Ham radio and Scouting go way back — and in this episode, we’re digging into why that connection still matters.

This week on Live Free and Ham, Eric N1JUR, Paul N1OG, and Todd W1STJ are joined by Sean Grub, KE8BBC, from the Radio Scouting Committee at the Dan Beard Council, to talk about Scouts, amateur radio, Jamboree on the Air, K2BSA, youth outreach, and how getting kids on the air might be one of the best ways to keep this hobby moving forward.

Sean shares how his own ham radio journey started with shortwave radio, how his son caught the radio bug, and how Scouting became the perfect bridge between outdoor adventure, STEM, communication, and amateur radio. The crew also gets into the long history between Scouting and radio, including the Radio Merit Badge, Jamboree on the Air, K2BSA, youth events, Field Day, fox hunting, CW, and why kids seem to love Morse code way more than some of us adults ever did.

And of course, because this is Live Free and Ham, we also wander through voicemail rumors, ham radio testing questions, parachute mobile contacts, Battleship Cove, Tiles on the Air, and at least three questionable “on the air” ideas that probably should not become real programs… but might.

If your club has been asking, “Where are all the young hams?” this episode may give you the uncomfortable answer: maybe they’re already out there — you just need to show up, hand them a radio, and let them make some noise.

Join the conversation, drop a comment, and tell us: should more amateur radio clubs be working directly with Scouts and youth organizations?

Short Podcast App Description

Sean Grub, KE8BBC, joins Live Free and Ham to talk about the powerful connection between Scouting and amateur radio. We dig into Jamboree on the Air, K2BSA, youth outreach, radio merit badges, Field Day, fox hunting, CW, and why getting kids on the air might be one of the best ways to grow the hobby. Plus: voicemail chaos, ham test questions, parachute mobile, Battleship Cove, Tiles on the Air, and the usual Live Free and Ham nonsense.

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************* Feedback and Questions!

You can always leave us feedback on our voicemail line at 978-233-1142

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Live Free and Ham is changing things up… but don’t panic, nobody threw the radio in the dumpster. Yet.

In this episode, Eric N1JUR, Paul N1OG, and Todd W1STJ sit down for a real update on the future of the show. Todd shares why he’ll be taking a bit of a pause from regular episodes while life, work, family, baseball, and everything else pile up like a badly packed go-box. The crew also talks about shifting Live Free and Ham from a weekly schedule to every other week for the summer so the show stays fun, sustainable, and actually worth listening to.

Because let’s be honest: forcing content just to keep a schedule is how you end up with bad audio, dead batteries, three confused hams, and a podcast episode that becomes a hostage situation.

We also dig into the latest community updates, including Winlink messages, listener voicemails, the 5-2 Simplex Challenge, POTA Academy, NEAR-Fest chaos, technician license questions, ham radio wins, and the usual amount of technology fighting back.

This one is part announcement, part community check-in, part therapy session, and part reminder that ham radio is supposed to be fun.

If you’ve been following Live Free and Ham for a while, this is an episode you’ll want to catch. The show is evolving, the community is still going strong, and yes… the wheels are still mostly attached.

Join the conversation, leave us a voicemail, hop into the Discord, and let us know what you want to hear in future episodes.

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Support the show:

Buy Us a Beer: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/lfhpodcast

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/LiveFreeandHamPodcast

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093543540309

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/livefreeandham/

************* Feedback and Questions!

You can always leave us feedback on our voicemail line at 978-233-1142

Affiliate:

Live Free and Ham - 10% off all LFH Swag CODE: LFH10

Reliance Antennas - 10% off and free shipping at https://www.relianceantennas.com/ CODE: LIVEFREEANDHAM

Halibut Electronics - 10% discount on all purchases https://electronics.halibut.com/ of $25 or more, limited to three uses per listener. CODE: LIVEFREEANDHAM

YouTube Channel:

Live Free and Ham - @livefreeandham

Eric (N1JUR) - @N1JUR

Paul (N1OG) - @NovemberOneOscarGrouch

Todd (W1STJ) - @W1STJ

Swag/Shows/Updates:

https://livefreeandham.com

Join our Discord:

https://discord.com/invite/zas2cAVNPs

If you would also like to learn more about the hosts:

Eric (N1JUR) - https://n1jur.com

Paul (N1OG) - https://www.qrz.com/db/N1OG

Is ham radio still happening on the air… or has it moved online?

Tonight on Live Free and Ham, we’re diving into one of the biggest shifts in the hobby right now—Online Communities vs RF Communities.

Discord is active. YouTube chats are packed. Facebook groups never sleep.

But spin the dial… and things can feel a little quiet.

So what’s really going on?

Are we more connected than ever… or just connecting differently?

🎙️ In This Episode We’ll Cover:

Why online communities are exploding in ham radio

Are repeaters and ragchews actually declining?

What RF gives us that online never can

Why new hams may feel more comfortable online than on-air

Are we losing operating skills—or gaining new ones?

Where the real ham radio community lives today

💥 The Big Question:

If ham radio started today… would RF still be the main way we connect?

💬 Join the Conversation LIVE

We want to hear from you:

👉 Do you spend more time on RF or online?

👉 When was your last real ragchew?

👉 Is this evolution… or a problem?

Drop it in chat and be part of the show.

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Support the show:

Buy Us a Beer: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/lfhpodcast

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/LiveFreeandHamPodcast

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093543540309

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/livefreeandham/

************* Feedback and Questions!

You can always leave us feedback on our voicemail line at 978-233-1142

Affiliate:

Live Free and Ham - 10% off all LFH Swag CODE: LFH10

Reliance Antennas - 10% off and free shipping at https://www.relianceantennas.com/ CODE: LIVEFREEANDHAM

Halibut Electronics - 10% discount on all purchases https://electronics.halibut.com/ of $25 or more, limited to three uses per listener. CODE: LIVEFREEANDHAM

YouTube Channel:

Live Free and Ham - @livefreeandham

Eric (N1JUR) - @N1JUR

Paul (N1OG) - @NovemberOneOscarGrouch

Todd (W1STJ) - @W1STJ

Swag/Shows/Updates:

https://livefreeandham.com

Join our Discord:

https://discord.com/invite/zas2cAVNPs

If you would also like to learn more about the hosts:

Todd (W1STJ) - https://w1stj.com

Eric (N1JUR) - https://n1jur.com

Paul (N1OG) - https://www.qrz.com/db/N1OG