Troop Meeting Plan Radio

Transcription

1 Troop Meeting Plan Radio Every human is constantly communicating through speech, reading, body language, even a raised eyebrow. We have many other means of sending and receiving messages, too the telephone, television, radio, photographs and drawings, computers, recorded tapes, and compact discs. This month your Scouts can explore some of the older means of communication such as Morse code, flags, and sign language. Each patrol might want to become proficient in one means of communication and teach it to the others. The big event will be a send-the-word campout. Besides having contests in communications skills, the troop can also work on other outdoor and nature skills. To top off your activities, you will want to have a troop campfire that provides an opportunity to use various means of communication. SCOUTING OUTCOMES This month s patrol and troop activities should give your Scouts 1 The knowledge and skills to be comfortable in a variety of communications methods A sense of communion with nature and God A greater respect for the outdoors and a determination to follow the Outdoor Code Enhanced self-confidence Enhanced camping skills ADVANCEMENT OPPORTUNITIES Depending on the campout activities, all Scouts may complete all or part of the following rank requirements: Tenderfoot Outdoor cooking, camping Citizenship flag ceremonies Patrol/troop participation patrol identification Personal development Scout Oath and Law Second Class Outdoor cooking, camping

2 Citizenship flag ceremonies Patrol/troop participation patrol identification Personal development Scout Oath and Law Physical fitness drug awareness First Class Outdoor cooking, camping, nature, hiking Citizenship flag ceremonies Patrol/troop participation patrol identification Personal development Scout Oath and Law Merit Badges. Older Scouts can concentrate on the Communication and Computers merit badges this month; they should be able to complete many of the requirements. Depending on activities during the campout, they may also complete requirements in Camping, Cooking, Hiking, and other outdoorrelated merit badges. PARENT/GUARDIAN PARTICIPATION The patrol leaders council can involve parents in the program feature this month by Asking qualified parents to assist with instruction for computer and signaling skills Inviting parents on the campout Asking parents to provide transportation to the starting point for the backpacking trek into camp, if necessary Getting help in arranging to visit communications businesses such as television and radio stations and computer centers PATROL LEADERS COUNCIL The patrol leaders council should meet during the early part of the previous month to plan troop activities for this program feature. If you don t complete all items on the following agenda, continue planning at patrol leaders council meetings after each troop meeting. Decide on the campsite for the send-the-word campout. If permissions will be needed, assign someone to secure them. Plan the special activities for the campout. See the ideas on these pages. If special gear or tools will be needed, assign someone to obtain them; seek help from the troop committee, if necessary. Inventory the troop s camping equipment, if not done recently. Plan details of troop meetings for the month. Assign patrol demonstrations, covering skills that will be needed for the campout activities. For example: Patrol A Morse code with mirrors or flashlights Patrol B trail signs Patrol C sign language Have an activity where Scouts working on the Communication merit badge can give a demonstration. FEATURE EVENT Send-the-Word Campout The primary purpose of this outing is to use communications skills and have some fun. The skills you have been working on all month will now come into play. Games and activities can be set up using certain communications skills to achieve particular goals. These activities can take place day or night, and they provide an opportunity for related activities. As an example, you might have an orienteering course where each station has directions written in Morse code. Each patrol will have an opportunity to instruct the rest of the troop in the communications skill it has learned. Campout Activities Obviously the activity schedule will depend on the weather and the length of your campout. There are many possibilities for activities for the campout. Besides working on communications skills, Scouts might work on cooking, camping, and nature skills. Climax the activities with a troop campfire. The following are some good contests for communications practice: 2

