EAWA Take-Aways from the HamXposition

Barbara KC1SSY, Stan W1BOY, and I (Marion W1GRL) attended the 41st Northeast HamXposition & ARRL New England Division Convention, held August 22 – 25, in Marlborough, Massachusetts. The short story is that we had a great time! 

For most of Friday, all day Saturday, and a bit on Sunday, there were 10-15 different activities, presentations, or meetings occurring each hour. Some of the presentations were linked by themes, such as such as POTA and EmComm, and others had a more unique focus, such as Linux, AMSAT, antenna phasing and matching, and even a merging of Minecraft and ham radio to become RadioCraft. There were continual Kit Building activities, a Tech in a Day session, and several VEC testing sessions. Many groups used this convention to schedule club and organizational gatherings, including the Young Ladies Radio League (YLRL) and the New England QRP Club. And as if that wasn’t enough, there was a Flea Market to browse. Obviously we had to pick and choose our sessions, so I asked Barbara and Stan if they would share their personal highlights. 

Barbara KC1SSY shared, in her words: This is my first time attending a larger ham radio conference and I had a great time. I met many other hams and had some great conversations with them and learned a lot from them. I attended many interesting seminars – the hardest part was picking between them on which ones to attend. I attended a seminar on Ham Radio support and the Boston Marathon which provided some useful tips for the EAWA’s support for the MDI marathon. I also enjoyed a presentation about the 13 Colonies Special Event and all the work that happens behind the scenes before, during and long after the event. The majority of my focus was related to EmComm, FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency), Skywarn, the National Traffic System and MARS (Military Auxiliary Radio Service) – I even signed up to start the approval process to become a MARS member. I find the important role that amateur radio enthusiasts have supporting so many missions of other groups fascinating. I was reminded that on those very bad days, when things are falling apart, ham radio operators are there to help.

Stan W1BOY shared, in his words: The highlight of the HamXposition for me was the Mini Contest University arranged and presented by DX Engineering, running 9am to 5pm on Friday.  Unlike the full Contest University which is held the Thursday before the Hamvention begins, the mini University is only a single track, not 4, and targeting beginning and causal contesters. Randy, K5ZD, started the day with my favorite talk titled, “Getting Started in Contesting.”  It was an information-packed hour discussing station readiness, building critical skills, logging, planning, and important tasks before the contest. He finished his hour with the following summary: Set goals, do your best, enjoy the journey, submit your log, and plan to improve for the next time. For me the Contest University was worth the trip to Marlborough, and that was just the first day. Then came the icing on the cake; other great talks, meeting YouTube and podcast celebs, banquet speakers, talking with FlexRadio people and other vendors, and of course the prizes. I’m already planning for next year.

For me (Marion W1GRL), the all-day Mini Contest University on Friday was also my top highlight. Including Randy’s presentation, sessions covered contest ethics, strategy, desk ergonomics, radios, antennas, remote operating, and FT8 contesting. My top take-aways were to get on the radio often in any contesting situation, set personal goals, and have fun! The HamXposition is large enough to bring in some of the best people in ham radio, and yet small enough that you can actually talk these amazing people. (I admit to going full “fan girl” by asking for selfies throughout the weekend.) Another impactful experience was the presentation by Dr. Tamitha Skov, WX6SWW, the Space Weather Woman. It’s clear she’s a teacher, understands ham radio, and is an expert with a far reach into many industries. After her presentation I’m energized to learn more about space weather. I also learned a few tips and tricks in the presentations on the 13 Colonies, Winter Field Day, and how to up-your-game in POTA Hunting.

I hope we have inspired you to consider attending the Northeast HamXposition next year. Our personal observations make it clear that you can choose the presentation to match your interests. The weekend was energizing, inspirational, and educational. Best of all, the convention increased our awareness of the new and growing areas in amateur radio and brought new people into our personal circles of acquaintances and friends.
Written by Marion W1GRL