THE VERMONT HAM RADIO CONVENTION
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2012
Holiday Inn Convention Center
Williston Road at I-89 Exit 14
South Burlington, Vermont
THANKS EVERYONE
FOR A TREMENDOUS SHOW!
See You All Next Year: February 23, 2013!
|
HAM-CON is sponsored by the
Radio Amateurs of Northern Vermont.
We are in a super location which is convenient for everyone
and has all the facilities to make this a first class show.
HAM-CON proudly carries on the Milton Hamfest tradition:
30 Years of Great Hamfests in the North Country!
"and still the best little hamfest in the world!"
|
Pictures of Previous Hamfests!
HAM-CON 2011
HAM-CON 2010
HAM-CON 2009
Milton 2008
Milton 2004
Date: Saturday, February 25th, 2012
Times: 8am until 2pm. General admission opens promptly at 8am.
Location: Holiday Inn Convention Center, 1068 Williston Road at I-89 Exit 14, South Burlington.
Admission: General admission $8. See below for early entry and advance sales.
Information: Phone: (802)879-6589, afternoons and evenings, BEFORE hamfest day. Or,
via Email.
Talk in on the WB1GQR repeater on 145.15 MHz(-600). This repeater is
monitored all the time. On Hamfest day, look for prerecorded hamfest
information and announcements on 146.67 MHz.
Holiday Inn is located at Williston Road and Dorset Street, right at the I-89 Exit 14 Interchange.
From the South, I-89, Exit 14 East. Immediately move to the left lane and make a left at the light into the Holiday Inn.
From the North, I-89, Exit 14 East. Immediately move to the left lane and make a left at the light into the Holiday Inn.
FROM THE SOUTH
From NH and Boston: I-93 North, I-89 North through New Hampshire and Vermont to Vermont Exit 14.
From WMa and CT: I-91 North, I-89 North to Exit 14.
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 14.
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 14.
Alternate route: Autoroute 10, Autoroute 35 to Route 133 South to Border. Then I-89 to Exit 14.
FROM THE WEST
The Crown Point Bridge (Connecting VT Rt 17) is OPEN!
The other bridge across Lake Champlain is at Rouses Point.
Winter Ferry crossings:
| Ferry Crossing | Operates | website info |
| Plattsburgh, NY to Grand Isle, VT | 24/7 |
info |
| Essex, NY to Charlotte, VT | 7 AM - 5 PM |
info |
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 14.
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 14.
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 14.
PARKING
We have plenty of free parking on site!
Admission at the door
- General admission is $8. Doors open for general admission at 8:00.
- Early admission is $15. Doors open for early admission at 6:00.
- There is no charge for tables. Tables are first come, first serve. Come early!
- No admission charged for those 12 years and younger.
- Canadian money accepted at par for Canadian residents with driver's or ham license.
Advanced Sales Admission
Advanced sales are closed at this time. Admission is available at the door.
- Advanced sale general admission is $6.
- Advanced sale early admission is $12.
- Advanced Sales close February 19.
- Tickets must be purchased though our Paypal system on-line or at a club meeting.
- Print out your receipt and present it for your ticket.
VENDOR ROOM
The Vendor Room will run from 8:00 until 2:00. There are scores
of tables chock filled with goodies. The offerings range from new to boatanchors and we can never know what jewels
will show up. The new equipment dealers who tentatively plan to be there:
| KJI Electronics |
Carries all major pieces of equipment from Kenwood, Icom, Yaesu, Alinco, Ameritron, Vibroplex, MFJ. |
| The Shoppe at Wulfden |
Ham radio kits, Microprocessor parts and kits, LCD displays and kits. |
| Webster Associates |
A variety of ham radio equipment and supplies, new and used. |
| Dave Schneider |
Dave is the "Connector Guy" with a seemingly endless assortment of connectors and adapters for every need! |
| K2AUO |
Pete has lots of electronic goodies, LED Flashlights and stuff you didn't know you needed until now! |
FORUMS
Forums will run from 8:15 until 1:00.
Details are in the Forums section.
DEMONSTRATIONS AND MINI-FORUMS
NEW THIS YEAR!
The Activities Room will be home to several demonstrations and mini-forums including:
- W1V Special Event Station, with demos of the Elecraft K3 Transceiver and N1MM Logging Program
- Technical Table - Check out your radio's performance
- Software Defined Receiver and Panadapter
- Boost Regulator to get more lifetime from your battery
- Crystal Radio - How it was all done before tubes and transistors!
