Category Archives: Hamfests

Calling for Volunteers for HamXposition in August 2026!

Thank you to all the dedicated volunteers who make HamXposition possible! Your smiling faces and eagerness to help make a difference to the attendees.

I’m reaching out to invite you to volunteer (again) this year! Here is the link to the form. https://registration.hamxposition.org/volunteer/

We have a big need for help again this year and have a number of positions for volunteers.

ASSIGNMENTS?

This year, based on your feedback, we have made it easier for you to indicate on the form if you would prefer a particular assignment–when I put out the list closer to the event, it will indicate an assignment, but, please note, we may have to have people switch as the need arises. The form defaults to “no preference”, so if you are willing to do any volunteer role, just leave it as is (and we appreciate those who are flexible!!)

As before, if you have restrictions re sitting/standing, please indicate that in the comments.

Below are the general descriptions of roles (there may be others as the need arises on site):

• NO PREFERENCE (available for anything)
  
• Ticketing/Registration
  • Selling tickets
    • Convention
    • Thursday magic show
    • Dinners Fri/Sat (if available)
  • Distributing tickets to those preregistered
  • Selling flea market spaces
  • Giving vendors info on arrival
  • Organizing cash/bringing it to safe area
  • Wayfinding/resource/answering questions
    
• Exhibit Hall Entrance
  • Confirming that only appropriate people get in before allocated times
    
• Exhibit Hall Lunch Runner (Saturday)
  • Collecting lunch orders from vendors and delivering food
    
• Flea Market-outside
  • Set-up
  • Selling flea market tickets
  • Help bringing cash back to safe area
    
• Setup (Thursday)
  • Outside
    • Signage
      • Parking
      • Handicapped area
      • Speaker area
      • Direction Finding
    • Cones/barriers
  • Inside
    • Video/audio equipment in each room
    • Signage outside each room
      
• Takedown (Sunday)
  • What has been put up during set-up
  • Outside-signage and cones
  • Inside-forum rooms AV equipment
    
• Ushers
  • Preparing tickets for Thursday magic show/Friday dinner/Saturday dinner
  • Preparing tickets for Sunday prize drawings
  • Taking tickets at the door for events listed
    
• AV/Forum Support
  • Assist with technical problems in rooms
  • Help speakers with issues

TIME SLOTS?

• 2 hr time slots available
  • Thursday Aug 13 8-10am, 10-12, 12-2, 2-4, 4-6, 6-8pm
  • Friday Aug 14 8-10am, 10-12, 12-2, 2-4, 4-6, 6-8pm
  • Saturday Aug 15 8-10am, 10-12, 12-2, 2-4, 4-6, 6-8pm
  • Sunday Aug 16 8-10am, 10-12, 12-2, 2-4pm

PERKS?

• Option 1 – work 4 hours or more on one or more days – free admission

OR

• Option 2 – for each day you work 4 hours or more (Thu, Fri, Sat) 1 lunch voucher. (up to three).
  • Lunch vouchers can only be redeemed on Fri and Sat during lunch.
  • For Sunday, since there is no lunch available, you get a free prize drawing entry instead.

NEED TO MAKE CHANGES?

If you want/need to update your preferences, please re-enter the database and update it there-I will receive your updates.

Please reach out with questions. I look forward to seeing you there!

73, Barbara KC1KGS
kc1kgs@hamx.org
Register to volunteer

The Algonquin Amateur Radio Club will be holding its annual hamfest at 1Lt Charles W. Whitcomb Middle School at 25 Union St. in Marlborough, MA.  The hamfest is very popular among hams in both the Eastern MA and the eastern portions of the Western MA ARRL sections.

The hamfest will be held on Saturday, February 14, 2026 from 9:00 AM to 12 noon.  General admission is $5 and includes a chance at the $200 Cash Door Prize.

An amateur radio exam session will be run at the hamfest at 9:00 AM for those how wish to get licensed or upgrade.

