Category Archives: Hamfests

HamXposition is Less Than 30 Days Away!

Posted on by

HamXposition 2023 (a.k.a. ARRL New England Division Convention) is coming August 25-26-27 – less than 30 days away. 

Our forum schedule is now available!    Come visit our website to browse over 100 forums, seminars, and workshops available at the convention.

Two new additions on Friday – an AREDN mesh networking workshop where you will be building your own working MESH node and a NanoVNA seminar – learn to use this small but powerful device to analyze antennas and other RF devices.

Our Friday  DXCC dinner will feature Don Greenbaum, N1DG. Don will present “DXpeditioning with a RIB”. Don will describe the genesis of the “Rig in a Box” (RIB) from the 2018 Baker Island expedition to implementation on C6AGU, FO/N1DG and the recently completed VP6A DXpedition to Ducie Island.

Our Saturday grand banquet features special guest “Chip” Cohen, W1YW, an inventor, scientist, and retired professor. Chip will talk about his amusing background, ‘ham-genuity’, and some the pitfalls and pleasures along that tortuous path of invention.

Come meet some old or new friends and maybe learn something new about our hobby!

Do you know someone who really should get their license?  Bill, WZ1L is back this year with his “Tech-in-a-Day” study course, and as always, VE exams are available.

If you wish to stay overnight, discounted hotel rates are available through August 1st – so there are only a few days left to grab the discounted rate.

Visit our website for all details and to purchase tickets in advance:

https://hamxposition.org

Dinner ticket purchasing closes August 20th.

All online ticketing closes August 23rd.

73,

Bob – K1IW
HamXposition 2023

Forums Fri-Sat-Sun
Flea Market Hours: Fri 12-5, Sat 9-5, Sun 9-1
Exhibit Hall Hours: Sat 9-5, Sun 9-1

Volunteer Help Needed for HamXposition 2023

Posted on by

HamXposition 2023 is coming to the Best Western Hotel and Conference Center in Marlborough, Mass on August 25, 26 and 27.  We are actively looking for volunteers to help keep the convention running smoothly.

Among the duties –

  • Setup on August 24
  • Ticketing, Flea Market and Forum Speaker Help on 25, 26, and 27
  • Take Down on August 27

All volunteers are scheduled into two-hour shifts.  Those that work two or more shift receive free admission.

If you are interested in helping, please visit: https://hamxposition.org/volunteer.html to register.

Thanks and hope to see you there!

73,
Bob – K1IW

Algonquin ARC Flea Market, Marlborough, February 19, 2022

Posted on by

The Algonquin Amateur Radio Club will hold its Marlborough Flea Market on February 19, 2022 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). Any COVID-related updates will be carried on the AARC website at http://n1em.org.

A VE session will be held beginning at 9:00 AM. General admission is $5. Vendor tables are $15 before February 9, 2018, or $20 at the door if space is available. Each table includes one admission.

For more information, contact Tim Ikeda, KA1OS at 508-251-9317 (before 9:00 PM), email fleamarket@n1em.org or visit https://www.qsl.net/n1em/2022_flier.pdf.

NoBARC Hamfest on Aug 21

Posted on by

The Northern Berkshire Amateur Radio Club will be holding it’s annual hamfest on Sunday, August 21.  The hamfest will be held at the George Bowe Field (Adams Agricultural Fair Grounds), located directly off of Route 8 in Adams, MA.

Gates open at 6:30 AM for vendors and sellers, 7:00 AM for buyers.  Admission is $5 for adult, kids under 12 are free.  Sellers and vendors cot will be an additional $10. Talk-in will be on the K1FFK Mt. Greylock repeater, 146.91 MHz, PL 162.2. There will be an amateur radio exam session at 9:00 AM at the hamfest, for anyone wishing to get licensed or upgrade.

There will also be a raffle at 11:00 AM.  Presence not required to win the raffle.  Tickets at $4.00 each or 3 for $10.00.  Prizes are:

  1. Anytone AT-578UV III DMR VHF/UHF radio
  2. MFJ-4128 power supply
  3. MMDVM digital voice hotspot

Further details available on the hamfest flyer.

Stolen Radio Equipment at NEAR-Fest and Other Area Flea Markets

Posted on by

Lose something at NEAR-Fest or Other Area Flea Market? Maybe we can help you you can get it back!!!!!!

If you had something stolen from your table at a flea market or hamfest in NH or eastern Mass. within the past several years please contact Officer John Delaney of the Deerfield Police Department as soon as possible. His contact information is jdelaney@townofdeerfieldnh.org or telephone (603) 463-7258 and leave a message for him. Be prepared to provide Off. Delaney with a detailed description, giving make, model, serial number, photograph, band(s) covered, what was programmed it to it, etc.

