Hamfests & Conventions

The Yankee Clipper Contest Club has announced its meeting agenda for the YCCC Forum at the Northeast HamXposition (a.k.a. New England ARRL Division Convention) on September 11, 2021:

Hosts: Charlie – N1RR and Ken – WO1N
1:00 – 1:10 Intro and greeting by WO1N
1:10 – 1:20 Club Business as required by N1RR

– Secretaries Report
– Treasurer Report
– New Members
o Intro
o Vote
– Other Club Business

1:20 – 1:25 Transition

1:30 – 2:55 Contesting Activities for Young People, Helping to Create the Next Generation of Contesters

Fred Kemmerer, AB1OC
Fred will share some contesting activities he has employed that have helped to get young people to begin participating in Amateur Radio Contests. He will share activities that have proven successful and use this forum and panel discussion as a place to exchange ideas to encourage young hams to try contesting, have fun, build their skills and beat the old timers at their game. The panel of youth contesters will be available for questions and answers and offer their opinions on what has worked for them to improve their contesting skill and the future of contesting as they see it.

Youth Contesters Panel
Moderator: Marty Sullaway, NN1C
Contesters: Abby Finchum, AB1BY, Brayden Ebare, KC1KUG

2:55 – 3:00 Transition

3:05 – 3:50 Building an entry level, multi radio contest station

Jeff Demers, N1SNB
Jeff describes his quest to build a HF contesting station that is stealthy and capable. Jeff’s station goals included SO2R capability, mode flexibility, high power capable and covering all HF bands. Join Jeff’s talk to hear of some of the lessons from his journey and how this effort enhanced his enjoyment of the hobby.

4:00 – 4:50 Why Join the YCCC?

Ken Caruso, WO1N
Ken will talk to the YCCC value proposition. What does joining the YCCC have to offer? Ken will review its community presence, activities and history. Membership applications will be entertained during the entire meeting. Stop by and join up!

4:50 – 5:00 Wrap up

Come join us at our new venue–the Best Western Royal Plaza Hotel in Marlborough, Massachusetts.

Friday, September 10 through Sunday, September 12

Flea Market:  Friday 12-5, Saturday 9-5, Sunday 9-1
Exhibition Hall: Saturday 9-5, Sunday 9-1
Forums & Seminars: See our schedule
 
Online ticketing for Northeast HamXposition 2021 is available Wednesday, August 11.  You can order General Admission, Flea Spaces, and tickets for the Friday and Saturday dinner events. 

http://hamxposition.org/tickets

* Tech in a Day * VE Exams * W1A Special Event * W1B Special Event * Nashua Area Radio Club’s Ham Bootcamp * NEQRP Symposium * New England ARES Academy *

FRIDAY and SATURDAY night movie:  “Contact” at 9 PM

All convention attendees are eligible to win at our grand prize drawing on Sunday.

Grand prize: Yaesu FTDX-10
First prize: RFinder B1
Second prize: Icom IC-7300
Third prize: Yaesu FTM-300
 

FRIDAY DXCC Dinner

Join your fellow hams for a delicious DXCC/Contest dinner on the first night of the convention!   Adrian Ciuperca, KO8SCA, will recap his recent DXPedition and IARU Contest activities/activations from the Market Reef, Aland and Brando Islands.

Adrian is a keen DXer with DXCC 317, 9BDXCC, IOTA and a passionate contester who competed in WRTC 2018 in Wittenberg, Germany. 

All dinner attendees are eligible to win a Yaesu FTM-300 door prize.

The program schedule of forums and presentations for the 2021 Northeast HamXposition (a.k.a. “ARRL New England Division Convention”) has been posted online at: <https://hamxposition.org/forums-and-classes/forum-schedule>.

Some 68 events and talks are scheduled for the three-day event which takes place at the Best Western Royal Plaza Hotel & Trade Center in Marlborough, Massachusetts on September 10-12, 2021.

For more information, visit: <https://hamxposition.org>.

Electronics and Amateur Radio Hamfest: August 29, 2021

Sponsored by the Candlewood Amateur Radio Association

Contact: John Morelli

Telephone: 203-417-0160

Email: W1JGM@arrl.net

Website: hamfest.cararadioclub.org

We are back for 2021, Candlewood Amateur Radio Association (CARA) will be hosting the Western Connecticut Hamfest and Swap meet on August 29th from 8 am till 1PM. This annual event is held at the Edmond Town Hall, at 45 Main Street, Newtown, CT. This is “The Biggest Little Hamfest in Western CT” and is sure to have plenty for all electronics, maker, and Amateur Radio enthusiasts.

Every year, enthusiasts from the greater Danbury area and surrounding states gather to swap gear, knowledge, and stories. This year there will be an amateur radio license testing session (9:30 am) as well as a presentation about emergency communication and the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) at 10:30AM. Get those books out and get, or upgrade, your FCC Amateur Radio license at the same time you look around and find that piece of tech you can’t go home without.

There will be electronics and radio equipment vendors, tailgating, and refreshments as well. Door prizes will be announced periodically, You are entered with your admission ticket. Raffle tickets will be sold for some great gear as well.

There are still spaces available for tailgate sales spots or tables in our indoor area. At $15 and $20, respectively, these spots include one admission each. Get rid of that gear you don’t use anymore. There is sure to be someone there interested in your unused computer, electronic or radio gear. Regular admission is $7 at the door ($1 discount with the flyer, available at our website). Kids under 12 are free!

For further information go to hamfest.cararadioclub.org or contact John Morelli W1JGM at W1JGM@arrl.net<mailto:W1JGM@arrl.net> or 203-417-0160.

