Hamfests & Conventions

From the NEQRP mailing list:

“BarbeQRPcon” (pronounced: Bar-Be-QRP-Con) is coming up this SATURDAY, JANUARY 15th, 2022. It’s ALWAYS ON THE 3rd SATURDAY IN JANUARY, ANNUALLY!

This annual event has been on-going for many, Many, MANY years and is a TRADITION in the NEQRP yearly activities/events. It’s THEE BEST WINTER BBQ in New England, … possibly the World!!! 🙂

Are you suffering from the Winter doldrums/blues?
Need to get out-of-the-house and take a break from the COLD WINTER days??
Want to get together with like-minded friends for a fantastic day of: BBQ LUNCH, Stops at, ‘HAM Radio Outlet’ to check out the latest new gear and supplies, ‘Harbor Freight’ for needed tools for that next home-built project/kit???
Well, YOU’RE IN LUCK!!!

That’s what BarbeQRPcon is all about. A day of, camaraderie, eating together, and, hitting a few local hangouts for a great break from WINTER with like-minded friends in the Amateur Radio Community. What could be better than a BBQ in the middle of WINTER?

It starts-off this year (2022) at a *** NEW LOCATION ***:

#1.) “KC’s Rib Shack”, 837 2nd St, Manchester, NH at 12-NOON.
There’ll be: Meet-‘N-Greet, Show-‘N-Tell, Lunch, and, more socializing from 12-noon to approximately 2PM.
https://www.ribshack.net
https://www.ribshack.net/menus/#sandwiches

#2.) Then it’s a caravan over to: “HAM Radio Outlet” in Salem (NH) for checking out: rigs, books, antennas, parts, and other gear, from 2:30 to 3:30PM.
https://www.hamradio.com/locations.cfm?storeid=9

#3.) From there it’s down the street to “Harbor Freight” for tools and other well-needed items for that next home-brew project/kit, from 3:30 to 4:30PM.
https://go.harborfreight.com/store/harbor-freight-tools-in-salem-nh-03079
https://www.harborfreight.com/?utm_source=go&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=toplogo&_gl=1*1ldbnyj*_ga*YW1wLXdMSWRaS18zOXZfVENoQnlGcHFiZlE.

#4.) AND if that’s not enough for YOU, there’s our Traditional Farewell Dinner/Supper at the Famous Bertucci’s Italian Restaurant also in Salem, approximately 4:30 through ~6PM+.
https://locations.bertuccis.com/us/nh/salem/275-rockingham-park-blvd
https://www.bertuccis.com/menu

Need directions? – Here you go! Just re-enter your starting point in the “A” Window in the link below:
https://www.bing.com/maps?osid=1c8afc7f-5a52-4428-8c12-0ffb47742243&cp=43.096686~-72.556538&lvl=8&v=2&sV=2&form=S00027

Hopefully the WEATHER (check it out in the link below) will cooperate with us on this fantastic day of tradition known as “BarbeQRPcon”.
https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=42.8258&lon=-71.2322#.Ydx-TkxOmM8

Questions? Just ask.

Yes, the locations and various stops/times, over the years, have changed through the decades, but, this is an ALL NEW SCHEDULE for *** BarbeQRPcon 2022 ***.

*** IT’S THE BEST BARBECUE OF THE YEAR, AND, IN THE MIDDLE OF WINTER TO BOOT!!! ***

Come join us and see what this Winter TRADITION is all about.

* “THE EXCITEMENT IS BUILDING …” ***

See YOU this coming SATURDAY the 15th at 12-NOON.

Stay healthy and safe, es 7 3 . .

** NOTE: All Communications will be on “THEE NATIONAL SIMPLEX FREQUENCY” (146.52 direct). Bring your H/T or join us on “52 direct” via your mobile rig. – CUL

*** P.S. – Join-in on whatever fits into YOUR schedule. Only one of the stops, a few, or, all of them, it’s up to YOU. ENJOY!
______________________________________________________________

The ARRL Vermont State Convention, known at HAM-CON is Saturday, February 26, 2022 at the Hampton Inn Convention Center in Colchester, Vermont. The Convention will use a hybrid format and many activities will also be available at ham-con.org. HAM-CON is the only New England ARRL Convention held in the first quarter of 2022.

HAM-CON will feature 8 forums running throughout the morning hours. There will also be a vendor flea market. For the first time, we will include an outdoor segment of the flea market, weather permitting. The on-line site will feature several video chat rooms where attendees can meet up with friends in a more private setting.

Admission to HAM-CON is only $6 if you purchase an advance sale ticket before February 20. This admission is good for either live or on-line access. Please go to our Web Site, http://www.ham-con.org for other prices, travel details and program information.

For specific questions or program ideas, contact Mitch at w1sj@arrl.net or 802-879-6589.

73, Mitch

As we get ready to return to Deerfield NH in a couple days to resume our beloved hamfest that we have all missed so much for two years it is obvious that there are some fundamental precautions we must institute in order to be in full compliance with all CDC, State and Town Departments of Public Health guidelines.  We do not want to wear out our welcome.  NEAR-FEST IS SAFE FOR ALL must be our motto!

It is our hope that everyone will have been vaccinated.  However we realize that not everyone will be.  If you have not had your shots please take extra care: wear a mask especially inside and use hand sanitizer often. We don’t want anyone getting sick at our event.

The State of New Hampshire does not currently have a mask mandate so neither does NEAR-Fest.  However, we have some common sense requests and recommendations because we want everybody to feel safe at our hamfest:

1:  We are strongly requesting that everyone wear a mask or face shield while inside the commercial buildings, when attending forums and when at the exam session.   Masks will be available at the entrance to these buildings but it is advisable to bring your own as well.  We are also strongly requesting that all attendees wear a mask when buying or presenting your admission ticket or otherwise interacting with any of our staff members.

2:  Our staff volunteers have expressed some concerns and we want them to feel comfortable helping us run the fester.  Remember we cannot do the hamfest without them. They did not volunteer to get Covid.  Many of them aren’t the young healthy kids we once were and have serious concerns about covid either personally or with immediate family members.  We are requesting that everyone put aside all political and personal views about mask wearing and wear them where we have requested out of respect for the dedicated volunteers who run this event.

We  are committed to keeping everyone safe and this request from me is part of this commitment.

3: The use of hand sanitizer is advised especially after handling any items in the flea market and commercial buildings.  We will have hand sanitizer in automatic dispensers as well as masks available at the entrances to the buildings. 

Additionally, we ask that all attendees attempt to maintain a distance of six feet (or two metres) from others as much as possible and avoid crowding others at flea market and commercial vendor tables.  I know this is difficult especially if there is “good stuff cheap”.

These are still difficult and trying times.  We are glad to be back running the hamfest again but the world has changed in the past 18 months and we must change with it.  We appreciate your cooperation which is particularly important because we want to continue holding the hamfest while assuring the local community that we pose a minimal health threat with our presence.

HELP MAKE NEAR-FEST SAFE FOR ALL! 

Stay well!

MisterMike, W1RC, and the entire NEAR-Fest gang

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.