This information is needed by the Deerfield Police for an ongoing investigation into thefts of equipment that have occurred at NEAR-Fest and other local area events over the past several years. Five stolen radios have already been recovered and there may be more……

Please copy Paul W1PRA (pauldepetrillo@gmail.com) and Mr Mike, W1RC (w1rc@near-fest.com) on all correspondence with Officer Delaney.

Thank you for your cooperation.

73,
Paul DePetrillo, W1PRA,
NEAR-Fest Sergeant-at-Arms,
pauldepetrillo@gmail.com

Mister Mike, W1RC,
Benevolent Dictator,
w1rc@near-fest.com

NEAR-Fest XXXI

Posted on by

ATTENTION….. Two weeks to go!   New England’s premier radio hobby event……Both days ….huge flea market, forums,  ARRL officials in attendance.  Friday:  AMers W1IA Celebration, “HamJam,” Saturday: VE Exams 10:00 AM. ……… Big door prizes both days (Two Yaesu FT-891s, two SDRplay radios, one each day)……Fun for all!  NEAR-Fest XXXI Friday April 29th and Saturday April 30th 2022, Deerfield NH Fairgrounds Highway 43, Deerfield NH. 

. Last chance NOW to get advance tickets and save $5.   Advance admission tickets $10  ($15 at the gate), Inside parking (flea market) $10.  Mail by Wednesday April 20th in order to get them in time.  PLEASE ENCLOSE SASE!   Mail to W1RC, 316 Atlantic Avenue, Marblehead MA 01945. More info www.near-fest.com.  Camping passes available onsite. 

HAM-CON, the ARRL Vermont State Convention,  February 26

Posted on by

The ARRL Vermont State Convention, known as HAM-CON, will be held Saturday, February 26, at 8AM-1PM live in Colchester, VT and On-Line at HAM-CON.ORG.

If you are in our primary coverage area of Vermont, Northern NH, Northern NY and Southern Quebec, we hope to see you in person. However, anyone, anywhere can take part in HAM-CON. On-Line attendees will get to participate in the forums, will see the flea market room, will get to converse with other attendees in separate video rooms and even watch our special event station W1V.

We have a super line-up planned for this year! ARRL CEO David Minster NA2AA will start things off by telling us about 2021 happenings at ARRL and what to look forward to in 2022.  Our newly elected New England Director, Fred Kemmerer AB1OC will detail accomplishments made and planned for in his first 100 days in office. Dave Casler KE0OG, author of the “Ask Dave” column in QST, will be on hand to answer all of your technical questions. Ed Hare W1RFI will focus on current issues in radio frequency interference to ham radio operations. We’ll have other great forums on technical and operating topics, plus a totally fun forum never seen before. You won’t want to miss it!

Advanced admission to HAM-CON is only $6, available right on the web site http://www.ham-con.org. If you are not sure of your plans, buy your ticket now and it can be used live or on-line. The price jumps up to $10 on February 20, so don’t wait! Details on early vendor admission and table reservations can also be found on the site.

HAM-CON is one of the first Conventions of each year and the only New England Convention held in the first quarter. Be sure to join us to keep connected with other ham radio operators from the North Country and learn why we are considered the “best little hamfest in the world.”  Hope to see you there, live or on camera!

Amateur Radio Booth Proposed for “The Big E” in 2022

Posted on by

Hampden County Radio Association president Larry Krainson, W1AST, is coordinating an effort to organize an amateur radio booth at “The Big E” in West Springfield, Massachusetts for 2022. The exhibition runs for 17 days from September 17 through October 3, 2022. 

According to Wikipedia, “The Big E,” formally known as The Eastern States Exposition, is billed as ‘New England’s Great State fair.’ It is the largest agricultural event on the eastern seaboard and the sixth-largest fair in the nation.”

W1AST says the 2016 event had 1.4 million visitors, and over 1.6 million visitors in 2019. “If just one-tenth of one percent of attendees sign up for ham classes, that would be 1,600 names to distribute to all New England clubs. We would all benefit and grow ham radio.” 

There hasn’t been a ham radio exhibit/booth at The Big E in over ten years.

Larry envisions a ham radio booth that would demonstrate the many aspects of ham radio, as well as an avenue for people to sign up for information and courses in their local area.

Some of his ideas include:

  • an EMCOMM display
  • DMR and/or other digital mobile mode demo
  • Digital HF modes on a big screen
  • A special event station (W1E or N1E or similar) with unique QSL cards
  • SSB, CW and digital modes
  • Demonstrate portable stations for field operation (i.e., Parks On The Air, Summits On The Air)
  • Highlight youth in ham radio

W1AST says he’d like to see clubs from different states staff the booth during “State” days and theme days. 

