K2BSA at the 
2001 National Scout Jamboree

The National Scout Jamboree was held July 23-31, 2001, at Fort A.P. Hill in Bowling Green, Virginia, as have the previous five Jamborees since 1981. At K2BSA, we had a staff of 44, under the direction of Ed Dudley WA4ISI and Ray Moyer WD8JKV. The staff was further divided into a Merit Badge Midway crew (Bill Burns WA6QYR in charge), the station operators (Gene Keys WB4NLM and Dan Moore KA8DRR, shift supervisors), a license class / VE testing section (John Cross AB5OX) and the "other" group (Jerry Friedman WA2FQA, Russ Mickiewicz, N7QR and myself, Mike Brown WB2JWD). A full list of the 2001 K2BSA staff is available on this site.

Note: A CD-ROM containing hundreds of pictures from K2BSA and the 2001 Jamboree is available from K2BSA staffer Art Steinke WB9JKZ - contact him by e-mail at artjkz@megsinet.net  Proceeds from the sale of the CD will go to support the K2BSA "home" station in Texas. 

The Scouts' first day at the Jamboree was Monday the 23rd, but the K2BSA staff began arriving a week earlier. Although the lack of electricity slowed things down, we were ready to go by the time the power arrived on Saturday the 21st.


"Other" staff Jerry WA2FQA and Russ N7QR assemble one of the beams - we had single banders for 40, 20 and 15, and a tribander as well.


Bill WB9CAC assembling the tribander.


By Sunday afternoon, the entire staff was assembled.


Rappahannock Power's bucket truck helps raise the 20M beam.


A new feature at the 2001 Jamboree, courtesy Brian N5ZGT, was hidden transmitter hunting, using "tape measure beams".
Above, Josh KF4HJO helps a Scout find a transmitter


A Scout tries out the "K2BSA helmetcam" brought by Ray WD8JKV. The pictures were remarkable, if the movement made them a bit nauseating.


This was the first time Jamboree participants earned their ham licenses, and had their new call signs in time to make first contacts with K2BSA before the Jamboree was over. Above, the first three new hams at Jambo 2001.

Of course, the primary purpose of K2BSA is to introduce ham radio to Scouts, preferably by getting them on the air. Here are a few of the many Scouts who overcame mike fright to talk on the radio.

Andy KF4NVE demonstrates satellite tracking to Scouts at the K2BSA "Special Modes" station. Contacts were made through a number of satellites, and many more were heard.


The K2BSA tent

One of the rainy days at the Jamboree - and the lines of dripping Scouts waiting to get into K2BSA. Satellite antenna in foreground, with raindrops.


K2BSA turned out to be waterproof, unlike the housing tents. There's nothing like the pitter-patter of raindrops on your sleeping bag to make a Jamboree memorable...

Next Page

Back to K2BSA home page

- Last update April 23, 2002