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THE AM BULLETIN BOARD => QSO => Topic started by: Pete, WA2CWA on May 05, 2026, 02:25:38 AM



Title: ARRL Hamfests Scheduled for Hudson Division
Post by: Pete, WA2CWA on May 05, 2026, 02:25:38 AM
In the ARRL Hudson Division, here is a list of tentative hamfests in the metro NY and NJ area. Check the ARRL Hamfest listings for other Divisions, Sections, States, ZIP hamfest happenings: http://www.arrl.org/hamfests-and-conventions-calendar

ARRL Hudson Division, a list of tentative hamfests in the metro NY and NJ area

05/23/2026 - BARA Bergen Amateur Radio Assoc Spring Hamfest
Location: Township of Washington, NJ
Type: ARRL Hamfest
Sponsor: Bergen Amateur Radio Association
Website: http://www.bara.org

05/30/2026 - East Greenbush ARA Hamfest
Location: East Greenbush, NY
Type: ARRL Hamfest
Sponsor: East Greenbush Amateur Radio Association
Website: http://www.EGARA.org

05/31/2026 - Splitrock ARA Tailgate Hamfest
Location: Succasunna, NJ
Type: ARRL Hamfest
Sponsor: Splitrock ARA
Website: http://www.splitrockara.org/hamfest

06/06/2026 - Fair Lawn ARC Hamfest
Location: Fair Lawn , NJ
Type: ARRL Hamfest
Sponsor: Fair Lawn ARC
Website: http://www.Fairlawnarc.org

06/07/2026 - Long Island Outdoor Hamfest and Electronics Fair
Location: Bethpage, NY
Type: ARRL Hamfest
Sponsor: Long Island Mobile Amateur Radio Club
Website: http://limarc.org

06/20/2026 - Raritan Valley Radio Club 2026 Hamfest
Location: Piscataway, NJ
Type: ARRL Hamfest
Sponsor: Raritan Valley Radio Club
Website: http://w2qw.org

07/12/2026 - Sussex County ARC Hamfest
Location: Augusta, NJ
Type: ARRL Hamfest
Sponsor: Sussex County Amateur Radio Club INC.
Website: http://scarcnj.org

08/29/2026 - OMARC Fall Hamfest
Location: Spring Lake, NJ
Type: ARRL Hamfest
Sponsor: Ocean Monmouth Amateur Radio Club
Website: http://www.n2mo.org

09/12/2026 - SCARA 40th Annual Hamfest
Location: Ballston Spa, NY
Type: ARRL Hamfest
Sponsor: ARRL
Website: http://K2DLL.ORG

09/26/2026 - Garden State ARA Hamfest
Location: Tinton Falls, NJ
Type: ARRL Hamfest
Sponsor: Garden State Amateur Radio Association
Website: https://gsara.club

11/08/2026 - Long Island Hamfest and Electronics Fair
Location: Hicksville, NY
Type: ARRL Hamfest
Sponsor: Long Island Mobile Amateur Radio Club
Website: http://www.limarc.org


Title: Re: ARRL Hamfests Scheduled for Hudson Division
Post by: KD1SH on May 07, 2026, 09:35:25 AM
I checked the distances to these, and most have drive times out of proportion to the size of the event. The SCARA event in Ballston Spa might be a possibility. I've heard that it's a somewhat small event, but it's one of the closer ones at roughly 2 hours and 40 minutes.
I went to the East Greenbush show a few years ago, and though it was a nice little event, its size really didn't justify the drive.
Sussex is about a 3 and a half hour drive, but it's a huge show and worth every hour on the road.


Title: Re: ARRL Hamfests Scheduled for Hudson Division
Post by: Pete, WA2CWA on May 09, 2026, 01:51:31 AM
I checked the distances to these, and most have drive times out of proportion to the size of the event. The SCARA event in Ballston Spa might be a possibility. I've heard that it's a somewhat small event, but it's one of the closer ones at roughly 2 hours and 40 minutes.
I went to the East Greenbush show a few years ago, and though it was a nice little event, its size really didn't justify the drive.
Sussex is about a 3 and a half hour drive, but it's a huge show and worth every hour on the road.


When  I first started going to Sussex  in the early 80's, you could walk the entire outdoor hamfest in less then 20 minutes  ;D Bsck then,  I would set up my stuff on my inside tables and then take the walk through the outside setups. Can't do that anymore  ;D


Title: Re: ARRL Hamfests Scheduled for Hudson Division
Post by: KD1SH on May 09, 2026, 10:39:27 AM
I didn't start going to Sussex until five or six years ago, so I don't remember those times, but I'm glad to see that a hamfest has actually grown over the years, rather than shrinking, as many have, with the incursion of online venues.

When  I first started going to Sussex  in the early 80's, you could walk the entire outdoor hamfest in less then 20 minutes  ;D Bsck then,  I would set up my stuff on my inside tables and then take the walk through the outside setups. Can't do that anymore  ;D


Title: Re: ARRL Hamfests Scheduled for Hudson Division
Post by: Pete, WA2CWA on May 10, 2026, 10:00:52 PM
Back in the early 2000's, the hamfest had day conflicts with a Native American Celebration also going on in the fairgrounds. One of the years, the hamfest had to re-locate on the opposite side of the building where the indoor vendors were. Lots of confusion but we all survived.


Title: Re: ARRL Hamfests Scheduled for Hudson Division
Post by: KD1SH on May 12, 2026, 09:45:58 PM
A few years ago, as I was walking through the building, a couple of people walked by, and I heard one of them say, "There's nothing but radio junk in here!"
I was puzzled at first, and then I realized that there was some sort of horse event going on in another part of the fairgrounds, and these were a couple of horsey people who'd wandered over from that event, apparently expecting to find some horse-related stuff in the building.

Back in the early 2000's, the hamfest had day conflicts with a Native American Celebration also going on in the fairgrounds. One of the years, the hamfest had to re-locate on the opposite side of the building where the indoor vendors were. Lots of confusion but we all survived.
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