A number of reasons caused this, including outdated requirements, few experienced hams at summer camps,
and the fact that many summer camps don't have ham stations. Fortunately Radio Merit Badge has been changed to better
reflect radio today.
What you can do
A Scout can now meet the revised Radio Merit Badge requirements with a few hours of self-study, three hours of class
and an on-the-air contact. The Amateur Radio community needs to provide these opportunities. Local Ham clubs
should also consider adopting their local Scout camp to get a Radio Merit Badge program established at summer camp.
Each ham
should make sure that a Radio Merit Badge event is available to Scouts in their area. The best time of year for such
an indoor event would be the winter to avoid other Scouting activities. By making it an annual event, local hams
and radio clubs will expose more young men and women to amateur radio and how to get licensed. And you'll find that it's
easy and fun to share your knowledge of radio with Scouts!
Boy Scouts and Radio
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