3 GET THE MESSAGE Equipment: Signal flag for each patrol, paper and pencil for each Scout, secret message for each patrol to send. Method: Each patrol has one signaler and one dictator. These two players are sent 100 yards or more away from the rest of the patrol and given a secret message of 30 letters. Each receiver in the patrol writes the message on his paper. (There must be no communication between receivers in the patrol.) The signaler may not repeat the message, but he may send it slowly enough to be understood by all his patrol members. When the message is completed, the patrol leader collects the slips for the judge. Scoring: Correct letters received by all patrol members are added together, then divided by the number of receivers to get the patrol average. The patrol with the highest average wins. Variation: This same game could be played at night using flashlights and Morse code or during the daytime using mirrors. MESSAGE RELAY Equipment: None. Method: A leader gives a message to a Scout, using sign language. The Scout must relay it to the next member in his patrol and so forth, until the last member of the patrol repeats it to the leader. Scoring: The patrol getting the most words correct wins. WHO S THAT? Equipment: None. Method: A nocturnal hunt sometimes shows people as they aren t. In an outdoor setting, split the troop in half. One team will be Hiders, the others Seekers. The Hiders go outside to a well-known or an established trail, not far from the main cabin or building, but not with dense cover. No street lamps or building lights should be visible. Tell the Hiders that motionless people in the dark may take on other forms that appear to be rocks, stumps, or logs. Indicate that, as Hiders, they should cover all parts of their body that stand out (skin or clothing), and camouflage their body to blend with surroundings. They then begin hiding along the trail, following these rules and guidelines: Hide people individually unless there is reluctance to stay alone; if there is, allow a pair to hide together. A Hider must be in a partially exposed position. Completely concealing a person behind something is not allowed. The Hider should try to blend in with the natural surroundings; a rock, tree, stump, etc. A Hider must be no more than 20 feet away from the trail. The Seekers wait patiently in the building until the leader of the Hiders returns and announces that all is ready. Seekers should follow these guidelines: The object of the game is to find as many Hiders as possible. Point scores are kept for each team. The Seekers are taken to the trailhead and told that from here on, they can expect to find hidden people on each side of the trail. The Seekers must stay on the trail. When someone thinks he has spotted a Hider, he calls others over to have a look. If the consensus is that there is actually someone there, the attending instructor shines his flashlight directly at the spot indicated by the Seekers. If a Hider is revealed, the Seekers get a point. If no one is there, the Hiders get a point. If all of the Seekers pass a Hider on the trail, the instructor calls the group back and points out the Hider with a flashlight. The Hiders then get a point, and that particular Hider may join the group and silently cheer on his group. This procedure continues until the last Hider has been found or is revealed. Points are tallied. The teams then reverse roles and the game is played again. The reason the Seekers remain indoors until the Hiders are set is to show how night vision helps 3

4 make walking in the dark a little safer. The exercise is a natural lead-in to a discussion about how nocturnal animals can see in reduced light. Mention bats, owls, and cats. Do not allow any flashlights to be carried, except by the leader. Variation: The trail could be laid out using trail signs. Your Campfire Program A troop campfire program should have elements of fun, inspiration, and good fellowship. Each Scout should leave with pleasant memories. The campfire doesn t have to be an elaborate production, but it does require planning. You will want lots of variety, including ceremonies, songs, skits and stunts, games, and usually a Scoutmaster s Minute. The general rule is that the campfire program follows the fire. That is, while the fire is blazing, you have lively songs, games, and skits. As the fire dies, you have inspirational songs, the Scoutmaster s Minute, and other more serious elements. In many troops, the patrol leaders council plans the campfire and assigns elements to each patrol. In others, one patrol is assigned to build the fire lay and another to plan the program. In either case, the Scoutmaster or another adult leader should stay in touch with the planners to make sure that many boys (not just the campfire planners) will have a part, and that all activities, stunts, and songs will be in good taste. If questions arise, the adult leader should make it clear that there is no place in Scouting for poor taste, poor manners, or hurting anyone in body or spirit. The campfire planners should figure on a program lasting about an hour or a little less. It s better to end the program while the Scouts are having fun than to let it drag on until they become restless. One way to ensure a fast-moving, well-planned campfire is to use the Campfire Program Planner, No With that sheet to guide them, the planners can estimate the time for each element and end the program accordingly. If your troop has Scouts who have been to several big campfires at camporees, they will have lots of ideas for skits, stunts, and songs. 4

5 RADIO TROOP MEETING PLAN Date Week 1 ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION RUN BY TIME Preopening Although it is no longer necessary to know CW or Morse Code, it is still popular among ham radio operators. Have some practice buzzers available for scouts to try when they arrive. Some flashlights can also easily be used to send Morse by lamp. Enlist the services of local amateur radio operators to assist. Introduce Scouts to the Morse Code interpreter strip. Opening Ceremony Skills Instruction Patrol Meetings Discuss (preferably by patrols): What radio and amateur radio are How amateur radio can help during emergencies The phonetic alphabet When scouts might need amateur radio How radio waves travel Ham radio communications Introduce: Signs, Signals and Codes merit badge Radio merit badge Amateur Radio Operator Rating Strip Patrol Activity By patrols, visit an amateur radio operator s station to see how it works. Learn about radio waves and their propagation. Closing SM After the Meeting Find out about Commercial radio and television. How are programs made and transmitted? When can a television or radio station be visited? Find out how a radio receiver works. Some scouts might like to build a radio receiver as a patrol project or alone. 5