Check the Forums section for times.
HAM-CON CLOSING CEREMONIES!
This is the place to gather after the goodies have been bought or sold, after the forums and after lunch.
Starting at the conclusion of the last forum (around 12:40), the closing will be a brief activity featuring entertainment,
announcements, acknowledegements and the
(ta-da) the announcement of door prize winners. The closing ceremonies will take place in Forum Room 2-3.
Make sure you set aside time for this event!
DOOR PRIZES
Our grand prize is a Samsung 23 inch High Definition LCD Television, courtesy of WCAX-TV!
Other prizes include $50 and $25 gift certficates for ARRL Publications, an ARRL Handbook from HRO, an XG2 test oscillator kit from Elecraft,
a stereo headset from Ten-Tec, a digital indoor/outdoor digital thermometer from Lowes in addition to other prizes to be announced.
Door prizes will be drawn at the Closing Ceremonies at 12:30 in Forum Room 2-3
No more worrying about missing the drawing while attending a forum. BUT..... you must be physically present to win!
And you must be present to witness our outlandish closing ceremonies!
VE SESSION
The Volunteer Exam Session will be at 1:00 in Forum Room 1. All exams (Element 2, 3 and 4) will be offered.
All VE applicants must bring TWO forms of ID, copy of license and CSCE, if needed,
pen, pencil and $14 exam fee. Fee must be exact change in cash. No checks will be accepted.
FCC COMMERCIAL LICENSE EXAMS
Exams for FCC Commercial Licenses (GROL, MROP, etc) will be at 1:00 in Forum Room 1. Please bring ID, proof of citizenship, pen, pencil
and $50 exam fee. Contact examiner at (802) 879-6589 for details.
SPECIALTY TABLES
- RANV TABLE Located in the Forums Lobby
This is the nerve center of the Convention. Come here for all things related to the Convention and RANV.
- Hamfest Information
- RANV Information
- Join or Renew
- Vermont Amateur Radio Directory
- Copies of past RANV Newsletters
- RANV FLEA MARKET TABLE Located INSIDE the VENDOR Area.
New this year. Bring your stuff for sale and we will try to unload it for you.
- Service for RANV Members Only!
- Limit of 10 pieces per person
- Weight limit of 35 lbs per item, total 100 lbs
- No boat anchors, computers, printers, monitors, etc.
- Sellers provide a manifest of all items, condition and price
- Unsold items go home with owner!
- W1V SPECIAL EVENT STATION Located in the Activities Room
Visit HAM-CON's special event station W1V as we make contacts all over the world!
We are always looking for operators - no matter what your license class! Stop by!
- TECHNICAL TABLE Located in the Activities Room
Test equipment to provide basic measurments along with free technical advice.
- Basic measurements only: voltage, power, sensitivity, deviation
- No repair services
- RACES TABLE Located in the Vendor Area
- ARES TABLE Located in the Vendor Area
- QCWA TABLE Located in the Vendor Area
- MARS TABLE Located in the Vendor Area
WHERE IS EVERYTHING LOCATED?
There are two main areas at HAM-CON:
- Forum Area
Just as you enter the facility, just after admission, turn right and you will head down the Forums Hallway.
In this hallway you will find Forum Rooms 1 & 2 and the Activities Room, along with the RANV Table.
- Vendor Area
Continue walking into the facility and go right at the Hotel Main Desk, then left. Here you will find the entrance
to the Vendor Area.
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!
The forums will run in two different rooms. Forums will run from 8:15 AM until 1:00 PM.
The Forum Room lobby is just to the right of the main entrance.
Forums in Room 1 will generally start around the top of the hour and Forums in Room 2 will start on the half hour.
Forums will conclude in time for attendees to attend the Closing Ceremonies.
Make sure you get to the forums on time. They will not wait!
FORUM ROOM 1
8:15
VIDEO: "THE LAST BIG FIELD DAY"
Think our Field Day is a big deal? Check this one out! This video tells the story of the W3AO Field Day operation
where they attempted to run 50 (yes you read that right), 50 transmitters simultaneously. A great story on how
the big boys play. Sit down, relax, and pass the popcorn!
9:00
THE DOCTOR IS IN!
