FAQ

Full Interview

Summary

On “The Morning Drive,” hosts Curt and Anthony interview Mitch Stern about the upcoming HamCon, Vermont’s ARL State Convention for ham radio operators and electronics enthusiasts. Scheduled for tomorrow at the Hampton Inn, the event will gather participants from various regions, including New England and Canada. Mitch shares insights into the convention’s activities, such as forums on radio communication, a flea market for vintage equipment, and initiatives to attract younger audiences. He describes the unique experience of ham radio, emphasizing its ability to connect people globally without relying on traditional telephone services. The conversation highlights the social aspect of ham radio and its significance as a reliable communication method during emergencies.

Key Insights

• HamCon serves as a central gathering point for ham radio operators and electronics enthusiasts from various regions.
• The convention has been held annually since 1981, showcasing its enduring popularity and relevance.
• Ham radio allows users to communicate globally, fostering unique relationships and experiences across different cultures.
• The hobby promotes community engagement, including efforts to attract younger participants through interactive activities and raffles.
• Ham radio operators must obtain a license, ensuring they understand regulations and responsible communication practices.

FAQ Summary

What is HamCon and when does it take place?

HamCon is Vermont’s ARL State Convention for ham radio operators, taking place annually on the fourth Saturday of February.

Why is ham radio still relevant today?

Ham radio provides a unique means of communication that operates independently of traditional phone systems and the internet, making it vital for emergency situations.

How do I become a ham radio operator?

To become a ham radio operator, one must pass a licensing exam that covers rules and regulations governing radio communication.

What activities can attendees expect at HamCon?

Attendees can participate in forums, a flea market for vintage equipment, and various science activities, including those aimed at engaging younger audiences.

Regular Admission

• General admission is $12. Doors open for general admission at 8:00AM
  • Exact amounts appreciated
• Early admission is $18. Doors open for early admission at 6:00AM
• Tables are available only for those using early admission. NO VENDOR SETUP AFTER 8:00
• FREE admission for those 18 years and younger
• Canadian money accepted at par for Canadian residents with driver’s or ham license

Advanced Admission Sales

• Advanced sale general admission is $7. EARLY PRICING ENDS FEBRUARY 14
  • $12 at-the-door price is charged starting Feb 15th
• Advanced sale On-Line admission is $7. See all the forums and special events from home!
• Advanced sale early admission is $14 for vendors and early buyers
  • $18 at-the-door price is charged starting Feb 15th
• Advanced sale early admission PLUS table reservation is $25

Special Notes

• On-line access available with any admission
• Tickets must be purchased though our Paypal system on-line
• Print out your receipt and present it for your ticket

Join or renew RANV membership at http://www.ranv.org/ranvpay.html

Please enter where shown. It is difficult to find where to go if entering from the main entrance.

Talkpod has graciously donated a number of their A36plus MAX HTs. These are VHF/UHF 8-watt units with wide band receive. Details on this radio can be found here. Talkpod is pushing to promote youth in amateur radio and this raffle is entirely for the youngsters! There is a high likelihood of picking up a nice handheld radio, but you must register!

To take part in the raffle, you have to meet these requirements:

1. Be 18 years of age or younger (birth date AFTER February 21, 2006)
2. Be accompanied to the show by an adult
3. Hold a valid ham radio license OR
   • Be registered in hamclass.net OR
   • Be registered in a recognized ham class OR
   • Have a receipt for a purchase of any ham radio license prep book

The goal is to encourage youngsters to get their ham license and get active in ham radio. Be sure to bring youngsters with you to the show!Youth admission is FREE. And we will have a number of radio demonstrations which we are sure they will find interesting!

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.
Make sure you get to the forums on time. They will not wait!

Forum Location MAP

FORUM ROOM 1 (Start on the hour)

9:00
DIGITAL MODES ON HF
Matt Bannach AC1RI

Matt will present a survey of some of the various digital modes used on HF, including FT8, FT4, PSK-31, JT65, WSPR, Olivia, and others. Details will include the modes strengths and weaknesses, setup, software and logging.

10:00
ARRL FORUM
Tom Frenaye K1KI ARRL NE Division Director

Tom has returned to the New England Director seat this year after a 6-year layoff. The ARRL recently held their annual meeting. Many things have been going on at the ARRL over the last few years and Tom will provide us with details on all of them.

