Hamfests & Conventions

Michael Crestohl, W1RC, writes:

Attention All Units!  NEAR-Fest XXX is Next Weekend… We Are Back Live and Online!

Michael Crestohl, W1RC, writes:

NEAR-FEST XXX is ON!  We are looking forward to seeing all our friends, new and old, after a very long two-year absence at Deerfield at 0900 on Friday October 15th.

Although there are no state or local mandates we want everybody to feel safe at NEAR-Fest.  We are asking all attendees to bring their own masks and hand sanitizer.   PLEASE respect the wishes of others and wear a mask when inside any of our buildings and observe a 10’ or 2m distance from others whenever possible.  We also request that you don your mask when interacting with any member of our staff, inside or outside.  They have expressed their concerns.  Remember if we didn’t have them we could not do NEAR-Fest! Kindly honor their wishes.

Tickets will be on sale at the gate.  Admission is $15 per person and $10 for inside parking which includes flea market selling space.  You can save $5 on your admission tickets if you buy them in advance.  They are available BY MAIL (do not mail later than Monday October 5th)Mail to NEAR-Fest, 316 Atlantic Avenue, Marblehead MA 01945, checks or amo payable to NEAR-Fest and a self-addressed stamped envelope.  Also available in person at Ham Radio Outlet in Salem NH and at Ross W1EKG’s clock shop, 40 Walnut Street in Whitman MA.

We look forward to our “Grand Homecoming”.  It has been a very long two years.

73,

MisterMike, W1RC

PS: Don’t forget to attend the ARRL Division Director candidates “Town Hall” meeting on Friday.   See our web site www.near-fest.com for details.

HamXposition Chairman Bob DeMattia, K1IW, has released some preliminary numbers for ticket sales for the Northeast HamXposition and New England ARRL Convention in Marlborough, MA on September 10-12, 2021.

“Based on the number of unissued tickets, attendance was 1212,” writes Bob.

“We printed 2200 tickets, and had 988 remaining at the end.  We issued approximately 1212 tickets total.” K1IW adds, “For what it’s worth, my prediction was we would issue around 1200.”

The Committee expects to net between $8,000 to $10,000 in profits–most of which will be used to fund FEMARA scholarships.

by Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R, ARRL Product Development Manager

The annual Northeast HamXposition was held on September 10 &12 and hosted the 2021 ARRL New England Division Convention. This was the first time the annual event was held at the Best Western Hotel in Marlborough, Massachusetts.

The ARRL ‘team’ included Vice President Mike Raisbeck, K1TWF, New England Division Director Fred Hopengarten, K1VR, Vice Director Phil Temples, K9HI, Field Services Manager Mike Walters, W8ZY, Senior Member Services Representative Kim McNeill, KM1IPA, Director of Operations Bob Naumann, W5OV, and Product Development Manager Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R. In addition, there were several Section Managers and other Field Organization volunteers.

Mike Raisbeck and Phil Temples did double-duty, serving as the convention’s Vice Chair and Program chair, respectively.

Although there were some last-minute cancellations from a handful of exhibitors and presenters, attendance was very good, though smaller than the 2019 show.  W1 QSL Bureau Co-Manager Eric Williams, KV1J, shared that “considering the COVID concerns, I feel that this was remarkably good attendance.”

Among the radio club and organization booths, the Nashua Area Radio Society (New Hampshire) demonstrated a variety of activities to encourage new licensees to become radioactive. An interactive exhibit was also hosted by Sci-Tech Amateur Radio Society of Natick, MA, which operates from the STEM educational center and Makerspace hosted by New England Sci-Tech. An ARRL Volunteer Examiner team tested 13 new and upgraded license candidates, including unlicensed individuals who passed exams for their General and Extra Class tickets.

Eric Williams and his team of volunteers offered great support to anyone seeking W1 Bureau needs. Their exhibit also hosted Bob Naumann who checked DXCC and other ARRL Award applications throughout the convention.

On Friday night, Adrian Ciuperca, KO8SCA, presented at the DXCC/Contest Dinner, recapping the DXPedition and IARU Contest activities and activations from Market Reef and Aland Islands.

Bob Inderbitzen gave the keynote address on Saturday morning which included a 9/11 tribute he had prepared, and Color Guard supported by local Scouts. He also attended a Youth Panel and met with many young hams, parents, and their advisors throughout the event, including an undergraduate student in mechanical engineering from Olin College of Engineering in Needham, MA, Zachary Sherman, KC1NXK – exhibiting for Olin Collegiate Amateur Radio Club.