Paul Gayet, AA1SU, writes on the Vermont ARRL Members Only list:

I would like to invite you to the St Albans Amateur Radio Club (STARC) Hamfest on Saturday, August 7 from 8 AM to Noon.  It will be held at the VFW on 335 Lake Street in St Albans.  Admission is $5.  This includes buyers, tailgaters, or inside sellers.  Under 18 years old is free admission.

There will also be Ham Radio License testing at 9 AM.  Bring $15 cash, FRN from the FCC, and email your address.

The talk-in repeater will be 145.230 -100 Hz.

Here is a link to the official flyer: https://www.starc.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/STARC-Hamfest-2021-scaled.jpg

After the Hamfest, you are invited to the Radio Amateurs of Northern Vermont (RANV) summer picnic.  This is just down the road at Kamp Kill Kare State Park in St Albans Bay.  RANV pays the admission.  Just tell the Ranger you are with the Ham Radio people, and he/she will point the way.  The club will supply some drinks and charcoal.  You bring your own food and bathing suit (optional).  The hours are from 11 AM to 3 PM.

Getting to the park is fairly easy.  You just stay on the same road as the VFW, and head towards the lake (2.5 miles?).  At the lake, the road turns right.  Go north for 0.7 miles. After the small bridge turn left on Hathaway Point Road.  Go 3 miles down the curvy road to the park entrance.

I hope to see you there.

——————————————————————–
ARRL Vermont Section
Section Manager: Paul N Gayet, AA1SU
aa1su@arrl.org
——————————————————————–

ARRL New England Division Director Fred Hopengarten, K1VR, has approved the application from organizers of the St. Croix Valley ARC to host a sanctioned ARRL hamfest in Alexander, Maine on September 25, 2021. 

ARRL New England Division Director Fred Hopengarten, K1VR, has approved the application from organizers of the St. Albans Amateur Radio Club to host a sanctioned ARRL hamfest in St. Albans, Vermont on August 7, 2021. 

Only 5 1/2 weeks to HamXposition 2021: September 10, 11 & 12  at the Best Western in Marlborough!

Hotel rooms are still available at the discounted rate of $99.  Contact the hotel on their local phone number (508)  460-0700 and tell them you want the HamXposition rate.

We are still in need of volunteers to assist with parking, ticketing, and the logistics involved with keeping our forums on schedule.  Volunteers working at least one 2-hour shift will receive free admission.  You can volunteer at https://hamxposition.org/volunteer

General Admission Tickets are now available retail at Ham Radio Outlet in Salem, NH and at Electronics Plus in Littleton, MA

Online ticketing is almost ready – stay tuned for an announcement when it goes live.

HAM BOOTCAMP

Nashua Area Radio Society is proud to once again offer Ham Bootcamp. It includes a series of demonstrations and tutorials designed to help newly licensed Technician, General, and Extra class license holders get on the air and use their amateur radio license. Bootcamp is also a great opportunity for prospective Hams who are interested in seeing what the hobby has to offer.

Ham Bootcamp activities are geared towards Technicians and prospective Hams and General class licenses and higher Hams. Bootcamp participants will find all of this material interesting and fun no matter what their focus or license level.

The Bootcamp program is available to all licensed and prospective Hams. You can register for the Friday, September 10 Ham Bootcamp session at HamXposition by visiting <https://www.n1fd.org/ham-bootcamp/>.

TECH IN A DAY

Bill Poulin, WZ1L, and members of the Cape Ann ARA will once again offer “Tech in a Day” at HamXposition on Saturday, September 11, 2021.

This program has served the local community in getting newly excited people to become licensed amateurs. The program will run approximately 0800-1700. It concludes with a dedicated Volunteer Exam session.

Prospective candidates should purchase the ARRL Technician Class License Manual and read the manual before attending the class.  The book can be purchased at Ham Radio Outlet or the ARRL.

If you have any questions, contact Bill at (978) 504-9112 (Cell) or email <billpoulin01913@gmail.com>.

NEW ENGLAND ARES ACADEMY

Complementing our Saturday programming, we’re pleased to host the ever-popular New England ARES Academy featuring workshops and talks aimed at getting you prepared and ready to face any EmComm situation. The program includes:

• Intro to ARES
• HF Propagation for EmComm
• Getting Started with WinLink Express
• SKYWARN Refresher
• Tactical Message Handling
• Lessons Learned from the “Big Ones”
• Intro to NEBMS
• Go-kit Strategies

ARRL New England Division Director Fred Hopengarten, K1VR, has approved the application from organizers of the Radio Amateur Society of Norwich to host an ARRL sanctioned hamfest in Gales Ferry on October 30, 2021.                  

The third QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo is scheduled live from August 14-15, 2021 and then on-demand for 30 days. 

The event organizers “promise a flawless, great learning experience for those seeking to improve their knowledge and to be exposed to new ideas, equipment, and practical techniques – all done in a highly engaging format on the vFairs platform that we used in our first August 2020 Expo.”  

ARRL, the national association for Amateur Radio, is a QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo Partner.  FlexRadio is the Expo’s Platinum Sponsor.  Gold sponsors as of this time are Elecraft and RFinder.

Registration begins on July 1st, 2021. Full registration Early Bird Tickets are just $10 and then $12.50 “at the door.”  Full registration includes access to the entire Expo including presentations and the 30 day on-demand period. Free registration includes access to exhibitors, prizes, general lounge and lobbies. If you were registered to the March Expo, then you already have a free registration to the August Expo. 

For more information and Expo Updates, go to https://www.qsotodayhamexpo.com.