Joel Hallas W1ZR
The “Doctor is In” column in each issue of QST is very popular with readers. It accepts Amateur Radio questions from readers
and provides short and, hopefully, helpful answers. While the items in the magazine are just a fraction of all that are received,
they are selected with the hope that they will be useful to multiple members of the community who hadn’t yet thought to ask them.
A live “Doctor is In” session works the same way. Bring your questions — technical ones are best.
This year, we'll have Joel live, in the house to answer all of your questions.
10:00
ADD SOME BANDS TO YOUR HF ANTENNA
Joel Hallas W1ZR
For those who want to put more bands on one antennas, Joel will talk about his "Folded Skeleton Sleeve" method. It's fairly
easy to do and works great. You put up a single element with one feedline and get full performance on 2 bands - and NO TRAPS!
You can read up on this in May, September and October, 2011 QST and then bring all your
questions to the forum. Hosted by Joel Hallas W1ZR.
11:00
ARRL FORUM
Join with our ARRL Director and Section Manager as they detail the state of amateur radio in 2012.
The ARRL holds its semiannual meeting in January, so there will be all sorts of things to report on.
The first half of the forum will be informational and the second half will allow ample time for questions and discussion.
Hosted by Tom Frenaye K1KI, ARRL New England Division Director.
12:00
RACES AND THE RESPONSE TO IRENE
Rob Schell W1RVT
We all know many of the stories and hardship and rescue from Tropical Storm Irene in August. This forum focuses on the response
by Vermont Emergency Management, who not only had to evacuate victims all over the state, but also had to evacuate themselves
as Waterbury became inundated. Hosted by Rob Schell W1RVT from Vermont Emergency Management.
FORUM ROOM 2
8:30
USING THE iPHONE 4S FOR HAM RADIO
John Grow VE2EQL
Most every attendee at HAM-CON has some type of cell phone, and many have the iPhone 4S. Did you know that you can use this to get
on Ham Radio? Find out how to use all those interesting phone apps, including transceiver control, logging, Morse Code generation and decoding,
APRS tracking, software defined radio control and Echolink. Hosted by John Grow VE2EQL
9:30
TAMING YOUR COMPUTER
Mike Ferland
Everyone uses a computer today. Many of us incorporate the computer in our ham radio operations and we would be lost without them!
But do you know what to do when your computer STOPS! Mike will cover the newest trends in computers and then move into a general
disucssion of computer maintenance and tricks of the trade. Hosted by Pine Computers.
10:30
THE SOUNDS OF DX
Dr. DX
When you turn on your radio, what do you expect to hear? Distant sounds of DX, wacky weather nets, or a bunch of hams stirring up
a mess o'trouble?
The answer is, you never know what you'll hear, and every visit to the bands is an adventure and a load of fun!
Sadly, many new hams do not get on the air and are missing a great opportunity.
This morning, our famous mystery guest will weave a tale of intrigue, excitement and total laughs
as he recalls his days of talking on and growing up with ham radio. Hosted by Dr. DX.
11:30
GORDON WEST AT HAM-CON!
Gordon West WB6NOA
Live from his well appointed ham shack in Costa Mesa, California, Gordo will be visiting HAM-CON using our high tech video linkup.
Gordo will give the state of ham radio overview, tell us what is hot, and talk about which bands are great for new HF operators!
We'll have some show and tell, plus questions from the audience. If you've ever been to a Gordo Show, you know it will be a wild time!
Come early as we expect a sell-out crowd!
12:40
HAM-CON CLOSING CEREMONIES
Forum Rooms 2 and 3
We will all get together for a brief 20 minute gathering to meet and say goodbye until next year.
We will be treated to a show depicting the humorous moments of the year past, prize giveaways, acknowledgements and the (ta-da!)
door prize drawing! Afterwards feel free to stay and shop in the Vendor Area and chat with friends!
1:00
EXAM SESSION
Forum Room 1
Testing for amateur and commercial FCC licenses. Bring $14.00 exam fee ($50 commercial), two forms of identification, any CSCE’s, pens and pencils. Don’t forget to study!