The banquet speaker was Dr. Philip J. Erickson, W1PJE, of Haystack Observatory, a multidisciplinary radio observatory operated by Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He discussed HamSCI’s latest ionospheric science investigations with his group at Haystack covering international, national, and even local aspects of amateur ionospheric science supported in partnership with radio amateurs and scientists. During the banquet, Bob was recognized by Emcee Mike Raisbeck as the convention’s first scholarship winner (1990).

An ARRL Membership Forum was held on Saturday, supported by Fred Hopengarten, Phil Temples, Mike Walters, and ARRL Communications Counsel Dave Siddall, K3ZJ – who was in the area and attended the convention. Mike Walters also led a Section Manager & Affiliated Club Coordinator Forum. The ARRL staff team returned from Marlborough with 72 membership applications (127 in 2019); 22% of these from new or previous members. They also returned with 36 award applications and endorsements – including 24 for DXCC and 10 for VUCC.

Carl Achin, WA1ZCQ, writes:

‘Chowdercon’ 2021 is looking good for this Saturday, September 18th on Four Tree Island New Hampshire. We’ll have the usual schedule that has been on-the-plate for decades.

– Friday the 17th: Socializing and Meet-‘N-Greet at Al’s Seafood and Fish Market on RT-1 in North Hampton at 5 PM for the diehard low-power radio amateurs that wish to partake in a WONDERFUL seafood dinner.

– Saturday the 18th is the BIG Day, 7 AM KICKOFF Breakfast at the Golden Egg on RT-1A in Portsmouth NH followed by a caravan of vehicles to Four Tree Island, arriving at approximately 8 AM.

+ Setup of individual stations (rigs & antennas) at the various rooftop-covered picnic tables around the Island.

+ At 12 noon, for those that need a lobster-roll and ‘CHOWDER’ (IT’S CALLED CHOWDERCON FOR A REASON), it’s a short walk to Geno’s Sandwich shop.

+ More operating from the Island after Lunch, and of course, SPRINTING/contesting in QRP Afield (CQ AF) which is always on the SAME DAY as Chowdercon.
https://www.newenglandqrp.org/qrp-afield-2018

+ Around 3 PM station operators start to breakdown and pack-up their gear, and, it’s time for the Annual “TUG-OF-WAR” of the QRPers (5W or less) against the QRPpers (*LESS THAN* 1 Watters)! ALWAYS A FUN TIME! 🙂

+ Caravan over to the historic Warren’s Lobster House at 4:30 PM, just a 5 minute drive from Four Tree Island. IT’S A TRADITION!!! The FAREWELL BANQUET usually finishes-up at approximately 6:30 PM+.

– *** SUNDAY from 8 AM through 2 PM is more operating from the Island for those DIEHARDS that, “FEEL THE NEED FOR SPEED” (high-speed Morse-code that is!) 🙂 LOL

– AND, there is usually a final farewell meal at Statey’s, Portsmouth at around 3 PM+++ till the last person leaves/drops. 🙂

https://thestateybar.com/our-menu

‘Chowdercon’ is a TRADITION and a celebration of the END OF SUMMER / BEGINNING OF FALL. A few of us started doing this QRP Event back in 1987 and it grew. In 2006 it was dubbed “CHOWDERCON” … and the rest is history (and QRP tradition).

If you are up for it, please join-in on the, fun, excitement, and good times of Chowdercon. Participate in whatever tickles your fancy.

Sincere 7 3 and Happy Fall,

Carl

http://qrz.com/db/WA1ZCQ
wa1zcq@amsat.org

The QRP Club of New England (NEQRP) has published a schedule of activities for its members at the Northeast HamXposition, September 10-12, 2021. 

Activities include: Early Birds Meet ‘N Greet, QRP Vendors Night, Night Owls Gathering, QRP Symposium of Talks and more. 

For the full schedule, see <https://nediv.arrl.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/NEQRPatNortheastHamXposition2021.pdf>.

The Northeast HamXposition Convention Committee has announced its policy to address appropriate COVID precautions for the ARRL New England Division Convention to be held on September 10-12, 2021 in Marlborough, Massachusetts. 

Masks will be required to be worn in all indoor areas, but may be removed for the purpose of eating. Masks will not be required in outdoor areas. The Committee will provide free masks to attendees. In addition, seating capacity will be limited in most rooms.

To view the complete policy, visit <https://hamxposition.org/covid>.

Steve Ewald, WV1X, writes:

Bill Crowley, K1NIT, of the Augusta Amateur Radio Association, has announced that the Windsor Hamfest on September 18, 2021 is canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.  

I have added a “Canceled” notation to the listing of the Windsor Hamfest on the ARRL Hamfest and Convention Calendar at <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/canceled-windsor-hamfest-1>.