6 RADIO TROOP MEETING PLAN Date Week 2 ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION RUN BY TIME Preopening Practice saying something to another scout using the phonetic alphabet. Opening Ceremony Skills Instruction Patrol Meetings Introduction to marine band radios: The tool most boaters use to communicate with other boaters, the Coast Guard, barges, drawbridge tenders, etc. There are also marine weather channels, one of which may cover your area. Marine band radios are used on rivers, lakes, canals and the coastal waters of the USA and abroad. Interpatrol Activity Closing After the Meeting Prepare lists by patrols of questions to ask over the air of scouts contacted during JOTA, perhaps from other countries. Decide what is special about your local area to tell Scouts in other countries and other parts of the U.S. Discuss these items with the other patrols and draw up a master list for all scouts to become familiar with them. Learn and practice using Morse code. Build a Morse code practice oscillator or other simple electronic kit. Bring them to the next scout meeting. SM 6

7 RADIO TROOP MEETING PLAN Date Week 3 ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION RUN BY TIME Preopening Have some practice buzzers available again for Morse code when they arrive. Try to send a message to another scout. Look at and use any Morse code oscillators built by scouts. Find out about any electronic kits built by scouts. Opening Ceremony Skills Instruction Patrol Meetings Learn how you would make an emergency call on voice or Morse code: When emergency messages should be sent How and by what methods to make distress calls Introduce Scouts to the Morse Code interpreter strip. Learn about electrical safety and precautions to be taken against contact with overhead and underground wires. Learn about lightning strikes to antennas, homes and metal tent poles. Learn about what to do during thunderstorms while hiking and camping. Interpatrol Activity Closing SM After the Meeting 7

8 RADIO TROOP MEETING PLAN Date Week 4 ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION RUN BY TIME Preopening Invite a ham radio operator to set up at your meeting place so Scouts can experience amateur radio as they arrive. Opening Ceremony Skills Instruction Patrol Meetings Explain how a radio contact is made and the procedure to do so. Introduce proper call signs, Q signals, and abbreviations as used during radio contacts. Practice simulated radio contacts in preparation for JOTA. Design special QSL cards with Scouting themes for the JOTA weekend. QSL cards are exchanged with the other stations and Scouts you contact during JOTA. Interpatrol Activity Closing After the Meeting Game: Scouts pair up with someone from another patrol. Choose a topic. Both scouts talk simultaneously face-toface at close range for say 60 seconds. Loser is first to hesitate, pause, look away or make any break other than quick breaths. Patrol with least losers wins. Share the lists prepared earlier of items of local interest and questions to ask of other scouts when talking by radio. SM 8

9 AMATEUR RADIO STATIONS AND OPERATORS AT CAMP SITE RADIO TROOP OUTDOOR PROGRAM PLAN (JOTA WEEKEND IF POSSIBLE) Date TIME ACTIVITY RUN BY Friday Evening Load gear at meeting location, leave for campsite. Plan a light meal en route. SPL Arrive at campsite; off-load equipment. Set up patrol sites. Stow gear and set SPL up camp. Saturday 6:30 am Cooks and assistants up. Prepare breakfast. (Cooks should be working on First and Second Class requirements.) Cooks, assistants 7:00 am Everyone else up. Take care of personal hygiene, air tents, hang out sleeping bags. 7:30 am Breakfast. 8:00 am Clean up. Cooks Patrols put up the gear for morning activities in parallel with radio activities, clean up patrol site. 8:30 11:30 am Schedule operating times for scouts so that all have an opportunity to use the SPL radio equipment under supervision of the licensed operators. Scouts not using radios to take part in parallel activities. 11:30 am Cooks prepare lunch. Cooks Noon Lunch. 12:30 pm Clean up. Cooks 1:30 pm Continue competitions and operating radios under supervision. Game: Learn about direction finding and ask a local radio club to set up a foxhunt (hunting for a hidden transmitter). 4:30 pm Start dinner preparation. Cooks 5:30 pm Dinner. SPL 6:00 pm Clean up. Cooks 8:00 pm Nighttime activity. 9:00 pm Campfire program planned by experienced Scouts. SPL 10:00 pm Cracker barrel. 11:00 pm Lights out. Sunday 7:00 am Cooks and assistants up. Prepare breakfast. (Cooks should be working on First and Second Class requirements.) Cooks, assistants 7:30 am Everyone else up. Take care of personal hygiene needs, air tents, hang out sleeping bags. 8:00 am Breakfast. 8:30 am Clean up. Cooks Patrols put up the gear for morning activities, clean up patrol site. 9:00 am Worship service 9:30 11:00 am Patrol games. Perhaps older Scouts run an orienteering course. Younger Scouts play four games from Games section of the Troop Program Resources. 11:00 am Break camp. Special equip- 9

