Radio: As Featured in Boys Life

Boys' Life is the official monthly magazine of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). It has been in continuous circulation since 1911, when the first issue was printed by George S. Barton in Somerville, MA. It's still in print today.  As you might imagine it's articles and advertisements were geared toward boys, specially boys between 6 and 18 years old. In the 1920s it began to carry features on radio. By the time these issues were printed in the early 1960s it was more-or-less standard for the demographic. Below I've scanned and clipped some radio advertisements, articles and instructions.

Of particular is this one (above) that refers to the Boy Scouts of America amateur radio station VE3JAM. Boys Life also had their own Amateur Radio Club,  K2BFW. It was based in New Brunswick, NJ. But that only operated 2 days a year mostly to communicate with VE3JAM during their radio jamboree. It was operated by Major Harry Harchar, the editor of Boys Life. I have very little information on either station. They operated the stations at least as early as 1954 and into 1966. Around 1970 K2BFW changed calls to K2BSA and operated at least into the mid 1990s from Camp Wisdom just outside Dallas, TX.  More here. 

The Radio Merit Badge

Honestly I am not sure I could pass this test. I have sampled some of the questions for the Boy Scouts of America Radio Merit badge exam below. click my header for the full test in PDF or
go here: http://www.meritbadge.com/mb/093.htm

1. Explain what radio is. Include in your explanation: the differences between broadcast radio and hobby radio, and the differences between broadcasting and two-way communicating. Also discuss broadcast radio and amateur radio call signs and using phonetics.

2. Sketch a diagram showing how radio waves travel locally and around the world. How do the broadcast radio stations, WWV and WWVH, help determine what you will hear when you listen to a radio?

3. Do the following:
a. Draw a chart of the electromagnetic spectrum covering 100 kilohertz (kHz) to 1000 megahertz (MHz).
b. Label the MF, HF, VHF, UHF, and microwave portions of the spectrum on your diagram. Locate on your chart at least eight radio services such as AM and FM commercial broadcast, CB, television, amateur radio (at least four ham radio bands), and police.
c. Discuss why some radio stations are called DX and others are called local.
d. Explain who the FCC and the ITU are.

4. Explain how radio waves carry information. Include in your explanation: transceiver, transmitter, amplifier, and antenna.

5. Explain to your counselor the safety precautions for working with radio gear, particularly direct current and RF grounding.

6. Do the following:
a. Explain the differences between a block diagram and a schematic diagram.
b. Draw a block diagram that includes a transceiver, amplifier, microphone, antenna, and feedline.
c. Explain the differences between an open circuit, a closed circuit, and a short circuit.
d. Draw eight schematic symbols. Explain what three of the represented parts do. Find three electrical components to match to three of these symbols.

holy frijoles.
I want to meet just one boy scout with this damn badge.