The Dayton Hamvention is one of the two largest amateur radio convention (or hamfest) in the world. [1] [2] It is held each May in the Dayton, Ohio area and draws attendees from various parts of the world. Since 2017, it has been held at the Greene County Fairgrounds in Xenia, Ohio near Dayton. [3] Prior to this it was held in late April until 1996 when it changed to mid May at the Hara Arena in Trotwood, Ohio.
The first Hamvention occurred on March 22, 1952 at the Biltmore Hotel in Dayton (QST March 1952).
Hara Arena had been the home of Dayton Hamvention since 1964. [4] The Hara Arena announced its closure in 2016 with the 2017 Hamvention being forced to move as a result.
The 2019 Hamvention drew 32,462 paid attendees over its three days, and offered a wide variety of activities for amateur radio enthusiasts, including:
The 2020 Dayton Hamvention was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the first cancellation in the 68-year history of the event. [5]
On January 11, 2021, Hamvention Organizers Dayton Amateur Radio Club (DARA) announced that the 2021 event had also been cancelled, citing delays in widespread availability of vaccines for the COVID-19 virus and the emergence of more communicable forms of the virus. [6]
In amateur radio, QRP operation refers to transmitting at reduced power while attempting to maximize one's effective range. QRP operation is a specialized pursuit within the hobby that was first popularized in the early 1920s. QRP operators limit their transmitted RF output power to 5 W or less regardless of mode.
Xenia is a city in and the county seat of Greene County, Ohio, United States. Located in southwestern Ohio, it is 15 miles (24 km) east of Dayton and is part of the Dayton metropolitan area as well as the Miami Valley region. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 25,441. The city's name comes from the Greek word Xenia (ξενία), which means "hospitality".
Trotwood is a city in Montgomery County, Ohio, United States. The population was 23,070 at the 2020 census. A suburb of Dayton, it is part of the Dayton metropolitan area. The city is served by the Trotwood-Madison City School District.
The American Radio Relay League (ARRL) is the largest membership association of amateur radio enthusiasts in the United States. ARRL is a non-profit organization, and was co-founded on April 6, 1914, by Hiram Percy Maxim and Clarence D. Tuska of Hartford, Connecticut. The ARRL represents the interests of amateur radio operators before federal regulatory bodies, provides technical advice and assistance to amateur radio enthusiasts, supports a number of educational programs and sponsors emergency communications service throughout the country. The ARRL has approximately 161,000 members. In addition to members in the US, the organization claims over 7,000 members in other countries. The ARRL publishes many books and a monthly membership journal called QST.
The annual Simulated Emergency Test (SET) is a training exercise involving the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) and the National Traffic System (NTS), a message-handling service of amateur radio. The American Radio Relay League is a prime mover in this event, which is organized somewhat like a contest. Its primary purposes are to evaluate strengths and weaknesses in emergency preparedness and communications, and to demonstrate amateur radio to the public.
A Hamfest is a convention of amateur radio enthusiasts, often combining a trade show, flea market, and various other activities of interest to amateur radio operators (hams). In the United Kingdom the term rally is more commonly used for amateur radio conventions. "Hamfests" were noted as early as 1924 in the U.S.
In times of crisis and natural disasters, amateur radio is often used as a means of emergency communication when wireline, cell phones and other conventional means of communications fail.
Hara Arena was a 5,500-seat multi-purpose arena located in the Trotwood, Ohio suburb of Dayton. The facility began as a ballroom in 1957, added an arena in 1964 and grew to a six-building complex which closed in August 2016.
An amateur radio operator is someone who uses equipment at an amateur radio station to engage in two-way personal communications with other amateur operators on radio frequencies assigned to the amateur radio service. Amateur radio operators have been granted an amateur radio license by a governmental regulatory authority after passing an examination on applicable regulations, electronics, radio theory, and radio operation. As a component of their license, amateur radio operators are assigned a call sign that they use to identify themselves during communication. About three million amateur radio operators are currently active worldwide.
