operators and millions worldwide. We talk wirelessly across town and the globe using less power than it takes to brighten a light bulb with no service providers or monthly fees. We learn from each other, assist the public at events and emergencies, have fun with contests, interact with space (satellites, atmosphere, ISS, etc.), monitor and report the weather, build equipment, exchange digital signals, and much more.
What is Amateur (Ham) Radio?
10-mins: Once the Troop meeting is underway, we share a brief presentation about the many ways to enjoy Amateur (Ham) Radio, how we serve the community, how to become licensed at any age, how radio waves work (high-level), how we use callsigns, and an overview of the stations including safety and how to use them.
45-mins: Scouts (and parents/leaders) are divided into 3 groups to spend 15-minutes at each station talking with operators locally, across the US, and in other countries!
5-mins: Regroup to discuss the fun and enjoy a quick gameshow-type quiz to see what they learned.
NOTE: We create and bring an 8-page information packet for each Scout which introduces the partnering radio group and gives high-level information about radio waves, our lingo (Q-codes, Morse code, phonetic alphabet, etc.), logging, signal reports, safety, and Radio Merit Badge requirements and resources.
We pair a few volunteers from local radio groups with Scout troops for a fun, free, 1-hour, on-air experience! Scouts (leaders & parents too) receive an intro to Amateur (Ham) Radio at a regular troop meeting where everyone gets on-the-air as guest operators! The goal is to raise awareness about Amateur Radio and its role in our communities. We also hope to inspire future hobbyists of all ages and the pursuit of the Radio Merit Badge among Scouts. The event…
What is Scouts on the Air?
BEFORE THE EVENT
During the Week Prior: We promote the event locally and nation-wide to the Amateur Radio community to encourage radio operators to mark their calendars and be on-the-air to speak with the Scouts. We want them to spend their time talking and not listening to static.
Immediately Prior: We arrive 1-hour early and set-up three (3) portable radio stations (battery operated) which typically include… 1) a handy talkie (UHF) which can reach a few hundred sq miles locally by sending signals to nearby repeaters, 2) a 50-watt mobile radio (VHF) which does the same, and 3) a 100-watt (HF) radio which can bounce signals off the ionosphere to reach operators across the country and the globe! Occasionally, we include additional HF radios and/or digital mobile units which connects via radio to the Internet and then to operators nation-wide.
Recent Events - thank you to all who participated!
5/19/25: Troop 37, Arlington Heights IL experienced ham radio through the Schaumburg Amateur Radio Club andcontacts from Maine, to FL, TX, MT, and Canada!
6/3/25: Troop 45 in Glen Ellyn IL were hosted by the DuPage Amateur Radio Club and enjoyed contacts across the US and Canada; the United Kingdom too!
7/14/25: Troop 65 in Wood Dale IL with the Schaumburg Amateur Radio Club (SARC)… QSOs ranged from Montana to Arizona and Maine to Florida as well as Australia!
8/14/25: Troop 499 girls and boys in Schaumburg IL met the Schaumburg Amateur Radio Club and enjoyed contacts ranging from Oregon to Florida and Canada!
9/8/25: RESCHEDULED FROM 8/18 due to dangerous weather… Troop 33 in St Charles IL with the Fox River Radio League (FRRL) from 7:20pm to 8:15pm CDT on 3 stations!
Mark your calendar & visit here for details on frequencies and timing as each date nears!
Upcoming Events
HF: 14.328 moving to 7.218, if needed as K9MSG
VHF W9CEQ Repeater: 147.210 +6KHz 103.5Hz pl as N9XP
UHF W9CEQ Repeater: 444.300 +5MHz 114.8Hz as KE9AJK
9/30/25: Troop 134 in Wheaton IL with the DuPage County ARES Team
HF: 14.328 moving to 7.218, if needed as K9MSG
UHF K9XD Repeater: 444.875 + 5MHz 114.8Hz pl as W9LBR
DMR (talk group to be determined and posted here) as NE9JJ
10/17-10/19: Jamboree-on-the-Air, a world-wide event - more details here.
10/20/25*: Troop 66 in Bartlett IL with the Schaumburg Amateur Radio Club (SARC)
* Timing/frequency plans for upcoming Scouts-on-the-Air events will be posted here once finalized (typically 1 week before the event). During each event, any frequency changes will be noted here.
Want to Host a Scouts on the Air Event?
It’s Easy!: Scouts on the Air is affiliated with AmateurRadioEvents.com. Simply visit and complete our Contact Form to stay in touch and share your interest.
Scout Troops: Please share your name, phone number, troop number/town/state, the size of the troop, the troop’s age range (ideal for age 10+), your meeting location (ideally outside), and potential upcoming troop meetings dates when this event might be possible.
Radio Groups: These are perfect events for radio clubs, ARES teams, SATERN groups, etc. Please share your name, phone number, group name/type, its location/size, and the potential number of radio volunteers the group can provide (ideally 4-6). If you already have a Scout Troop identified, please share those details too.