10 AMATEUR RADIO STATIONS AND OPERATORS AT CAMP SITE TIME ACTIVITY RUN BY ment needed NOTE: If camping and radio operators cannot be combined on JOTA weekend, plan a visit to one or more amateur radio stations on JOTA weekend so that all scouts have the opportunity to make a scout contact by radio. Pick an unusual location for the JOTA station you visit, working closely with your amateur radio partner. On days other than JOTA weekend, it is still possible to make a radio contact, but it is unlikely to be with a scout. Try also to find out where local radio clubs will be holding their Field Day (fourth weekend in June) and plan a visit to see how radio stations can be set up at emergency locations. Many operators use field day as a competition to make as many contacts as possible, so use of a radio might be difficult during the annual Field Day. 10

11 MARINE BAND RADIO Use of a Marine Band radio: Careful discipline is required. Handles, 10 codes, CB jargon, and idle chitchat have no place in marine radiotelephone communication. The Federal Communications Commission monitors transmissions and will issue citations for repeated violations of the rules. A marine radiotelephone is not a plaything. It can and has saved many lives. Each vessel is required by law to monitor the emergency and calling channel unless actively speaking on another channel designated for the type of transmission being sent. Scouts are most likely to encounter VHF radios with channels 06 to 88. Just a few channels are for pleasure boaters: Use Channel 16 for calling, distress, urgency, or safety only. Marine radiotelephone conversations are terse, efficient, and to the point. Each transmission may last no more than five minutes. Each station spends as little time as possible on channel 16, clearing it for emergency and other use. The phonetic alphabet is used for radiotelephone call signs. For example, WLB 4321 would be Whiskey Lima Bravo For numbers 0 and 9 use zero (never naught nor oh) and niner (instead of nine). Sierra, Charlie, Oscar, Uniform, Tango would be how to spell Scout. VHF Marine Radio Channels for pleasure boaters Prowords: A number of procedure words, or prowords, have become common usage. The most misused prowords are over and out. Over means, It s your turn to talk. Out means, I ve finished this transmission. If you say Over and out, you re saying, It s your turn to talk, but I m not listening. There are other prowords, but the following are the most common: 06 Safety messages, ship to ship 09 Primary hail (call), and monitor (listen) 13 Hail commercial vessels and drawbridge tenders on low power Emergency (Mayday) hail; hail Coast Guard 22 Coast Guard working channel 24, 25, 26, 27, 28 Hail marine operator; phone calls 68, 69, 71, 72, 78 Pleasure boat working channels Over. It is your turn to talk. Out. I have finished talking and no reply is expected. Roger. I understand. Wilco. I will comply. Say again. Please repeat your last transmission. I spell. I am spelling in phonetic words. Common Prowords How to make a call: Listen before you speak. There is a prescribed format used to begin a call on a marine radiotelephone. All calls are made on channel 16 when VHF is used, 2182 khz for SSB. Once contact is established, both stations shift to a working frequency to transact their business. Here s an example of the procedure where radio callsign KL5502 on Invincible is calling Scout (callsign KD1996 is onboard): Check to be sure that the calling and desired working channels are free of traffic. Place the call, being sure to identify who you are calling and who is making the call: o Scout, Scout, Scout. This is Invincible, Kilo Mike Over. If not immediately answered, the call may be repeated. If there is no answer within 30 seconds, two minutes must elapse before calling again. The vessel being called answers: o Invincible, this is Scout, Kilo Delta Over. The two stations agree on the working channel: o Scout, Invincible; shift and answer six eight. o Six eight; wilco. Both stations now shift to channel 68. The called station speaks next: o Invincible. Scout, Kilo Delta Over. 11

