Ten-Year-Old Cub Scout Takes Amateur Radio to the World

At just ten years of age, Samford Scout Group Cub Scout Alex Ford VK4AJF has already discovered that amateur radio can make the world a surprisingly small place. Alex has earned his Foundation amateur radio qualification, becoming, according to a recent story in the local Samford community newspaper, the only current Cub Scout in Queensland to hold an amateur radio licence. The story was supplied by David Reed, Group Leader at Samford Scout Group, and we gratefully acknowledge the local Samford paper as the original source.

Getting there required Alex to tackle the same Foundation assessment pathway as adult candidates, backed by study in electronics, operating practice and the regulations governing amateur radio. That's a respectable amount of extra homework for a ten-year-old. It also fits remarkably well with Scouting's emphasis on practical learning and self-reliance. Samford Scout Group itself includes amateur radio operation among the wide range of activities available to its young members, alongside traditional outdoor activities, leadership and community service.

Alex didn't stop once the qualification was in hand. He joined an amateur radio contest team operating from near Esk in Queensland's Brisbane Valley for the CQ World Wide DX Contest, one of amateur radio's major international contests. Taking his turn at the microphone alongside experienced operators, Alex worked stations across Asia, North America and Europe. The team ultimately finished first in Australia, first in Oceania and 30th in the world.

More importantly, Alex is finding ways to use amateur radio within Scouting itself. He carries a radio on Cub hikes, providing an additional communications option in areas where mobile coverage becomes unreliable or disappears. It brings together several of the things amateur radio and Scouting share: communications, technical knowledge, preparation, experimentation, self-reliance and helping others.

There is also a wider message for amateur radio clubs. Scouting has a long association with amateur radio through activities such as Jamboree on the Air, and clubs can play an important role in turning a young person's first supervised contact into a lasting interest in radio, electronics and communications. Samford and other South-East Queensland Scout groups have already benefited from amateur radio volunteers supporting JOTA activities, providing young people with opportunities to make real contacts and learn how radio works.

Congratulations to Alex Ford VK4AJF on a remarkable start to his amateur radio journey, and to the family members, Scout leaders, trainers, assessors and radio amateurs who have encouraged him along the way. Stories like Alex's demonstrate what can happen when we don't merely tell young people that amateur radio is interesting, but actually give them the opportunity to get on air and discover it for themselves.

Source acknowledgement: This story draws on “Cub Scout Takes on the World”, published in the local Samford community newspaper, supplied to the WIA by David Ford VK4MV.

Samford Scout Group - Link

JOTA/JOTI Australia - Link

Image sourced from the Newspaper article.

Page Last Updated: Thursday, 10 Sep 2026 at 21:06 hours by Justin Giles-clark

Click Here To Return To Previous Page