Exploring Prague

With sunrise, the last day of this year’s camp began. We started our day with a breakfast and a team leader meeting. Despite being on the final day, organizational matters were still crucial, especially as we were preparing to venture into the vibrant inner city of Prague.

After breakfast, we set off together for Prague, but soon split into three distinct groups, each aligned with their chosen area of interest. The offer between literature, architecture and astronomy brought each group to unique place, though still making sure that each group still visits all highlights of the city! While each group followed its unique tour, everyone enjoyed our lunch-to-go at Kampa Park, in the heart of the city just next to the Charles Bridge.

The afternoon offered a choice: to explore the observatory, immerse ourselves in the old town, or return to the venue. While all options have been chosen, most popular was to go to the city center and explore the town even more.

As dinner time game closer, everyone headed back to the accommodation to have dinner all together for one last time. While already being nostalgic about the camp coming to an end, it was time for the last official part of the camp: the closing ceremony. It was a bittersweet moment as we reflected on the incredible experiences we had shared. Certificates were awarded to all participants, and the winners of the ARDF workshop and off-air contest were announced and presented with their prizes, courtesy of our generous sponsor, Prusa. A special certification of appreciation was handed out to one team leader for her work at home and during the camp to support the youth. And further to the most active youngster operating the station. While the youngsters were truly the hearth of this years camp, we do not forget about everyone who made it possible! Not only the organizers that did an amazing jobs preparing this camp during the last year, but finally, we extended our thanks to all of our sponsors for their invaluable support in making this unforgettable camp a reality!

Closing ceremony

Hands-on learning about guy ropes by Mastrant

Today was another day that will take place only at our accomodation. We started the day with breakfast and a brief team leader meeting. Since everyone was staying at the accommodation again, there was less to organize and coordinate compared to previous days. Though still important, as for the afternoon, we had the opportunity to choose our preferred workshop from a selection of five. This ensured that everyone could participate in an activity that aligned with their interests.

After breakfast, the entire camp gathered for three informative lectures. The first presentation by Vavruška delved into the crucial world of emergency radio communication. We learned about various propagation types, how radio waves travel under different conditions. We also explored different antenna options, understanding how they affect signal strength and range. The presentation covered various operating modes, ensuring we can adapt communication strategies based on the situation. Finally, we got a breakdown of essential equipment for emergency preparedness, giving us the knowledge to build a reliable emergency communication setup. Next up, we dived into the DXpedition adventures from Vláďá OK2WX. We learned about the logistics and mountains of paperwork involved in setting up expeditions to places like Burundi and Cameroon, where he recently went for DXpeditions. The presenter also offered a glimpse into the local conditions, with a healthy dose of caution regarding the dangers posed by hippos! Finally, the excitement reached new heights with the announcement of a future expedition to Burkina Faso. This call to action invited young hams to join and participate in this incredible experience. Our final morning presentation took us soaring to new heights with the fascinating world of balloon tracking. We discovered a unique application of amateur radio: tracking simple, lightweight, yet incredibly durable hobby balloons. These balloons can stay aloft for several years, their paths traced by the Weak Signal Propagation Reporter (WSPR) protocol. This presentation highlighted a unique way to utilize our radio skills and explore the upper atmosphere in a fascinating way.

Time passed by and it was already time for lunch! As the schedule was already relatively packed in the morning, we had some free time after the lunch before the next presentation started. Today, we delved into the fascinating world of satellite technology through the lens of the Planetum-1 Cubesat. From its inception as a concept to its eventual deorbit, we followed the entire lifecycle of this small satellite. The presentation provided a comprehensive overview, covering topics such as design, construction, launch, operation, and the challenges faced in space. It was a truly inspiring to look at the dedication and innovation that go into space exploration!

In order to get some more hands-on experience, we spent the rest of the evening in different workshops. As mentioned before, everyone could choose among five offers. In the Mastrant workshop we learnt Learned which knots and tools can be used to utilise the guy ropes of an antenna as efficiently and safely as possible. The Prusa workshop was all about 3D printing and the representatives from Prusa had set up an interesting booth for the Prusa 3D printer, where you had the chance to ask all kinds of questions. For the Flora and Fauna workshop we left the accomodation and went outside of the city to get on air in the nature! In the micro:bits BLE workshop we assembled the RC car kit and then started programming the microcontrollers so that one controller controls the car and one controller gives the car instructions via Bluetooth on how to move. Last but not least, the baloon workshop was all about building a Traquito Pico Balloon, which is easy to assemble. Participants learned about the whole assembly process like preparing dipole antennas, soldering the solar panels and programming the balloon tracker.

