TZUTC: -0500   
   MSGID: 425.fidonet-ls_arrl@1:2320/33 28b874a6   
   PID: Synchronet 3.20a-Win32 master/a59d7d36d Apr 13 2023 MSC 1929   
   TID: SBBSecho 3.20-Win32 master/a59d7d36d Apr 13 2023 MSC 1929   
   BBSID: TBOLT   
   CHRS: ASCII 1   
                            Hamfest Overview   
                            ================   
      
   The term "hamfest" is short for "ham radio festival"...a place where you   
   can go to meet other ham radio operators, make new friends, renew old   
   acquaintences, buy and sell new and used gear, take a license exam for a   
   new or upgraded amateur radio license, attend informative forums on   
   various aspects of the hobby, and more. For those who have never attended   
   one of these fun events, this bulletin/message thread is a "brief guide   
   to a hamfest".    
      
   Hamfests Big And Small   
      
   Hamfests can be as small as those hosted by one local club...it can be a   
   state, regional, or division convention...or go all the way to the king of   
   the hamfests, the Hamvention in Xenia, Ohio in mid-May. It originally was   
   in Dayton at Hara Arena, but MOVED to the Xenia area fairgrounds in 2017.   
      
   The latter has been termed by some as "a 3 day ham radio orgy". Not to   
   sound vulgar, but if you want to eat, sleep, and do whatever else as it   
   relates to ham radio, Hamvention is the place to be. They say "If you   
   don't find it at Hamvention, it doesn't exist!!".   
      
   Depending on the scope of the hamfest, there may be just a morning and   
   early afternoon event (usually on a Saturday)...to lasting 3 full days,   
   such as the Dayton Hamvention.   
      
   Admission and parking fees...as well as to how big the parking areas and   
   the event venues are...can vary widely, depending on the size of the event.   
   Be sure to check with the contact persons for all the information noted on   
   the specific hamfest website.   
      
   You can search for a Hamfest by going to the ARRL website at www.arrl.org   
   and clicking on the Hamfests Link. That will take you to the Hamfests And   
   Conventions Calendar, enter the desired search criteria, and click on   
   Search.   
      
   If nothing shows up, then there are no hamfests scheduled for the area you   
   requested.   
   --- SBBSecho 3.20-Win32   
    * Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (1:2320/33)   
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