Have a question? Feel free to ask!  We'll try to answer some of the common ones below.


This site says YOTA is "Youth on the Air".  Isn't it "Youngsters on the Air"?

Yes, you're right.  This is one of the slight changes being made in the implementation of the ideas from IARU Region 1 (Europe/Africa/Middle East).  The words "youth" and "youngster" have a different connotation in different countries.  The committee thought that "youth" translated better in the Americas.  In Region 1, the word "youth" is commonly associated with problem children, but in the USA it's not.  Meanwhile, in the USA "youngster" sounds like an archaic term used by grumpy old men and implies inexperience. But in Region 1, it's a term without any negative connotations that is much more preferable than "youth".  So we made the change to more accurately reflect the connotation in the United States.  While we are modeling the bulk of our camp planning after the fine work done in Region 1, there are some cultural, legal, and language differences that are being made out of necessity.  We work together on projects for younger hams, and both use the "YOTA" acronym.


Is YOTA a club?

YOTA is not a formal organization like a club or foundation.  It is a movement to recognize and encourage young amateur operators.

Who is YOTA?

YOTA is a group of amateurs working with Region 1 IARU to promote youth in amateur radio.  Region 1 IARU provides administration and budget management but in only in a supporting role.

Can I join YOTA?

Everyone is welcome to participate in YOTA-sponsored activities and events but there is no membership requirement.


Is this trying to replace other youth ham radio programs?

Absolutely not!  YOTA America's website and social media platforms are intended to promote already established youth programs within the Americas.  We are simply bringing them together in one place to make it easier to find and keep up with each group's initiatives.  If you have a youth program in the Americas that is appropriate for inclusion on this site, please email us at webmaster@youthontheair.org so we can add it if we haven't already.  If you have a youth net, please list it with the ARRL Youth Nets page.  Since ARRL already established a central list of youth nets, we don't include them here.  Just follow the link to the ARRL Youth Nets page under the "On the Air" tab above.

We are adding ADDITIONAL activities ourselves as well, though, particularly summer camps that are being planned for the future.


Why do my donations go to EARS?

YOTA, in the Americas, is funded through Electronic Applications Radio Service (EARS), Inc., an Indiana and 501(c)(3) non-profit, charitable organization dedicated to education and service through wireless technologies.  Donations made to EARS go directly to fund YOTA camp expenses, and are eligible to be tax deductible.  Check with your tax professional. A receipt with the appropriate tax ID numbers is available upon request.

EARS is an already an established 501c3 organization that is volunteering to support YOTA projects in the Americas.  Their assistance makes your contributions tax deductible, and made it possible to start supporting our camps immediately.  EARS shares officers with the YOTA committee to ensure proper allocation of funds.


Can I sign up to get more information?

Sure!  We now have an email list on MailChimp.  Anytime we have big news to send out, we will use our MailChimp list in addition to our social media sites and website.  You can sign up for the email subscription here.

If you're involved in organizing youth activities, also sign up for our Groups.io online group.