Hamfests & Conventions

Early Speaker Callout, HamXposition / New England Division Convention, August 25-27, 2023

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HamXposition logoHamXposition Programs Committee Chair Phil Temples, K9HI, writes:

Don’t just attend the 2023 Northeast HamXposition @ Marlborough—BE A PART OF IT! 

The HamXposition Committee seeks fresh and exciting presentations for this year’s ARRL New England Division Convention, August 25-27, 2023. We’re looking for talks of both technical and non-technical natures. As a HamXposition speaker, you will have the opportunity to share your subject and knowledge with amateur radio operators from around New England, the surrounding states, and Canada.

In addition to workshops on Friday, we will feature forums throughout the day Saturday, Saturday evening entertainment, and a half-day Sunday program.

If you represent a regional club or organization (e.g. YCCC, NEQRP, WRONE, MARS, etc.) we can help facilitate open forums or closed meetings by providing you a meeting space.

Non-profit groups who wish to set up information tables should get your requests in early. While the tables are offered without charge, we ask for some volunteer time in return to assist us with ticket sales and other logistics during the convention.

To register as a speaker or presenter (or if you’d like to suggest someone), please go to https://hamxposition.org/speaker-form-t.html or email if you have additional questions.

We look forward to seeing you at the Convention.

Director’s Update for 1Q-2023

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The first quarter of 2023 has kept me busy on a variety of fronts. The following are a few things that I hope you’ll be interested in hearing and learning more about.

January 2023 Board Meeting

The January ARRL Board Meeting was one of the most productive in recent memory. In addition to approving the 2023 ARRL budget, the board passed over 15 motions many of which initiated programs and activities to benefit ARRL members. The following two slides summarize the actions taken by the board in January –

January 2023 ARRL Board Meeting Highlights
January 2023 ARRL Board Meeting Highlights
January 2023 ARRL Board Meeting Highlights Continued
January 2023 ARRL Board Meeting Highlights Continued

You can view the notes from the meeting here. I am particularly happy and excited to see the new ham development initiative moving forward.

Year of the Volunteer

The ARRL is fortunate to be supported by over 7,000 volunteers! The ARRL has designated 2023 as The Year of the Volunteers. In addition to QST articles and other publications that highlight the many contributions that volunteers make to the ARRL, the league is sponsoring a year-long operating event to recognize ARRL volunteers (and to have some fun). Here’s some information about the event –

Year of the Volunteer On-Air Event
Year of the Volunteer On-Air Event

You can find more about the event and see the leaderboard here.

Hamfests, Club Meetings, and Field Day

Jerry Burns K1GUP Recognized by the ARRL at the Maine State Convention for over 50 years of service as Net Manager for the Maine Seagull Net
Jerry Burns K1GUP Recognized by the ARRL at the Maine State Convention for his 50 years+ of service as Net Manager for the Maine Seagull Net

I am continuing to attend Hamfests and Club Meetings around our Division. This is one of the areas of my work as an ARRL Director that I enjoy the most! Here are our plans for attending additional conventions and hamfests in 2023 –

Plans for NE Division Hamfests
Plans for NE Division Hamfests

We are headed off to Dayton and I am looking forward to seeing and talking with folks from New England there. We are working on our plans for visiting folks during Field Day 2023. If you like us to try to include you in our 2023 Field Day visits, please email Anita at ab1qb@arrl.net and we’ll try to get you onto our schedule.

ISS Contacts

I have continued to remain active in the ARISS program which helps schools to make contact with astronauts on the International Space Station via Amateur Radio.

Council Rock South High School ISS Contact
Council Rock South High School ISS Contact

My work with ARISS includes acting as a Ground Station to provide radio links for school contacts as well as working with schools to help them to prepare for their contacts. Most recently, I had the pleasure to work with Council Rock South H.S. in Pennsylvania to help them with their contact. It was amazing! You can watch a video of the contact here.

License Training and Mentoring

Anita and I continue to support license training and the Ham Bootcamp program which helps Hams to learn to utilize their licenses and get active in Amateur Radio. We’ve taught Technician, General, and Extra licenses classes this spring where we helped over 20 people to get licensed or upgrade to General and Extra class licenses. We are hoping to transfer these programs and more to the ARRL so that they can benefit more Hams.

6m Antennas and Operations

6m Antennas at AB1OC-AB1QB
6m Antennas at AB1OC-AB1QB

I have been able to find a little time to upgrade our station in here New Hampshire. I’ve been working on our 6m weak signal antenna systems. We’ve installed 14 new 6m antennas including three stacks and two 7-element LFA antennas. You can read more about our 6m antenna project here. We are really looking forward to the 6m Es season this year. I only need 3 more countries for DXCC on the 6m band and I am hoping to work these during the Es season. I hope to work many folks in our division on the HF bands and 6m this summer!

I hope that folks have a chance to enjoy Amateur Radio this spring and summer. Stay safe and have fun!

