December is YOTA Month!
Youth-operated stations around the world are part of a special event celebrating Youth in Amateur Radio (aka YOTA or Youth on the Air) during the month of December.
YOTA Month began in International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) Region 1, and the concept has now taken root in the Americas.
Amateur Radio operators age 25 and younger will be on the air as special event stations around the world throughout December in celebration of Youth in Amateur Radio. YOTA Month stations will be on all bands and modes at various times.
QSL and award information is at http://events.ham-yota.com.
The idea behind this is to show the Amateur Radio hobby to youth and to encourage youth to be active on the radio waves.
Normally, YOTA stations are active throughout the year from YOTA summer and sub-regional camps. This year, however, due to the continuing global pandemic, most scheduled camps and other in-person events had to be cancelled once again. As a result, there were only a few opportunities to hear YOTA stations on the bands. Hence, YOTA leaders around the world want to show that youth still want and can be active on the bands during this difficult time.
Special Event Call Signs:
In Canada this year, we have secured two YOTA special event call signs, which have been obtained by Harrie Jones, VE3HYS, in Ottawa, Ontario on behalf of Amateurs who will be operating these stations as follows:
Maria: http://events.ham-yota.com/participants/ve3yota
Andrew: http://events.ham-yota.com/participants/va7yota
Every Amateur Radio operator can support Youth worldwide! By making a QSO with them, they can improve their skills on air and learn more about geography and Amateur Radio abbreviations, among others.
Youth will be happy to get some attention and exchange information. Licensed and unlicensed youth will be making QSOs, be aware this could be their first radio contact ever and give them a chance to experience a possible new hobby.
In the United States this year the call signs are: K8Y, K8O, K8T, and K8A.
Three new countries will be participating for the first time! Argentina will be active as LR1YOTA, Cuba as CO0YOTA, and Peru as OA0YOTA. We may also have other countries that will be added soon.
Amateur Radio operators should be encouraged to listen for and contact these stations as well as all call signs ending in the letters “YOTA” across the globe.
Twenty-eight operators in the Americas participated last year, and this year we expect to see an increased level of youth activity from South America and Canada.
Last year, young Amateurs worldwide surpassed their goal of 100,000 QSOs in the month of December with a final tally of 137,000. 14,700 of those QSOs were made by stations in the Americas.
Award Program
An award program is once again available this year. Work as many YOTA stations on as many bands and modes as possible and be eligible for your Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum award for free.
This program promotes the radio activity on the air waves and shows that there is and will be activity in the future.
Overlapping with YOTA month is Round 3 of the YOTA Contest, which is on December 30, 2021 from 1200 to 2359 UTC.
More information about YOTA Month specifically in the Americas can be found at:
The Youth on the Air website is sponsored by ICOM America.
More information about YOTA Month globally can be found at: