HAM-CON Vermont Ham Radio Convention
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2026
LIVE at the HAMpton Convention Center
ON-LINE at Ham-Con (active day of the event)
Our web site has a new look! If you prefer the classic version go here.
Interview with W1SJ on WVMT about HAM-CON. You can find a summary here…Interview Summary
- If you want to have the “eyeball QSO” with a buddy you have not seen in a while
- Your “junk box” is getting low
- RANV is hosting a flee market table for its members
- Many folks have tables of gear and electronics both used and new
- You want to learn something
- What the heck is AREDN? There is a demo for that!
- Can I talk around the world in the great outdoors? There is a forum for that!
- Is there an Olympics of Ham Radio? There is a forum for that!
- Is the ARRL representing Amateur Radio the way it should be? What ARE they doing anyway? There is a forum for that!
- Is my radio performing okay? Visit the Technical Table!
- What is DMR and how do I program my radio? Visit the DMR Information Table!
- Can I work stations around the globe from a hotel lobby? Visit the W1V remote station demo!
- Can I teach my kids something? HAM-CON is full of demos, forums, and knowledgable folks!
Check out the FAQ for details!
| 2026 HAM-CON FORUMS AND ACTIVITIES |
HAM-CON will have the finest collection of Amateur Radio Informational Forums found at any small convention! There is something which interests every amateur operator. Stop in on a forum or two and learn a whole bunch of new stuff. The forum times are tight, so plan your schedule in advance for best results! No PA announcement will be made at the start of forums, so use your phone or watch alarm to alert you to get to the forum room on time.
The forums will run in two different rooms. Forums will run from 8:30 AM until 1:00 PM. Forums in Room 1 will generally start at the top of the hour and Forums in Room 2 will start on the half hour. Forum speakers will be both live and remote. Forums will also be available on-line. Simply follow the link and you will be directed to the correct meeting location. Forum Rooms 1 and 2 are in separate Zoom links. A third Zoom link will be used for demonstration and meet and greet. Be sure to mute your microphone at all times, escept when you plan to ask a question.
The times listed are in Eastern Standard Time. If you are a remote attendee, be sure to convert to your time zone! Make sure you get to the forums on time. They will not wait!
FORUM ROOM 2
8:30
GET OUT AND GET ON THE AIR
Matt Bannach AC1RI
Parks On The Air is a great program for hams of all ages to have fun outside while also being active. This talk will focus on the practical: Setting an objective, picking a park, selecting the right equipment, operating, closeout and uploading. Get out with family, friends, other hams or alone as adventures await.
9:30
ARRL FORUM
Tom Frenaye K1KI
Our New England Division Director will update us on what is new at the ARRL just after the January Board meeting. Be sure to bring your questions and concerns.
10:30
ELECRAFT: QRO & QRP, HOME & FIELD
Wayne Burdick N6KR
(Remote Presentation) Wayne N6KR, the co-founder of Elecraft, will join us live from California as he talks about the product lineup of Elecraft from the full featured K4, the high powered KPA-1500, portable KX3 and KX2, and the pocket sized KH1. Bring all of your questions as this is Wayne’s favorite part of the presentation!
11:30
WRTC 2026 FROM ENGLAND THIS SUMMER
Mark Haynes M0DXR
(Remote Presentation) The World Radio Team Championship (WRTC) is the ultimate ham radio sporting event! There will be 50 2-person teams from around the world who will go head to head during the Radiosport Competition in July. They will use identical antennas from sites all over East Anglia, an area to the northeast of London. Mark is the head of the committee overseeing all this and will provide details on what it takes to put on such a venture. He will also describe how you can get involved working the competitors and getting recognized for your efforts.
FORUM ROOM 1
9:00
BREAK THAT PILEUP!
This is a fun and interactive event where everyone will become great DX operators! We will start out with some tips and techniques on how to chase DX and deal with pileups and then practice what we’ve learned with our guest panel of DX stations. Don’t miss it!