Vendors may reserve 6 foot tables at the hamfest at $25 each if purchased by February 6, 2026 ($30.00 each accepted at the door if space is available).  Vendors may arrive at 6:30 AM for setup.  For more information or to reserve a table, email fleamarket@n1em.org.  A mail in order form is also available on the bottom of the hamfest’s official flyer.

Talk in will be on the N1EM/R repeater system: 446.675- (PL 88.5).

Hope to see you there!

The Algonquin Amateur Radio Club will hold its Marlborough Flea Market on February 15, 2025 from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM at the 1Lt Charles W. Whitcomb School, 25 Union St., Marlborough, MA. Talk-in is on the MMRA repeater, 147.27+ (PL 146.2).

A VE session will be held beginning at 9:00 AM. General admission is $5. Vendor tables are $15 before February 9, 2024, or $20 at the door if space is available. Each table includes one admission.

For more information, email fleamarket@n1em.org or visit https://www.qsl.net/n1em/2025flyer.pdf.

Bob DeMattia K1IW writes on the HamXposition mail list:

HamXposition 2024 is coming

to the Best Western Royal Plaza in Marlborough

August 22-25

Here’s our February program update – keep reading to find out what we have in store. Online ticketing is available now at hamxposition.org. General Admission is $18 and covers all days. Students under 18 get free admission. Discounted hotel rates are available if you wish to stay overnight – be sure to make your reservations by July 25th.

Our Keynote speaker on Saturday morning is Steve Goodgame, K5ATA. Steve is manager of the Education and Learning Department at ARRL Headquarters and heads up the League’s highly successful Teachers Institute. Join Steve as he talks about lies ahead in recruiting and retaining the next generation of young amateur radio operators into the hobby.

---

Friday Evening – Swains Island W8S DXpedition
Join Adrian Ciuperca and your fellow hams for a delicious DXCC/Contest dinner on the second night of the 2024 Northeast HamXposition. Adrian, KO8SCA, is back from the Swains Island W8S DXpedition . Adrian is a keen DXer with DXCC 315, 9BDXCC, IOTA and a passionate contester who participated in WRTC 2018 in Wittenberg, Germany. He usually operates in the contests as a guest operator from various superstations such as K1LZ, LZ5R, K1TTT or NR4M. Admission $49 includes seated dinner and chance at the $500 DX Engineering Gift Certificate Door Prize .

We’re very happy to announce that The Providence Radio Association, Inc. (PRA) is proud to sponsor and staff the official station of this year’s Northeast HamXposition / ARRL New England Convention. The station will be open at various times through the convention for all to operate and will utilize the FEMARA club call sign W1XPO (“hamXPOsition”). Mentors from the PRA will be on hand to assist in operating and to encourage new amateurs to Get on the Air.

Thursday Night Comedy
We’ll kick off the weekend on Thursday night with a laugh! We’re pleased to announce that world-renowned comedian Juston McKinney will present his comedy act. Juston has starred in numerous Comedy Central shows including his half-hour Comedy Central Presents and his one-hour special “Juston McKinney-A Middle-Class Hole.” He has multiple appearances on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Conan O’Brien as well as a Showtime Special with Rob Gronkowski. He has also appeared twice at Denis Leary’s, Comics Come Home at the TD Garden. $35

Saturday Evening Grand Banquet
We’re pleased to announce that Dr. Tamitha Skov, WX6SWW, will be the invited guest speaker for the Saturday evening Grand Banquet. Known as “Space Weather Woman” in social media, she forecasts and analyzes space weather processes – in the heliosphere and exosphere. You won’t want to miss this presentation! Admission $49 includes plated dinner and a chance at a Yaesu FT-710 door prize.