11:00
RANV’S W1NVT FIELD DAY OPERATION
Ron Rossi KK1L and Mitch Stern W1SJ

W1NVT has been a consistent major player in Field Day over many years, often scoring amongst the top stations. How does a small club in a tiny state pull this off? Mitch and Ron describe the organization, stations, antennas and IT setup to make all of this work.

12:00
THE WEAKEST RADIO LINK

You probably have seen or heard of this popular game show. Quite simply, we will ask a group of contestants a bunch of ham radio related questions and we’ll see how many each contestant gets correct. Then the contestants get to vote the “weakest link” off the show. This is a fast moving and exciting show, which made its debut at HAM-CON 2024. Be sure to study up on your ham radio knowledge – you make get asked THAT question. During the break, we will also give away valuable door prizes, so be sure to be there!

FORUM ROOM 2 (Start on the 1/2 hour)

8:30
LIFE’S NOT TOO SHORT FOR QRP IF YOU KNOW THE TRICKS
Anthony Luscre K8ZT

(Remote Presentation) Anthony will start with a short description of QRP operating and then focus on the techniques, tips and tricks for success. Some of the key topics: The most important parts of your station, what you say and do not say, the role of contesting, choosing right bands and modes and finally, equipment and accessories. After attending this talk, you will be a top notch QRP contender!

9:30
THE K1TTT SUPER STATION
Dave Robbins K1TTT

(Remote Presentation) Dave has running a multiop super station and hosting contest events for over 40 years! The operation consists of 7 main stations covering 160-10 meters and VHF with multiple antennas for each band. He will give details on how all this works, and how the station has been automated. The station is accessible remotely from operators from all over the world using software on their computer.

10:30
WHAT IS AREDN AND WHAT CAN WE DO WITH IT
Jay Taft K1EHZ

AREDN – Amateur Radio Emergency Data Network has a main goal of “delivering quality, high speed, data communications.” The AREDN firmware allows hams to repurpose common consumer Wifi equipment for use on Part 97 and shared Part 15 channels in the 2.4 and 5.8 GHz bands. Learn how to use inexpensive equipment to build a highly customizable and capable IP-based mesh network and cool stuff you can do with the network once you set it up!

11:30
NEW PRODUCTS AT DX ENGINEERING
Tim Duffy K3LR

(Remote Presentation) Probably the most popular activity in ham radio is buying more toys for the shack. Just check out the Flea Market! Many of us have worked Tim’s super station in contests. His other hat is that of GM of DX Engineering. He will sit down with us this morning and showcase several new products they are offering at DXE. Which ones? You will have to attend to find out!

TIME	ROOM 1	ROOM 2
8:30		QRP Techniques (8:30)
9:00	Digital Modes (9:00)
9:30		K1TTT Super Station (9:30)
10:00	The ARRL Forum (10:00)
10:30		AREDN (10:30)
11:00	RANV’s Field Day Station (11:00)
11:30		New Products at DXE (11:30)
12:00	The Weakest Radio Link (12:00)
12:30

HAM-CON will feature several demonstrations running continuously throughout the morning.

Special Event Station W1V

Stop by and visit our Special Event Station W1V! This is a fully remote station which is computer connected to the actual transmitter and antenna 10 miles away. Plenty of neat things to see on the monitors. Sign up to get on the air during the Convention. Prizes for working the furthest DX!
Location: Convention entry hallway.

Seeing and Hearing the Effects of Electricity

This is a demonstration where we will all be able to see and hear the effects of changing voltage in a circuit. Learning how these principles work is the basis for how electricity does all sorts of cool stuff. A hands on demo with resistors, electricity, meters, lights, and a beeping phase locked loop oscillator. GREAT demonstration for the youngsters!
Location: Prefunction Hallway.

Aircraft Tracking

Airplanes have been in the news lately. This will be a demonstration of ADS-B, which is a system whereby aircraft broadcast their exact position via radio. From our microwave receiver we will be able to receive and track aircraft in our area.
Location: Prefunction Hallway.

Tour of the KI1P Ham Van

We will be showing off KI1P’s mobile ham shack all morning. Stop by, visit and perhaps make a few contacts!
Location: Just outside the Convention entrance (Door C).

VHF/UHF Station and DMR Demonstration

Stop by and see a demonstration of the features of DMR – Digital Mobile Radio using UHF and VHF communications.
Location: At entrance, just opposite ticket sales.

Technical Table

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.