10:00
OPERATING THE HAM RADIO SATELLITES
Mitch Stern W1SJ
Ham operators have access to a wide variety of satellites orbiting the earth. These orbiting repeaters allow reliable communications without relying on the ionospheric propagation we require on the HF bands. But there are things you need to know to be able to successfully utilize satellite communications. This presentation will go over satellite technology and then focus on the equipment and techniques to make the contacts. There is nothing quite as rewarding as putting all the myriad details together to complete a satellite QSO.
11:00
HAM RADIO’S LOW BANDS: The 630 AND 2250 METER BANDS
Brian Justin WA1ZMS
This talk will cover the basics of operating on the two lowest Amateur bands: 630M (472 kHz) and 2200M (136 kHz). Topics include: simple antennas for backyards, counterpoise grounding, dealing with RF noise, modulations used, what’s DX like, practical rigs. Bring your questions and thoughts for interactive Q&A. These bands are a challenge, yet not impossible.
12:00
DO YOU KNOW YOUR HAM RADIO?
Welcome to our newest game show! Anyone can be a contestant by simply logging into our special web site with their phone. No need to get up into the front of the room or even identify yourself! Just answer the questions quickly and correctly and you may be the winner! Be sure to attend as this is when we draw for door prizes!
| TIME | ROOM 1 | ROOM 2 |
| 8:30 | Get Out and Get On The Air (8:30) | |
| 9:00 | Break That Pileup! (9:00) | |
| 9:30 | ARRL Forum (9:30) | |
| 10:00 | Ham Radio Satellites (10:00) | |
| 10:30 | Elecraft: QRO & QRP (10:30) | |
| 11:00 | Ham Low Bands: 630m & 2250m (11:00) | |
| 11:30 | WRTC 2026 From England (11:30) | |
| 12:00 | Do You Know Your Ham Radio (12:00) | |
| 12:30 |
HAM-CON will feature several demonstrations running throughout the morning. These are the times for the scheduled demonstrations, but feel free to stop by at any time to ask questions.
9:05 Special Event Station W1V
Visit the W1V Special Event station and learn how we can remotely operate a full HF station located 10 miles away. The station will be active all morning. Drop by and make some contacts.
Location: Convention entry hallway.
9:20 UHF Station and DMR Demonstration
View a demonstration of a working DMR radio station. Find out how to get on DMR and learn about details how to use DMR programming software.
Location: Convention entry hallway.
9:50 UHF Station and DMR Demonstration
View a demonstration of a working DMR radio station. Find out how to get on DMR and learn about details how to use DMR programming software.
Location: Convention entry hallway.
10:05 Special Event Station W1V
Visit the W1V Special Event station and learn how we can remotely operate a full HF station located 10 miles away. The station will be active all morning. Drop by and make some contacts.
Location: Convention entry hallway.
10:20 Emergency Preparedness in the Age of Cell Phones
We will learn why amateur radio has an important role in emergency preparedness as community infrastructure is always at potential risk. Specifically, we will learn about the healthcare facility network we have in Vermont.
Location: Prefunction Hallway.
10:50 AREDN: Amateur Radio Emergency Data Network
View a demonstration of a working AREDN setup at 2.4 and 5.8 GHz. AREDN lets you use inexpensive WiFi gear and operate it under your ham radio license.
Location: Convention entry hallway.
11:05 Emergency Preparedness in the Age of Cell Phones
We will learn why amateur radio has an important role in emergency preparedness as community infrastructure is always at potential risk. Specifically, we will learn about the healthcare facility network we have in Vermont.
Location: Prefunction Hallway.
10:20 AREDN: Amateur Radio Emergency Data Network
View a demonstration of a working AREDN setup at 2.4 and 5.8 GHz. AREDN lets you use inexpensive WiFi gear and operate it under your ham radio license.
Location: Convention entry hallway.
Technical Table
Open all morning! Bring in your portable or mobile radio for testing at our portable radio shop. See how the pros keep the radios working!
Location: End of Prefunction Hallway.
I’ve gotta be there!!!
