Dayton Hamvention - Hopefully next year!

[n4gix]

Here in the U.S. for the second year in a row the annual "Dayton Hamvention" that would have been this weekend was cancelled. Actually, it was cancelled back in mid-February because of the uncertainty about the condition of the world regarding Covid-19.

For starters, it costs the sponsoring amateur radio club at least $2 million to rent the Xenia Fairgrounds for the four day weekend, print tickets, arrange for electric scooters, renting > 300 golf carts, et cetera.

Average attendance at Hamvention has been around a half-million per year over the past ten years, with over 40% of them from overseas. Vendor's logistical costs can run well into the tens of thousands of dollars, depending on their travel distance. Shoot, it cost me just over a thousand dollars each year I worked as a volunteer as one of the golf cart pilots! 

So yeah, it's pretty disappointing but fully understandable they decided to cancel the event this year!

[mbrun]

I was really looking to go to it this year.

I spent the first 30 years of my life in Dayton. It was a big attraction and news worthy event. However I was not a ham at the time and little expendable income so I never attended.

I did my testing and obtained my license at DARA headquarters. Wow, what a nice facility and good group of people.

I am a member of the Milford Amateur Radio Club and have volunteered to assist with the Cincinnati Ham fest August 28th (CincinnatiHamFest.org). Yeh it will small in comparison but I am still looking forward to it nonetheless.


Michael
WRHS965
KE8PLM

[Lscott]

I was talking to some buddies at a weekly coffee break I go to which are all Hams. Some think the Monroe Michigan swap in June is going to be really popular. I tend to agree. It normally is but this year I think it’s going to get mobbed.

[n4gix]

I am a member of the Hamfesters ARC now. They have ~150 active members, so there are plenty of bodies to accomplish great things!

We are planning our Field Day deployments, as well as a resumption of the annual "Hamfesters Hamfest" in Peotone, IL on Sunday, August 1, 2021. We expect both events to draw good attendance.