2014

The Year of the Hamfests!

 
A Ham Radio Down East Challenge to all maine hams and clubs

Hamfest attendance in Maine and elsewhere has been dwindling in recent years. Let's reverse course and make 2014 the Year of the Hamfests!


Success depends upon these six requirements being met:


1. Communications. We are hams, right? So let's communicate and get the word out on all the hamfests. Make sure you send a concise announcement to Maine's ARRL Public Information Coordinator, Bill Crowley, K1NIT. Send your info to [email protected] He will Post it on the Maine ARRL web site and then your bulletin will be read on many nets, including the 12-County ARES Net and the Maine Sea Gull Net.  HRDE will also publicize your event. Social media are also powerful advertising tools for your hamfest. Regularly promote your event on Facebook, Twitter, and other media. Send press releases to local and regional newspapers. Contact other clubs and seek their support in spreading the word.


2. Give your hamfest a FACELIFT. Modernize! Innovate! Let's get the attention of younger, potential hams by peaking their interests and exciting them about the Amateur Radio Service. Each hamfest should have at least one modern, youth-orientated demonstration or event. Some already do. Digital modes, satellites, balloon launches are popular. Using your iPad or Smartphone with Ham Radio are some ideas that could work. Brainstorm!


3. Invite other electronics vendors with products younger folks might be interested in.


4. Have a stellar Information Booth with pamphlets about ham radio. Make available study materials.


  1. 5.Hold a Volunteer Examination session at your hamfest and make sure it is publicized well in advance, so people have the time to study. Get commitments from more than just 3 VEs so you will be confident you will have enough to conduct an exam session and not have to turn away any applicant.


6. Ham It Up!  We all know that family and work come before our favorite hobby. That being said, maybe we can up the ante on support among the ham community. As a ham radio operator, if you have never attended a hamfest before, go to one or two in 2014. For all you regular hamfest fans, try to support as many events in 2014 as you can. Offer to help organize your club’s event, or assist in some other way. Give others who have no transportation a ride to the hamfest  Carpool and share gas expenses to cope with economic conditions. Never tailgated before? Maybe 2014 is the time for you to clean out the shack and unload some of the gear and accessories you have amassed through the years!

Suggestion by Steve KA1RXX


I welcome N1EP's suggestions for hamfests and how we can get young

people interested in amateur radio.


I would like to add my own thoughts:


Let us consider: What do we have to offer and entice young people?


This isn't the 1960's. Archie comics, scouting and talking to astronauts

aren't going to do it.


First we must consider how we appear to this generation.


Some hamfests of late have been rather sad affairs. They are no longer

well attended. There is often a critical mass of old, grumpy, cheap,

male hams. At last year's Hermon hamfest one was loudly complaining that

"...kids these days just don't want to work." He sounded like Eddie

Rickenbaker. We have seen the cars at Windsor adorned with "Put Your

Lipstick on My Dipstick" and "Muck Fuslims".


Take note that the kids at the Hermon balloon launch didn't mix with the

ham crowd.


So, what to do?


Hamfests should become communications, electronics or technology fests.

Once people arrive be prepared to tell them about amateur radio. Let 18

and under in free. Maybe women as well.


Send notices to all media outlets. Put up well designed posters and send

them to all schools. Stay away from ham jargon; explain what hamfests

and tailgating are.


And have as your motto and announce it and mean it: "There is no such

thing as a dumb question".


-Steve, KA1RXX