Of course, we’ll have an incredible lineup of workshops, talks and presentations on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, including workshops on: POTA (“Parks On The Air”), contesting, and digital modes. Remember—tickets for individual events as well as the “Convention PLUS” package can be purchased by visiting https://tickets.hamxposition.org. The PLUS package includes:

• General Admission
• NEW Thursday Night Comedy Kickoff
• Friday Dinner
• Saturday Banquet

For the latest news and updates on the 2024 Northeast HamXposition / New England Convention, visit https://hamxposition.org.

73, Bob – K1IW
Chairman, HamXposition 2024
Comedy Show Thursday 8/22 at 8PM
Seminars & Forums Fri, Sat, and Sun
Flea Market Hours: Fri 12-5, Sat 9-5, Sun 9-1
Exhibit Hall Hours: Sat 9-5, Sun 9-1

Ed.: Originally posted in the NEAR-Fest forums here.

Dear Friends of NEAR-Fest!

*** Please note this is an updated announcement. ***
*** Please disregard any other notices you may have read. ***
Our Spring 2024 hamfest, NEAR-Fest XXXV, will be held FOR TWO FULL DAYS, on:
*** Thursday April 25th *** and *** Friday April 26th ***

There will be no hamfest activity on Saturday due to an unfortunate scheduling conflict with the Deerfield Fairgrounds.   We had originally announced that the event would take place only on Friday but due to popular demand and the cooperation of the Deerfield Fair Association we are pleased to announce this new full two-day schedule.

Our 2024 Fall NEAR-Fest XXXVI is scheduled for October 11th and 12th (as well as future spring and fall events) will be the same as always for the past eighteen years, on Friday and Saturday.

The gates will open on Thursday morning, at 7:00 AM for PREPAID TICKET HOLDERS ONLY so you might want to buy your tickets online well in advance starting February 1st 2024 on our Web site, www.near-fest.com, or in March at the Ham Radio Outlet store in Salem NH and at Ross Hochstrasser’s Clock Shop in Whitman MA and get your favorite spot.   NEAR-Fest XXXV will end at 3:00 PM on Friday.

Prepaid ticket holders will line up and enter via Gate C as we did in the Fall. They MUST have ALL of their needed tickets and inside parking passes or they will be sent to Gate F.  This includes all Campers, RVs, tenters, who MUST also have their overnight camping passes as there will be NO tickets or passes sold at Gate C.   Anyone needing to buy tickets or parking passes will go to Gate F and will be admitted starting at 8:00AM.   Once the line has entered at Gate C it will close and all others entering the grounds will proceed to Gate F.

For this event only:

• Admission per person is $10.00 whether you buy your ticket online or in advance or at the gate.
• Overnight parking and tent passes are $15.00 regardless of whether you plug into an electric outlet or not.
• Campers, RVs and overnight stayers will go directly into the Fairgrounds as we will not be using the campground this time.
• The cost of the pass for  RVs, Campers,  Motorhomes, etc, is $30.00.
• All vehicles that remain in the Fairgrounds overnight (after 9:00 PM) will require an overnight parking pass in addition to an inside parking pass for Friday.
• Everyone over 21 will need an admission ticket except unlicensed spouses, active duty military, full-time students (with ID) and other valid pass holders.

If you buy something big and heavy in the flea market one of our volunteer staff members will be glad to transport it and you to your vehicle at no charge as we have been doing for many years.

As always inside parking for disabled persons is free of charge and they may use a single person ‘mobility device’ as well.  NEAR-Fest reserves the right to limit the use of golf carts and ‘other power-driven mobility devices’ due to safety concerns and potential liability issues.

Please visit our Web site, https://www.near-fest.com, or our Facebook page,  NearFest NH for any further updates.  We apologize for any inconvenience that this modified version of NEAR-Fest may have caused but it is only for this time.  We appreciate your indulgence and understanding.

See you at Deerfield!

73,
MisterMike, W1RC

PS:  We have some really good door prizes this time, like two Yaesu FT-891 mobile HF transceivers, one on Thursday and one on Friday.  Stay tuned here for more details.