The Egyptian Radio Amateurs Society ERASD, is the officially recognized membership organization for radio amateurs in Egypt. One of ERASD’s main objectives is to promote and improve amateur radio services and youth activities in Egypt through the participation in international and regional activities. ERASD prepared a plan for three years from 2011 until 2013 to Youth Activities. 

The plan divided into four points as Radio Activities, Education, Society’s Station, Media, in this subject will talk about the first point Radio Activity. First it’s great chance for youth to get useful information about Amateur. During the radio Activity ERASD providing educational programs and materials to promote amateur radio and develop the scientific and technical skills of the youth.

Last SU8JOTA activity was a great chance to the youth Boys and Girls to participates in the world youth event and see the Radio Amateur communications Technology in this context, ERASD is currently focused on simplifying science and technology to youth in general, and more particularly in areas related to emergency and Natural Disasters ERASD and the Cairo International Scout Center came together to organize the participation of junior Scouts in this international Scouting event.

The theme of the 54^th Jamboree On The Air was: Peace, Environment and Natural Disasters. It was a great chance for youth to learn about the use of modern means of communications to help in saving lives, and to know how each and every Scout can prepare to intervene to save people in their communities during great natural or climatic disasters. Scouts have shown that they know how to quickly and efficiently react. Scouts are often of great help for rescuers working on the ground, thanks to their self-sacrifice and determination; they are often on the front line during disasters that affect their immediate environment.

Simulated Emergency Test Why are Radio Amateurs and Scouts always there first when disaster strikes? During the JOTA weekend we organized a small-scale emergency test. It was a challenging activity in which an Earthquake emergency was simulated and Scouts responded using radio communications, techniques, materials and skills that they learned during this JOTA, such as how to install an amateur radio station and antennas. 

Many youngsters have no clue about the radio hobby. An opportunity to change this is to exhibit at a local high school. For example in the Netherlands VERON section Breda exhibited at the open day of Radius College in Breda last January.

Their goal was to show youth that there is more than only internet and WhatsApp. First they started with making promotion material, like flyers, banners and pens. The committee of section Breda made the decision what they wanted to show. They choose to show in an active way what the radio amateur hobby is about. Also showing something about self-building and that the PC is important in our hobby. Because it was the first time they were exhibiting, they did choose for a set-up.

The next step was to ask members of the VERON section to help during the exhibition. It seemed during club meetings that many members wanted to participate and help. Also some younger members, which is nice when you are promoting on a school.

Before the start of the exhibition, which was two days in total, local radio amateurs helped with the preparations. A pump mast was placed at the schoolyard together with a X300 and FD4. Inside there was a stand next to the electrical engineering faculty of the school. There was also a self-build SDR-radio, self-build radio’s, MKARS 80 meter QRP transmitter and much more.

During the open day the call PI4BRD was activated on several HF bands and 2 meter. Many youngsters visited the stand, remarkable was that SDR radio gained a lot of attention. Even some youth asked which study the stand was part of. Interested youth received a map with information about radio amateurism. With this exhibition the radio amateurs of Breda gained more interest in the radio hobby amongst youth. Hopefully it will be an improvement to the number of (young) radio amateurs. This exhibition was a great success, VERON Breda will be organizing more exhibitions like this. This could be an inspiration for other local clubs to organize similar or maybe other activities.

Crew: Bert PA1BM, Kees PA3AJN, Edwin PA7FRN, Jan-Willem PA7JWC, Henk PE0SSB, Kees PE1KL and Monique PD7DB. 

Kids Day is an on-air event to encourage young people (licensed or not) to have fun with Amateur Radio. The Kids Day operating event is not a contest. It’s a way to tell young people worldwide about the magic and mystery of two way hobby radio communications. To do this, Amateur radio stations are being asked to devote this short time window to promote the terrestrial hobby and ham radio satellite operations to youngsters. This, by providing a place to make contacts with other Kids Day stations around the world. It is designed to give on-the-air experience to youngsters and hopefully foster interest in getting a license of their own. It is also intended to give older hams a chance to share their station and love for Amateur Radio with their children.

Date and Time: 1800 UTC through 2359 UTC on Sunday, January 8 and Saturday, June 16. Operate as much or as little as you like.

Suggested exchange: Name, age, location and favorite color. Be sure to work the same station again if an operator has changed. To draw attention, call “CQ Kids Day.”

Suggested frequencies:
10 Meters: 28.350 to 28.400 MHz
12 Meters: 24.960 to 24.980 MHz
15 Meters: 21.360 to 21.400 MHz
17 Meters: 18.140 to 18.145 MHz
20 Meters: 14.270 to 14.300 MHz
40 Meters: 7.270 to 7.290 MHz
80 Meters: 3.740 to 3.940 MHz

You can also use your favorite favorite repeater (with permission of the repeater’s sponsor). Be sure to observe third-party restrictions when making DX QSOs.

In Romania there are some active youth radio clubs. One of them is Radioclub YO9KAG, this is a section of “Sport Club Petrolul Ploiesti”. This club has a great tradition in Romanian sports. In the radio club are radio amateurs of all classes trained and they are participating in competitions that covers all branches of amateur radio. During contests they mostly are using the callsign YR9R.

At the club youngsters are taught by coaches to get their radio license. They learn about amateur radio, radio operating techniques, CW, electronics and they are also being trained about how to compete in a contest. Club members have obtained remarkable results in HF, VHF and HST competitions.

All young amateurs with a callsign have attended at least one national competition and received very nice prizes. We can mention YO9JOC, YO9JOK, YO9HPJ, YO9HQW, YO9HP, YO9FNP, YO9WF and many others… who managed at their first participation in a national championship to rank in the top three.

The young radio amateurs of this club are really fanatic in CW and contesting. It is remarkably to see how controlled they make QSO’s. Also the older youngsters, like Razvan YO9HPJ 20 years’ old, knows a lot about radio theory. Their coach Michael YO9BPX, supports the youth and help them as a teacher. With mentoring the youth they become really experienced radio amateurs.