3D printing workshop with Prusa

Once we finished the workshop, it was time for dinner. Right afterwards, we continued with one last presentation by Mahmoud. The presentation explored the diverse applications of High Frequency (HF) technology beyond traditional communication. It highlighted the potential of HF waves for wireless energy transmission, environmental sensing, and gesture recognition.
Since we couln’t finish with all team presentations yesterday, we had one last round of youth work presentations, so that in the end every country gave a short presentation.
Before calling it a day, there was one more spot left on the schedule: it was time to launch the baloon! We went outside to our group picture photo spot, filled our baloon with Helium and let it go off.

Building the receiver kit

Another day, another adventure! We kicked off the morning with our usual routine: a nourishing breakfast followed by the usual team leader meeting. Today’s plan mirrors yesterday’s, with a small but important twist. While one group is staying at the venue to assemble the kits, the rest of us are eagerly preparing to explore more of our host country. It’s a great balance of hard work and fun, and we’re excited to see what the day brings!

Today it was time for the groups Mendel, Diviš, and Purkyně to go for their museum visit. As we had to spontaneously shift our plans yesterday due to the weather, the group yesterday was visiting another museum. For today’s excursion, we went to the National Technical Museum in Prague and delved into the fascinating world of technology and innovation. We explored impressive collections of vintage automobiles, powerful locomotives, and early computing devices. The museum offered a captivating journey through time, showcasing the ingenuity of human minds. With having our lunch-to-go in the museum, we afterwards went to a viewpoint which was just a few steps next to the museum. As time allowed it, we decided to not only to explore the area around the museum, but take the metro to Vyšehrad. It offers breathtaking views of Prague, along with a nice park to hang out and historical monuments like the Vyšehrad Cathedral.

Exploring our host country

The remaining groups Křižík, Wichterle and Ressel, in the meantime made their kits at the venue. One half of the day was about making the antenna kit that we already presented yesterday. After the lunch break the kit building continued. As a second kit, we built a small receiver. Experienced kit builders just built up the kit pretty fast, but for beginners there was an easy to follow step-to-step instruction. Once the kit was built, it was measured with a frequency counter and signal generator to make sure that everything works as expected. With this done, we had a receiver for both CW and SSB for 40m and 80m band in our hands that was just a little smaller than a smartphone these days!

As everyone reunited just in time for the dinner, we enjoyed our meal before it was time for another round of the team presentations showcasing what they are doing in their country and member society and present their youth activities. And next up as final part of the schedule was a presentation by the Youth Working Group, introducing the IARU and what they are focusing on in their working group. For everyone to become part of improving youth work, we continued with a discussion round in small groups on what can be done and taken into account when thinking about the youth situation in ham radio.

With all this calling it a day, we want to emphasize again, that also today the participants have been very active activating the station! Not only when they finished their kit building or in the evening after the program. One team already asked right at the arrival day, whether it is possible to participate in an 1h long contest of their country, as during the contest hours the camp schedule was busy. What a great example showing the interest of youngsters to operate and take part in their MS on-air activities!

Exploring the Czech national museum

Our day began with the usual routine of having breakfast followed by a crucial team leader meeting. Today’s meeting held extra importance as we prepared for a day with varying schedules. You might remember that we divided everyone into six teams named after known Czech scientists and pioneers. These teams came in handy during our workshop rotations on Saturday. Today, the system was put into action again as three teams embarked on an exciting excursion while the rest of us stayed on campus for following the activities here.

Originally it was planned, that the groups Křižík, Wichterle and Ressel are going on a excursion to the city of Prague. But as the weather forecast especially for the morning was pretty bad, we had spontaneous program changes. In order to keep all the participants dry, we went to the National Museum, located on Wenceslas Square. The museum was quite recently renovated, so visitors could enjoy beautiful exhibitions – Windows to Prehistory, Wonders of Evolution, Crossroads of Czech and Czechoslovak Statehood. This way, we could not only deepen our general education but also learn a bit more about the Czech Republic. After the museum we had an hour walk around Wenceslas Square and went back to our accommodation with the Metro of Prague.

