HAM-CON 2025

THE VERMONT HAM RADIO CONVENTION
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2025

LIVE at the HAMpton Convention Center
ON-LINE at HAM-CON

Date: Saturday, February 22, 2025

Times: 8am until 1pm. General admission opens promptly at 8am.

Location: Hampton Inn, 42 Lower Mountain View Drive, I-89 Exit 16, Colchester, and right here at hamcon.org.

Information:
Phone: (802)879-6589, 3PM-8PM BEFORE hamfest day.
On-air: Talk in on the WB1GQR repeater on 145.15 MHz(-600).

Regular Admission

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

Advanced Sales Admission

• Advanced sale general admission is $7.
• Advanced sale On-Line admission is $7. See all the forums and special events from home!
• Advanced sale early admission is $14 for vedors and early buyers.
• Advanced sale early admission PLUS table reservation is $25.
• 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.
• EARLY PRICING ENDS FEBRUARY 14. The at-door price is charged after that.

Purchase Tickets

Special Admission Pricing for RANV Members

• RANV special admission is $5 for all admission categories
• Must renew RANV membership for 2025. Join or renew at http://www.ranv.org/ranvpay.html
• Special pricing expires 12/31/24
• Follow the “Contact Ham-Con” link to purchase these tickets
• Tickets can be purchased directly at the RANV Holiday Party on December 23.

HAM-CON Rooming Block at the Hampton Inn

• 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 block.

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.

1. Early entry opens at 6:00 AM.

2. Admission: $18 at door, $14 in advance, We highly recommend buying the admission in advance!

3. 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.

4. Tables are reserved in specific locations for large vendors (more than 2 tables).

5. 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!

6. All vendors MUST take all unsold merchandise away at the end of the day. We have no facilities for hauling stuff away!

7. 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!

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 in the Forums 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” link 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.

SPECIALTY TABLES

• 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.
  • Service for RANV Members Only!
  • 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!
  
  
• TECHNICAL TABLE Located in the Activities area.
  Test equipment to provide basic measurements along with free technical advice.
  • Basic measurements only: voltage, power, sensitivity, deviation
  • No repair services
  
  
• 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.
  
  
  

WHERE IS EVERYTHING LOCATED?

The areas at HAM-CON:

1. Entry Area
   As you enter the facility (remember to use Door C at the BACK!) you will pass the admissions table, and further down the hallway come up to special event station W1V.
2. Activities Area
   After the entry hallway, turn right and you will head down through the Prefunction area, just outside the forum rooms. Here you will find the activities such as the Technical and DMR Tables.
   
3. Vendor Area
   This is the first door on the right off of the Activities area
   
4. Forum 1
   This is the second door on the right off of the Activities area
   
5. Forum 2
   This is the third door on the right off of the Activities area
   
6. Vendor Area MAP showing location of Vendor Area and forums.

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, except when you plan to ask a question.
Make sure you get to the forums on time. They will not wait!

FORUM ROOM 2

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!

FORUM ROOM 1

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!

Mini-Forums and Demonstrations

HAM-CON will also feature several mini-forums and demonstrations throughout the morning. These will typically run 10 minutes. Be sure to be on time or you will miss the show!

Visit Convention 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. Sign up to do some operating during the Convention. Location: Convention entry hallway.

Ongoing: Voltage Divider by “Dr. Jeff”

See how resistance controls voltage. A hands on demo with resistors, electricity, meters, lights, a beeping phase locked loop oscillator, and a field effect transistor that will burn up if we push it too hard. Real life demonstrations of Kirchoff’s second law. Location: Middle of Prefunction Hallway.

Ongoing: Tour of the KI1P Ham Van

Chris will be showing off his 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. Location: At entrance, just opposite ticket sales.

Forums At A Glance

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:

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.

PARKING

We have free parking on site.

HAM-CON uses the Zoom Meeting Platform

Please go here to learn how to set up and check your version of Zoom

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!

Read the article about the 2001 Hamfest in the
Burlington Free Pree

What Else??

Keep checking back here for new information.

Back to RANV Home

HAM-CON

FEBRUARY 22, 2025

Last updated: January 23, 2025