Hamfests and conventions

What is a hamfest?

In its simplest form, a Hamfest is an event in which amateur radio enthusiasts can get together at a flea market, and buy and sell items of interest. Hamfests sometimes include lectures and trade demonstrations, a significant contribution to continuing education. In nations where volunteer examiners hold primary responsibility in licensing new amateurs, the examinations may be offered to applicants at the hamfest site.

Many hams will travel significant distances to hamfests so as to meet other hams on a social basis.

Hamfests are often sponsored by individual clubs as means of raising money for the purchase and maintenance of repeaters and other equipment. Hamfests of this sort usually occupy one day, but some are significantly longer, perhaps a whole weekend or a number of days.

Hamfests by country

Australia

VK2 New South Wales

• Radio Expo From the Mid North Coast Amateur Radio Group. In January.

VK3 Victoria

• Ballarat Hamvention From the Golfields DX Amateur Radio Club. In October
• Gippsland Gate hamfest From the Gippsland gate radio and electronics club. In July.
• Gippstech technical conference. In July

VK4 Queensland

• Gold Coast hamfest from the Gold Coast Amateur Radio Society. In November.
• Sunfest from the Sunshine Coast Amateur Radio Club. In September.

Canada

VE3 Ontario

• Barrie-Orillia ARC Hamfest. In September.
• Central Ontario hamfest, Kitchener-Waterloo/Guelph. In June.
• Ottawa ARC hamfest and forum, Carp. In September.

VE5 Saskatchewan

• Saskatchewan Amateur Radio League hamfest. In July.

United Kingdom

G

• National Hamfest, Lincoln-Newark. In October.

United States

• List of hamfests, ARRL.org

W

• Dayton Hamvention, Ohio. Mid-May.
• Baltimore Radio Amateur Television Society hamfest and computer fest, Maryland. In July.
• Glacier-Waterton International Peace Park Hamfest, Great Falls MT. In July.
• Huntsville Hamfest, Alabama. In August.