INDOOR FLEA MARKET – VENDOR ROOM
The Vendor Room will run from 8:00 until 1:00. Vendors must arrive no later than 8:00 to avoid crowds during setup. There will be tables chock filled with goodies. The offerings range from new to boat anchors and we can never know what jewels will show up.

FORUMS
We will have eight forums running all morning between 9AM-1PM. Forum speakers will be both live and via Zoom. Forums can be viewed live, or via on-line access.
Details are above in the FORUM Information section.

DOOR PRIZES
We will have a limited number of gift certificates which will be awarded on-line to attendees who register before February 22. We will also have some prizes to give away to attendees after 12:30.

QSL CARD CHECKING
Find Mitch W1SJ and give him an envelope with your cards, application and payment. You can then pick the cards up several days later. No shipping will be available.

W1V SPECIAL EVENT STATION
The W1V Special Event Station is BACK! Our fully remote station will link to a nearby station with large antennas. W1V will be located just after you enter the Convention. Be sure to put the headphones on and make a few contacts. Person working the best DX will get a prize!

VE SESSION
The Volunteer Exam Session will be at 1:30 in Forum Room 2. All exams (Element 2, 3 and 4) will be offered. All VE applicants must pre-register and have proper ID, FRN, copy of license and CSCE, if needed, pen, pencil. There will be a $15 fee. Please go to http://www.ham-con.org/hcexam.html for full details on how to pre-register and what to bring.

FCC COMMERCIAL LICENSE EXAMS
Exams for FCC Commercial Licenses (GROL, MROP, etc) will be at 1:30 in Forum Room 2. YOU MUST PRE-REGISTER by contacting the commercial examiner using the Contact Ham-Con form or by calling 802-879-6589 weekday afternoons. You will need to bring bring ID, proof of citizenship, FRN Number, pen, pencil and $50 exam fee.

• ADMISSION AREA
• Admission to the Convention
• Join RANV or renew your RANV Membership
• There will be no ticket box at the door this year.

• RANV FLEA MARKET TABLE Located INSIDE the VENDOR Area.
  • Bring your stuff for sale and we will try to sell it for you.
  • Limit of 15 pieces per person
  • Weight limit of 30 lbs per item
  • No boat anchors, computers, printers, monitors, etc.
  • Sellers to provide a manifest of all items, condition and price
  • Unsold items MUST go home with owner!
  • Service for RANV Members Only!
• TECHNICAL TABLE Located in the Activities area.
  • No repair services
  • Basic measurements only: voltage, power, sensitivity, deviation
  • Test equipment to provide basic measurements along with free technical advice.

• DMR INFORMATION TABLE Located in the Activities area.
• The place to go to learn about Digital Mobile Radio (DMR). This activity will also be available On-line.

MAP

Hampton Inn is located on Lower Mountain Rd. This is just off of Roosevelt Highway, Routes 2/7, just north of I-89 Exit 16.

From the South, I-89, Exit 16. Make a right at the light onto Routes 2/7 and then another right at the next light
at Lower Mountain Road.

From the North, I-89, Exit 16. Make a left at the light onto Routes 2/7 and then a right at the next light
at Lower Mountain Road.

FROM THE SOUTH

From NH and Boston: I-93 North, I-89 North through New Hampshire and Vermont to Vermont Exit 16.

From WMa and CT: I-91 North, I-89 North to Exit 16.

From NY: New York State Thruway or Taconic Parkway to Albany.
Adirondack Northway (I-87) to Exit 20 – Fort Ann. Route 149 12
miles to Route 4. Route 4 north 18 miles to Vermont Route 22A.
Route 22A north 43 miles to Route 7. Route 7 22 miles north to I-189.
I-189 to I-89 to Exit 16.

FROM THE NORTH

From Montreal: Autoroute 15 to border, I-87 Exit 42 to Rt 11 to Rouses Point
Bridge to Vermont. Route 2 South to Route 78 East to Swanton. I-89 South to
Exit 16.

Alternate route: Autoroute 10, Autoroute 35 to Route 133 South to Border. Then I-89 to Exit 16.

FROM THE WEST

Lake Champlain Bridge Crossings:

• Crown Point Bridge is VT Route 17 connecting Addison, VT to Crown Point, NY.
• Rouses Point Bridge is US Route 11 connecting Alburgh, VT to Rouses Point, NY.
  