DEMONSTRATIONS AND MINI-FORUMS
These will be held in the ACTIVITES ROOM. These events only run 10 MINUTES, so be sure to arrive on time or you will miss the show!
| 9:15-9:25 | Crystal Radio | Come see an excellent demonstration on how radio was way back before tubes and transistors.
|
| 9:45-9:55 | Software Defined Radio | A demonstration of a simple device which can produce a panadapter on any receiver.
|
| 10:15-10:25 | N1MM Logging Program | Watch a demonstration on how to set up and use the popular N1MM Logger.
|
| 10:45-10:55 | Elecraft K3 | Check out some of the features and abilities of Elecraft's latest Transceiver.
|
| 11:15-11:25 | Boost Regulator | Find out how to get more operating time out of a dying battery!
|
2012 Forums At A Glance
| TIME |
ROOM 1
|
ROOM 2 |
| 8:00 |
Last Big Field Day (8:15) |
|
| 8:30 |
iPhone on Ham Radio (8:30) |
| 9:00 |
The Doctor Is In! (9:00) |
| 9:30 |
Taming Your Computer (9:30) |
| 10:00 |
Add Some Bands To Your Antenna (10:00) |
| 10:30 |
The Sounds of DX (10:30) |
| 11:00 |
ARRL Forum (11:00) |
| 11:30 |
Gordon West! (11:30) |
| 12:00 |
RACES and the Response to Irene (12:00) |
| 12:30 |
Closing Ceremonies (~12:40) |
| 1:00 |
VE Session (1:00) |
| 1:30 |
VENDOR OPTIONS
Vendors can elect to take advantage of early entry (6:00) or normal entry (8:00).
VENDOR EARLY ENTRY
- Available 6:00-8:00 only
- Admission: $15 at door, $12 in advance
VENDOR NORMAL ENTRY
- Available 8:00 until end of hamfest
- Admission: $8 at door, $6 in advance
- Tables first come, first served
We will reserve tables only for setups of 4 tables or larger. There is still no charge for tables.
Tables are NOT guaranteed.
Get a sneak preview of the Vendor Area by downloading the
Vendor Area MAP in Adobe PDF format. The location
of all tables and services are approximate. Not all tables will be available.
We ask that vendors take all unsold merchandise away at the end of the day.
HAM-COM makes every effort to help our vendors do well at
the show. Please let us know how we can help you!
The Holiday Inn is our Headquarters for HAM-CON.
Call them directly at: 802-863-6363
Here are local phone numbers of other motels in the Burlington area.
This list is information from the phone book. It does not imply any
recommendation, although it's probably
a safe bet that the roof doesn't leak at any of these lodgings.
I-89 exit 14 - Williston Rd
Anchorage Inn 863-7000
Best Western 863-1125
Comfort Inn 863-5541
Doubletree 658-0250
Ethan Allen Inn 863-4573
Hawthorne Suites 860-1212
Ho-Hum Motel 863-4551
LaQuinta Inn 864-4638
Sheraton Inn 865-6600
Swiss Host 862-5734
Rt 15 Colchester (1mi)
Days Inn 655-0900
Handy's Suites 655-6000
I-89 exit 16 Colchester (2mi)
Hampton Inn 655-6177
Quality Inn 655-1400
Motel 6 654-6860
Downtown Burlington (2mi)
Hilton 658-6500
Marriot Courtyard 864-4700
Harper's Restaurant, located on-site will be open until 11 AM only for breakfast items.
There are many, many food locations nearby, within 1/2 mile!
Williston Rd:
| Westbound (same side) |
|
Eastbound (across street) |
Moe's Southwest Grill
Chicken Charlies
Leonardo's Pizza
Burger King
Silver Palace
Quiznos
Zachery's
|
|
McDonald's
Al's French Frys
Marco's Pizza |
Dorset St - University Mall:
Applebee's
IHOP
|
Mall Food Court
Dunkin Donuts
Fortune Cookie
McDonalds
Quiznos
Samosaman
Sbarro
Subway
Taco Bell
|
- University Mall (largest in Vermont) is literally across the street! Bring the family and drop them at the Mall!
Mall opens at 9:30.
- Burlington International Airport 1.5 miles East. Provides a quick way in and out of the Convention!
- Church Street Marketplace 1.5 miles West. Outside and Inside shopping in downtown Burlington.
- Echo Lake Aquarium 2 miles West, foot of College Street. Museum and Educational Center focusing on
life around Lake Champlain. Open 10-5.
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 400 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.
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 25, 2012
Last updated: February 26, 2012