Best and 73,

Fred, AB1OC

 

RFI Training at NEAR-Fest, April 29, 2023

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From Maine ARRL Facebook page:

Rob Leiden K1UI, the New England Division ARRL Assistant Director for Spectrum Protection and RFI, leads Radio Frequency Interference Team Training at Near-Fest in Deerfield. [ARRL Maine Section Manager Phil Duggan] N1EP picked up Maine’s RFI equipment and Toolkit, including IC-705 and some handy RFI-sniffing antennas. The New England Division is leading the nation in helping hams who may be experiencing annoying RFI.
 
Maine training and policy, planning will follow in the coming weeks.

 K1UI RFI Training at NEAR-Fest April 28-29, 2023

Seacoast Flea Market, Hampton NH, April 8, 2023

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Port City ARC logoThe Port City Amateur Radio Club hosts an annual hamfest and flea market in April at the Saint James Masonic Lodge on 77 Tide Mill Road, Hampton, NH. Admission is $5 per person and children under 12 are admitted free. There are hourly door prize drawings as well as a grand prize drawing. All ticket holders are eligible to win, additional prize drawing tickets may be purchased for $5 each.

We have indoor and outdoor table space available and pre-registration is recommended. You can purchase table space using the seller’s application found at the bottom of this page.

The next hamfest/flea market will be held on April 8, 2023 from 8 am to 12 pm.

A VE Session will follow right after the flea market beginning at 1 pm.

For additional information, see https://w1wqm.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/2023-FLEA-MARKET-FLYER.pdf.

Southington (CT) Flea Market, March 26, 2023

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Southington ARA logoThe Southington (CT) Amateur Radio Association will conduct its annual flea market on Sunday, March 26, 2023 from 8:30 AM to 12 PM at the Southington High School, 720 Pleasant Street, in Southington, CT.  The flea will feature ham radio equipment, electronics, computers, and more. 

Six feet linear table space costs $20 in advance; checks must be received before the day of the flea market. Day of the flea market, spaces are $25.  Additional persons helping pay $7.00 as general admission. (Be fair!) Children under the age of 12 free are admitted free. Doors open for all vendors unloading  at 6:15am.

The flea also features an ARES Spring Meeting. 

For further info contact Bob, K1HSN, at 860-628-4808

Web site info www.chetbacon.com/sara/
Email: W1ECV@ARRL.NET

Download the flyer at <http://www.chetbacon.com/SARAflea2023.pdf>.

New England Wireless & Steam Museum “Yankee Tune Up,” E. Greenwich RI, July 22, 2023

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Massie Wireless Station “PJ”
Massie Wireless Station “PJ”

Skip Youngberg, K1NKR, writes on the Algonquin (MA) ARA mailing list:

The New England Wireless and Steam Museum in East Greenwich, Rhode Island is having a Yankee Tune-Up on July 22, 2023. Come trade and sell your antique radios, vintage electronics and ham gear.

The entire museum will be open as well for your viewing pleasure. 

 

Maine State Convention and Hamfest

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From the Maine Telegraph, March 2023:

It is that time of year again… the Maine State Hamfest and Convention [in Lewiston] Friday, March 24th and Saturday March 25th. Talks on Friday night will be 7:00 and 8:00 PM. Vendor sales and talks will be from 8:00 AM until Noon on Saturday.

Admission for the Hamfest is $10.00 per person.

The Grand Prize will be a $200.00 gift certificate from Ham Radio Outlet.

There will be an additional $200.00 cash prize being offered for people wishing to participate in offering their contact information for Hamfest and Androscoggin Club communication. There are several talks already planned, with more to be featured. The talk schedule will be updated as speakers are confirmed.

Please go to http://www.w1npp.org/convention to keep apprised on any hamfest updates.

There will be a VE Test Session at 12:30 in the Classroom.

Lobstercon2023, Brunswick Maine, Date Change

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Rex Harper, W1REX, writes:

My fellow Lobstercon campers,

I got a call from Mike Mulligan the other night and he tells me that due to a screw up, the Jam Festival festival also changed their dates to the same weekend that I scheduled Lobstercon2023! I set the date last fall and notified him but apparently that notice didn’t get written onto the calendar so now we have a problem. The Jam Festival needs the entire park and our lovely corner for their festivities…. Their numbers are much larger than ours so we really can’t take them on in a fight! Looks like it is up to me to change the Lobstercon date so that everyone is happy…especially Carl! So it looks like Lobstercon2023! will NOW be held on July 7, 8 and 9. I am sorry for the confusion. I elected to go to the alternate weekend so that early campers and long distance travelers wouldn’t have to put up with July 4th vacationers either in the park or on the road.

Mike says I can blame him, but really, it’s those music jam people taking over OUR campground on OUR weekend that I fault. I hope this change is early enough that it doesn’t cause anyone any vacation hardship….

Rex  W1REX