While three teams were out exploring the city, the remaining groups, namely Mendel, Diviš, and Purkyně, dove into some hands-on fun with kit building. We tackled two exciting projects: the first being an antenna kit. This kit was perfect for both experienced and novice builders, as it was simple, but yet not only a soldering project. It started with winding the ferrite core with the right number and arrangement of the windings, soldering the few necessary components onto the PCB board and building the setup for the guy ropes from Mastrant. The PCB board was cleverly designed to accommodate the antenna wire and guy ropes, making it an ideal companion for portable activations on the 40m, 20m, and 10m bands. After lunch break, it was time for the second kit building project. More about that will be in our blog post tomorrow!

Building the antenna kit

As some experienced youngsters were pretty quick, there was no chance for them to get bored at all! They either eagerly helped the beginners with building their kits, some organisers that were still busy with checking the logs of the off-air contest or used the opportunity of a less crowded ham shack to get themselves on air! As time past by, our three groups came back from the excursion and we were all reunited at the accommodation such that we all had dinner together.

The day was already getting to an end, but the program was not even finished yet. We had one more round of the team presentations, where we got to know more about the youth circumstances and activities in some participating countries. As this ended at 21 o’clock, there was the possibility to continue the day even further, as two participants were able to held an American ham radio licence exam for those that were interested to do so. Some took this opportunity (Congrats to everyone that passed!), while the rest was just hanging out with some of their new international friends before everyone went to bed soon.

Early arriving participants in front of the Nikola Tesla monument

The long-awaited YOTA Summer Camp in Prague has officially kicked off! After months of anticipation and preparation, young radio enthusiasts from across the globe have gathered in the heart of Europe.

The day was filled with participants arriving to the camp venue. Jet-lagged faces and excited smiles were the order of the day as participants checked in and claimed their accommodations. While some teams arrived bright and early, eager to dive straight into the camp experience, others opted for a more leisurely start after their long journeys.

Youngsters exploring the area around the venue

For those who arrived with extra time and energy on their hands, a guided tour of the local area was offered. Led by the Martin OK1VHB, participants explored the captivating CTU University campus and visiting the Nikola Tesla monument. It was a perfect way to stretch their legs and immerse themselves in the city’s vibrant atmosphere.The journey to Prague proved to be a test of endurance for many. While the allure of international travel is undeniable, the reality of long-haul flights and cross-country bus rides is a different story. Clearly, guest teams from IARU Region 2 and 3 had a super long flight. Though, this years longest travels by plane goes to a team from region 1, as the team from Burkina Faso travelled for 24h and thus even a little more than our guest teams from Singapore or Japan. Closer to Prague, but yet an even slightly longer travel was the one from the Bulgarian team that faced an equally challenging journey, spending a grueling 26 hours on the road in the bus.

Ready to welcome the arriving participants

As expected, social media platforms were full with travel updates and photos as participants shared their adventures with friends and family. However, true to the spirit of the camp, radio communication was of course also a part! Dedicated Tetra and 2m FM frequencies were used by participants to connect with fellow friends.The camp started in the evening with the first part being the dinner, providing a much- needed opportunity for participants to relax and refuel after their journeys. The official opening ceremony then marked the first program point of the YOTA camp. A warm welcome from the organizers and Henni OH1ESI, the chair of the YWG, set a positive tone for the week ahead. Philipp DK6SP, a Director on the Board of the World Wide Radio Operators Foundation (WWROF), delivered a heartfelt speech on behalf of the sponsor, expressing their enthusiasm for supporting young radio enthusiasts. A huge thank you was extended to all the sponsors for their generous support in making this year’s YOTA camp possible. The organizers also took the opportunity to provide essential information about the camp’s logistics, ensuring a smooth running event. To add a touch of fun, the ceremony also included a special celebration for two participants who happened to share the same birthday with the arrival day of camp, making their YOTA experience even more memorable.

Stay tuned for updates on the exciting activities and challenges that await them in the coming days.