Lake Champlain Winter Ferry crossings:

Ferry Crossing	Operates
Plattsburgh, NY to Grand Isle, VT	24/7
Essex, NY to Charlotte, VT	7 AM – 5 PM

The ferry crossings schedules are subject to adverse ice conditions. Always check their
web sites prior to crossing.

The Ticonderoga, NY to Bridport, VT Ferry is CLOSED for the season!

From Rouses Point area: Northway I-87 Exit 42, Route 11 to Rouses Point. Look for signs for U.S. Route 2 and
Rouses Point Bridge to Vermont. Go 2 miles past Alburgh and go left on Vermont Route 78. Continue on Route 78 through
Swanton and look for I-89 South. Continue on I-89 to Exit 16.

From Plattsburgh area: Northway I-87 Exit 39, Rt 314 to Ferry. (Runs every 15 min, $10 each direction).
On Vermont side, right on Rt 314 to end at Route 2, right on Route 2 South, 20 miles to
I-89. Go south one exit to Exit 16.

From Crown Point area: Northway I-87 Exit 28, New York Route 74. Go North on New York Route 9N. (DO NOT go into
Ticonderoga or follow signs for Ticonderoga Ferry, as this is closed for the season). Continue on 9N for 11 miles and
turn onto New York Route 17. This crosses the new brige into Vermont. Continue on Vermont Route 17 East to Vermont Route 22A. Go left
and take Route 22A North. At Route 7, go left and continue North on Route 7. Take I-189 to I-89 North to Exit 16.

• Special room rate of $139 plus tax and fee
• Special room rate expires February 10
• Use the link shown, or call the hotel directly at 802-655-6177 and tell them you want the HAM-CON Room blockWe require that vendors and flea market sellers arrive BEFORE 8:00 to set up their tables. The room gets too crowded to start carrying in sales items after that. If you are selling, please buy an early ticket and have your table set up by 8AM

HAM-CON 2025 Room Block

• We require that vendors and flea market sellers arrive BEFORE 8:00 to set up their tables. The room gets too crowded to start carrying in sales items after that. If you are selling, please buy an early ticket and have your table set up by 8AM
• Early entry opens at 6:00 AM
• Admission: $18 at door, $14 in advance, We highly recommend buying the admission in advance!
• Tables are FREE. They are available on a first come, first served – No guarantees made on space or table availability. There are less tables available this year, so plan accordingly
• Tables are reserved in specific locations for large vendors (more than 2 tables)
• Tables and spaces can be reserved for $25, which includes 1 early admission. This will guarantee your table until 8:00. There are no refunds for tables reserved and not used!
• All vendors MUST take all unsold merchandise away at the end of the day. We have no facilities for hauling stuff away!
• Get a sneak preview of the Vendor Area by downloading the Vendor Area MAP. The location of all tables and services are approximate. Not all tables will be available
• HAM-COM makes every effort to help our vendors do well at the show. Please let us know how we can help you!
• Vendor Area MAP

The Milton Hamfest started in 1983 as the “Northern Vermont Electronics Show.” It was conceived by WB1BWV, WB2JSJ and others as a way to get Vermont hams together for swapping equipment and socializing during the long winter. The admission back then was $2. The philosophy of the Milton Hamfest has always been to bring hams and experimenters together for learning new things and having fun. The hamfest has always been organized and run by a tiny group of volunteers, who, like everyone else, pay admission!

The hamfest started with humble beginnings and an attendance around 150. Today, the hamfest draws around 300 people, which is a sizable number considering the small size of Vermont. Attendees come from Vermont, Northern New York, Quebec and New Hampshire. A few come from Southern New England as well.

Over the years, some changes were made which we hope will keep the hamfest a great one. After many years of being an independent show, Milton is now sponsored by the Radio Amateurs of Northern Vermont (RANV), and is the ARRL Vermont State Convention. And in 2009, we moved it to a Convention facility. In 2020 we held one of the last live hamfests before COVID. Our 2021 show was totally on-line and featured forums and an on-line flea market. In 2022, we went to a hybrid show with both live and on-line elements. We are back to a full live show, but we will continue to make the forums available to off-site attendees. We have worked hard to bring in more Forum Speakers and live demonstrations. The Forum program at HAM-COM is the best you find at a small show.

It is the goal of the HAM-CON to keep attendance levels stable and even show some growth even though hamfests all over the country have been declining in attendance over the last couple of years. We cannot do this without YOU! Please make every effort to join us!