12 This identifies the stations now on channel 68. The vessel that originated the call now identifies itself and the conversation proceeds: o Scout. Invincible, Kilo Mike (The message now follows.) Each vessel s radio operator takes turn speaking. Each message ends with over to let the other party know that a reply is desired. When the business has been concluded, both stations sign off and shift back to channel 16: o Scout, Kilo Delta 1996, out. o Invincible, Kilo Mike 5502, out. Emergency Messages: The principal purpose of the marine radiotelephone is to handle emergencies. Three types of emergency messages are used and all are transmitted on channel 16 or on 2182 khz: Mayday: Distress Loss of life, serious illness or injury, or loss of the vessel is possible. Pan Pan (pronounced pahn): Urgent Safety of the vessel or person is in jeopardy. Loss of life or property is not likely, but help is needed. Security (pronounced say-curitay): Safety message Used to report hazard to navigation, buoy off station, extreme weather, etc. If your vessel is in distress, place a Mayday or Pan Pan call. Remember, these messages must be used only in the event of a real emergency. If a situation is spotted, boaters are usually advised to report it to the Coast Guard and let them evaluate the situation and issue the Security message. Their taller antenna will give better coverage. As soon as a Mayday, Pan 1. Make sure your radiotelephone is on. 2. Select either VHF channel 16 (156.8 MHz) or 2182 khz. 3. Press microphone button and SPEAK SLOWLY CLEARLY CALMLY. Say: MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY. THIS IS [Your call sign/boat name repeated three times] MAYDAY [Your boat name] Describe where you are (What navigational aids or landmarks are near?). State the nature of your distress. Give number of persons aboard and conditions of any injured. Estimate present seaworthiness of your boat. Briefly describe your boat: feet: ; hull; Type Color trim; masts; Color Number, sail number, and anything else you think will help rescuers find you I WILL BE LISTENING ON CHANNEL 16/ End message by saying: THIS IS OVER. [Your boat name and call sign] 5. Release microphone button and listen; someone should answer. Example of Emergency Message Pan, or Security message is heard, all other traffic on channel 16 must stop. If someone tries to transmit on any other subject, the command Seelonce (silence) may be given. Normally the entire Mayday or Pan Pan situation is handled on channel 16. If another channel is to be used, this will be ordered by the search and rescue authority, usually the Coast Guard. Since Security messages do not involve a threat to life or property, all traffic beyond the initial call shifts to a working channel. 12

13 13

14 From Cranbury Scouts Home page 14

15 15

16 Alfa (AL FAH) November (NO VEM BER) Bravo (BRA VOH) Oscar (OSS CAH) Charlie (CHAR LEE) Papa (PAH PAH) Delta (DELL TAH) Quebec (KEH BECK) Echo (ECK OH) Romeo (ROW ME OH) Foxtrot (FOKS TROT) Sierra (SEE AIR RAH) Golf (GOLF) Tango (TANG OH) Hotel (HOH TELL) India (IN DEE AH) Juliette (JEW LEE ETT) Kilo (KEY LOH) Lima (LEE MAH) Mike (MIKE) Uniform (YOU NEE FORM or OO NEE FORM) Victor (VIK TAH) Whiskey (WISS KEY) X-ray (ECKS RAY) Yankee (YANG KEY) Zulu (ZOO LOO) 16

17 QRM QRM? QRN QRN? QRP QRS QRT QRX QSB QSL QSO Interference ( Your radio signal is being interfered with. ) Is my radio signal being interfered with by man-made noise? Static ( Your radio signal is being interfered with by static. ) Is my radio signal being interfered with by atmospheric noise, static? Low power radio operation Send your Morse code more slowly. Leaving the air ( I m stopping my radio activity. ) Wait a few minutes. Your signals are fading. A card sent to indicate you ve talked to or heard a radio station; also, as a Q signal that means ( Received OK ) A conversation. QSY I am moving to another radio frequency... QTH My location is... QTH? What is your location? As a fun activity to try, the semaphore alphabet is included here. It is not often used today. The semaphore alphabet shown on the right here is organized in such a way that every horizontal row contains letters with the first (usually left) hand in the same position. Unfortunately for those trying to learn this signaling system, the letters are not exactly in alphabetical order. Source: 17