“If there is enough interest, we have lots of time to plan.”

Such an undertaking can succeed only if there is a sufficient number of volunteers and radio clubs who agree to participate in the event.  A special Groups.io mailing list group has been established to promote exchange of dialogue and ideas for the event. To join, send an email to ProjectBigE+subscribe@groups.io.

NEAR-Fest XXIX May 2021 Deerfield NH Cancelled!

Posted on by

Dear Friends of NEAR-Fest…..

I am sure that just about everyone knew this was coming but this makes it is official.

Given the current Coronavirus situation with new cases reported every day at astronomical levels (on January 8th there were 7,110 in Mass. alone) and the fact that the vaccination process is running behind schedule we have decided that April 30th/May 1st 2021 is far too soon to hold NEAR-Fest XXIX and guarantee that it will safe for all.  Consequently I have this day notified the Deerfield Fair Association that we have decided to cancel it.

This decision was not taken lightly but it is also a no brainer.  There are no options.  As you know this is the third NEAR – Fest that had to be cancelled because of Covid-19.  The good news is that NEAR-Fest XXX is scheduled for October 15th and 16th, 2021 and, for the first time since this started, I am fully confident this will be our grand “NEAR-Fest Homecoming!”

Advance tickets and parking passes that were sold for NEAR- Fest XXIX will be valid for NEAR-Fest-XXX.  However anyone wanting a full refund may have it.  Email w1rc@near-fest.com for details. 

For more information visit http://forum.near-fest.com/index.php?topic=1522.0

73 and see you all on October 15th! 

Mister Mike, W1RC
Benevolent Dictator
New England Amateur Radio Festival, Inc.

NEAR-Fest and the Road Ahead

Posted on by

Dear Friends of NEAR-Fest:
 
Now that NEAR-Fest XXVII and XXVIII have been cancelled there are some important issues with which we must deal…..
 
First, this is going to be a major hit on our treasury because, notwithstanding the reason we are being canceled, we have contracts that need to be honored. 2019 was, as you may remember, was plagued with wet weather for both May and October. Attendance was down and so are our cash reserves. Consequently, the hard facts are that we need to raise some new capital starting this Fall if NEAR-Fest is to survive. 
 
In order to do this beginning soon we will be selling advance admission tickets for NEAR-Fest XXIX ($10.00) and inside parking passes ($10.00) either at Ham Radio Outlet in Salem NH and Ross Hochstrasser’s Clock Shop, 40 Walnut Street, Whitman MA as well as by mail to Michael Crestohl, W1RC, 316 Atlantic Avenue, Marblehead MA 01945 with a check or money order and a SASE. 
 
The exciting thing about the advance tickets are that all purchasers of advance tickets will be entered in a special prize drawing for either a Xiegu G90 HF SDR Transceiver (value $425.00) or a Yaesu FT-891 HF Mobile Transceiver (value $559.00). Winner does NOT have to be present to win. 
 
We are going to offer a special “VIP Pass” to NEAR-Fest for those who really want to see us through this difficult and trying time. It will be good for the person to whom it was issued for life, allow that person and the occupants of their vehicle (up to four people) and the vehicle to enter at 8:00 AM on Friday morning. Cost of this VIP Pass is $250.00 and is available by mail only.
 
Additionally, the cost of admission at the Fairgrounds will be increased to $15.00. This added $5.00 is to help alleviate the cost of not having NEAR-Fest XXVII but advance ticket buyers will be able to save this $5.00 per ticket surcharge.  I cannot tell you at this time if this $5.00 surcharge will be permanent. Once we are financially comfortable again we will decide whether or not to restore the cost to $10.00. 
 
In the event that the May 2021 event cannot be held any tickets or passes purchased will be valid and honored at the next NEAR-Fest so no one will lose.
 
We are asking our association and clubs if they can help us sell advance tickets to their members. The procedure will be simple and straightforward. Clubs would determine how many tickets and parking passes their members want, collect the money, send the list with this information along with a check payable to NEAR-Fest to us. We would take care of making sure that the prize draw stubs are properly filled in and put in the prize barrel for the drawing in July. After that takes place we would ensure they are kept safe so they can be put in the prize barrel at NEAR-Fest in May.  The tickets would be sent to the club for distribution to the members. Members should be informed that they are buying admission tickets for our fall event. They are not buying a raffle ticket. However there is no limit on the number of tickets anyone may purchase. Drawing will take place at NEAR-Fest XXIX in May 2021. 
 
Secondly, clubs who have already applied for the 2020 Association and Club Early Entry passes will not have to reapply again in January 2021. 
 
With your help we will survive this horrific nightmare.
 
73,
Mister Mike