| Contents |
| Overview |
| Hamfests Big And Small |
| Getting To The Hamfest |
| At The Hamfest |
| Selected Regional Hamfests |
| Conclusion |
The term ''hamfest'' is short for ''ham radio festival''...a place where you can go to meet other ham radio operators, make new friends, and renew old acquaintences, buy and sell new and used gear, take a license exam for a new or upgraded license, attend informative forums on various aspects of the hobby, and more. For those who have never attended one of these fun events, this page is a ''brief guide to a hamfest''.
Depending on the scope of the hamfest, there may be just a morning and early afternoon event... to lasting 3 full days, such as 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 here, or on the specific hamfest website. You can find a list of upcoming hamfests here. If your state, etc. isn't listed, there may not be any current hamfests scheduled. A BRIEF list of upcoming hamfests in Arkansas and surrounding states is located here.
Another thing to consider is if the hamfest is more than a one day event, are the accomodations where you will stay while in town. The Dayton Hamvention has such a HUGE DEMAND for rooms, that they usually SELL OUT OVER A YEAR IN ADVANCE, and the room rates are NOT cheap!!. In fact, the closest rooms may be as much as an hour or more away.
Most other hamfest venues and conventions will usually not have this ''huge demand'', but it's best to not wait until the last minute to book a room. Also, check the gasoline prices and locations in the area. You don't need to run out of gas, or have vehicle trouble going to or from the hamfest.
Once there, you may have to walk a great distance to, from, and at the event itself. So, if you have a disability, bear that in mind. Many places usually have parking for the disabled, but you need to have either a license plate or a special hang tag. The local police agencies WILL ticket and/or tow your vehicle, if you park in one of these spaces without authorization.
1) Dealers, that sell new gear, accessories, antennas, connectors, software, manuals, etc. If you buy computer hardware or software, be sure you scan it for viruses and spyware before using it.
2) Flea market tables, where you can usually get a good deal on used gear, that you couldn't affford new. However, the phrases ''buyer beware'', and ''you get what you pay for'', APPLY!! If the person won't let you test the gear before you purchase it, DON'T BUY IT!! Unfortunately, some of the gear that is ''sold'' ends up as a ''worthless boat anchor doorstop''. If the hamfest has a ''Test Bench'', try the gear out BEFORE you shell out the money, write a check, use your credit card, etc.. Remember, if the price is ''too good to be true'', it probably is.
3) Forums, discussing any of several aspects of the hobby. There may also be an ARRL forum, where you can meet your state section manager, division director, or other officers.
4) VE Testing, where you can take an exam for a new ham radio license, or for a license upgrade. For an overview of what a test session may entail, click here.
5) Concessions, where the local club is selling food and drink, so you don't have to leave the hamfest site to grab a bite to eat, if you don't want to. Restaurants are usually nearby, if you prefer to eat out, as it were.
6) Prize drawings, the main draw of the hamfest. The smaller prizes can be manuals, books, repeater directories, etc. -- while the big prizes can be HT's, mobile or HF rigs. You usually have to be present to win, except for maybe the grand prize.
7) Wouff Hong. If the event is an ARRL State, Section, or Division Convention, lasting for more than a day, there may be the Wouff Hong ceremony. This Secret Society, and its ceremony is a fun part of the hobby...however, I can not go into the details as to what goes on...you have to experience it for yourself. The ceremony is usually held in the mid to late evening hours...midnight is preferred, but sometimes, they'll do it a bit earlier. I went through it at the 2007 ARRL Great Lakes Division Convention, and let's say that ''a good time is had by all''. For further details on the history of the Wouff Hong, click here, and scroll down the page, until you find Wouff Hong.
8) DFing and Fox Hunting. Sometimes there will be a ''fox hunt'' set up where you try to hone your direction finding skills, to locate a hidden transmitter...with the winner usually receiving a nice prize.
9) Displays of various emergency communications or other vehicles, related to amateur radio.
Saturday, March 7, 2009 - Russellville, AR
Saturday, April 25, 2009 - Springdale, AR
NOTE: I plan to attend the Russellville area hamfest, weather permitting.
Saturday, October 25, 2008 - Kirkwood, MO (St. Louis)
Saturday, January 10, 2009 - Springfield, MO
Saturday, October 25, 2008 - East Ridge, TN (Chattanooga)
Saturday, January 3, 2009 - White Pine, TN (Morristown)
Saturday, March 21, 2009 - Union City, TN
Friday and Saturday, November 14 and 15, 2008 - Ocean Springs, MS
Saturday, Dec. 6, 2008 - Poplarville, MS
Saturday, April 25, 2009 - Monroe, LA
Saturday, November 8, 2008 - Azle, TX and Corpus Christi, TX
Saturday, January 10, 2009 - Schertz, TX (San Antonio)
Saturday, November 1, 2008 - Enid, OK
Friday and Saturday, March 13 and 14, 2009 - Claremore, OK
If you're licensed, bring your HT...especially if you're coming as a family or group, to keep track of folks. FRS Radios are available for those who aren't licensed...to keep track of those in your group...as it's easy to get lost among a large crowd of people.
If you are a part of a club that puts these on, you'll find out in a hurry that there is a LARGE AMOUNT OF VOLUNTEER WORK to be done...before, during, and after the hamfest...and it takes a large commitment to make the hamfest a success. Whether you do Talk-In, Admissions, Concessions, Security, VE Testing, Forums, Parking, or something else...your offer to help will be greatly appreciated.
Sadly, many hamfests are disappearing, for a lack of people wanting to put in the effort to put on the hamfest in the first place. So, when you attend a hamfest, let the organizers know how you felt about it. While no hamfest is perfect (there are bound to be glitches), simple encouragement, and ''constructive criticism'' to those who work with it can help prevent those things from occurring at a future hamfest. Don't berate and lecture them as if they committed the unpardonable sin...this spirit of discouragement is one of the reasons that folks don't want to put on hamfests anymore...as if monetary costs (high gasoline prices, etc.) nowadays weren't enough of a deterrent to hamfests.
So, the future of the hamfest...and of the hobby of amateur radio is up to you. Do what you can to keep it alive...and be part of the solution...not part of the problem.