Nearly 120 young people from 27 countries around the world participated in the Young Amateur Radio Operators Summer Camp (YOTA) held at Széchenyi István University from 5 to 12 August, 2023 with the aim of securing the future of amateur radioing as a sport. In addition to professional development, the programme provided an excellent opportunity to build international contacts and cross-cultural friendships. Playing an important role in the development of the next generation of radio amateurs, the Radio Club of Széchenyi University is also a key player in the community.

The membership of the Hungarian Amateur Radio Association exceeds 700, and its main base is the radio clubs. Similarly to the Honfy József Amateur Radio Club of the Széchenyi István University Sports Association, the clubs working with enthusiastic and dynamic young people tend to become truly successful.

"We are trying to help our members find the part in this sport that brings them joy - whether it's racing or building radios,"

said Péter Németh, leader and co-founder of the radio club. The club's activities are intertwined with the college of SZE-SAT at the university, as satellite module building and radioing are closely related.

The club at the Széchenyi University plays a prominent role in the training of the new generation of radio amateurs nationwide, which is the reason why it managed to host the International Amateur Radio Club event.

Péter Németh, leader and one of the founders of the Honfy József Amateur Radio Section of the Széchenyi István University Sports Association (SZESE) (Photo: Máté Dudás)

This year's Youngsters On the Air (YOTA) summer camp held at Széchenyi István University was attended by nearly one hundred and twenty young people aged between 16 and 26 from 27 countries.

"Radio Amateurism has also been caught up with the problem of the declining number of young people in the community, so ten years ago the Hungarian Amateur Radio Association launched a movement supported by the International Federation for the future of the sport and its youth team. Among others, the camp also aims at improving the popularity of amateur radioing. In addition to educational purposes, team-building, creating a bond between young people where the love of a common hobby will keep them together in all stages of their lives are also priorities of the event," shared Csaba Molnár, President of the Hungarian Amateur Radio Association. 

Csaba Molnár, President of the Hungarian Amateur Radio Association and Tamás Varró, coordinator of the Hungarian Radio Amateurs Society an organiser of the camp. (Photo: Máté Dudás)

Apart from the professional presentations and interactive exercises, the youngsters also had the opportunity to take part in informal activities where they got to know each other's culture better. Tamás Varró, one of the camp organisers, has been part of the young amateur radio community for ten years and is the YOTA coordinator of the Hungarian Amateur Radio Association, being responsible for the organisation of international events.

“This one-week event has attracted enthusiastic radio amateurs from South Africa to Singapore and Egypt, giving everyone the opportunity to develop a wide range of international contacts. As the whole sport is about connecting and communicating, young people often keep in touch beyond the event through radio," he said. 

An uninterrupted interest in the programme has been on for years, and just like Vilma and Henni from Finland, most of the participants return year after year. Both of them are international organisers and have been involved in amateur radio for six years, three of them at an international level.

Thanks to the event, it is the first time that these young people have come to Hungary and they had a great time at Széchenyi University.

"We loved both the institution and its surroundings, the university facilities are modern and we were full of pleasant surprises," said Vilma, who took part in the YOTA camp for the second time this year as an organiser. 

Vilma and Henni came to the international radio amateur camp held in Győr from Finland. (Photo: Máté Dudás)

Gallery (Photos: Florian Zwingl)