WZDA is a commercial radio station licensed to Beavercreek, Ohio, serving the Dayton metro area, owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. As of December 27, 2021, it broadcasts country music on its standard analog transmission, using the "New Country 103.9" moniker, after previously being an alternative rock station called "Alt 103.9." The WZDA studios are located in Dayton, while the station transmitter resides in the neighboring suburb of Moraine. Besides a standard analog transmission, WZDA broadcasts in HD Radio, and is available online via iHeartRadio.
Vintage amateur radio is a subset of amateur radio hobby where enthusiasts collect, restore, preserve, build, and operate amateur radio equipment from bygone years, such as those using vacuum tube technology. Popular modes of operation include speaking over amplitude modulation (AM), and communicating using Morse code through continuous wave (CW) radiotelegraphy. Some enthusiasts have interest in owning, restoring and operating vintage military and commercial radio equipment such as those from 1940s to 1960s. Some undertake to construct their own gear, known in ham slang as homebrewing, using vintage parts and designs. A number of amateur radio clubs and organizations sponsor contests, events, and swap meets that cater to this specialized aspect of the hobby.
The history of amateur radio, dates from the dawn of radio communications, with published instructions for building simple wireless sets appearing at the beginning of the twentieth century. Throughout its history, amateur radio enthusiasts have made significant contributions to science, engineering, industry, and social services. Research by amateur radio operators has founded new industries, built economies, empowered nations, and saved lives in times of emergency.
WBZI is a daytime-only radio station in Xenia, Ohio, United States, operating with 500 watts. Its current owner Town and Country Broadcasting operates it with a country oldies format serving Greene, Clark, eastern Montgomery and surrounding counties. Its downtown studios are located on West Second Street and transmitter on East Kinsey Road World news from Fox News Radio is aired at the top of the hour in addition to farm and agriculture news from the ABN throughout the day.
Homebrew is an amateur radio slang term for home-built, noncommercial radio equipment. Design and construction of equipment from first principles is valued by amateur radio hobbyists, known as "hams", for educational value, and to allow experimentation and development of techniques or levels of performance not readily available as commercial products. Some items can be home-brewed at similar or lower cost than purchased equivalents.
An amateur radio net, or simply ham net, is an "on-the-air" gathering of amateur radio operators. Most nets convene on a regular schedule and specific frequency, and are organized for a particular purpose, such as relaying messages, discussing a common topic of interest, in severe weather, emergencies, or simply as a regular gathering of friends for conversation.
Amateur radio, also known as ham radio, is the use of the radio frequency spectrum for purposes of non-commercial exchange of messages, wireless experimentation, self-training, private recreation, radiosport, contesting, and emergency communications. The term "amateur" is used to specify "a duly authorized person interested in radioelectric practice with a purely personal aim and without pecuniary interest"; and to differentiate it from commercial broadcasting, public safety, or professional two-way radio services.
Ham Radio (HR) was a monthly amateur radio enthusiast magazine published in the United States from November 1967 to June 1990.
Although there is anecdotal evidence of an amateur radio club in Omaha prior to World War II, The Ak-Sar-Ben Amateur Radio Club (AARC), as it exists today, was started in 1945 and has been affiliated with the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) since that time. The club is not affiliated with The Knights of Ak-Sar-Ben.
The Yaesu FT-891 is a HF and 6 meters all mode mobile amateur radio transceiver. The FT-891 was first announced to the public by Yaesu at the 2016 Dayton Hamvention. The radio has 100 watts output on CW, SSB, and FM modulations and 25 watts of output in AM. As a mobile transceiver the FT-891 is well suited for mobile installation in vehicles, and weighing less than 5 pounds it is often used for field activations such as Summits On The Air and Parks On The Air. The radio has been praised for its noise reduction and sensitive receiver. Common criticisms of the radio include its many menus that are difficult to navigate with its small screen, the lack of VHF/UHF capabilities, and lack of an internal antenna tuner. Although the radio lacks an internal sound card it still has input and output jacks for audio and be controlled over a USB cable allowing the radio to use digital modes such as WinLink, PSK31 and FT8.