Roanoke Robotics & Makers Club of Southwest Virginia

Roanoke HamFest 2013

Aug 3, 2013 · 11:00 PM
Willam Byrd High School

What's a Hamfest ? Its a festival (sort of) for Ham Radio. There are testing sessions, electronic parts vendors, radio vendors, private retail equipment sales, an outdoor radio flea market, radio organizations, info sessions, alot of collaborating & socializing...............
There is also a caterer that offers excellent comfort food.

The point of this meetup, amateur radio license exams at this hamfest this year are FREE, and entry to the exam area is also FREE (but only the exam area).
If a tester passes one exam, they automatically get to test for the next higher class. Amateur Radio has 3 classifications of license: Technician (beginner), general, extra(most frequency privileges)
For example, A license is needed to legally use wireless transmitter in the 5.8 Ghz band for wireless TV cameras.
Practice exams can be found at http://www.eham.net/exams/
or http://www.qrz.com/hamtest/ and also other internet sites.

If you want to take advantage of the hamfest's other activities, there is a entrance fee of $6. Hamfest opens at 8AM - 1PM. Test time is 11AM.
There are alot of other cool things you can do with an amateur radio license. Again, this is just to share the event with club members if interested. Ask Gary for more details.

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Gary Y.

Excellent Hamfest. 16 passed (of 17) passed amateur radio license exams. 6 professional vendors - parts of all kinds. 20 flea market vendors. Had as many people in from Lynchburg as Vinton.

0 · August 10, 2013
Kevin H.

Hi Gary, Thanks for alerting us to this event! Please post a link to the hamfest web site. I'd like to attend the hamfest, before going to the Robotics meeting.

0 · July 27, 2013
- Gary Y.
  
  The W4CA website hasnt been updated for this year's event, but it is still at the William Byrd High School in Vinton. http://w4ca.us/page.p... it is a similar format every year with radio equipment vendors, electrical parts vendors, flea market, testing sessions, the ARRL president will be at the ARRL table. Test sessions start @ 10 AM. Hamfest opens @ 8AM. Setup starts at 6AM. Door prizes every hour. Grand prize drawing at 1 PM and also the P Buckly Moss print Raffle drawing is at 1PM. ( I'll miss that part to be at the Robot meeting )
  
  1 · July 27, 2013
- Kevin H.
  
  Thanks, Gary!
  
  0 · July 28, 2013
Gary Y.

Wow, another interesting article about using a BoeBot platform (Basic Stamp) to build a Amateur Radio Satellite Tracking control for the antenna. http://www.parallax.com/tabid/787/default.aspx

0 · July 26, 2013
Gary Y.

Interesting article in MAKE magazine for building antennas to talk via ham radio satellites and for talking with the International Space Station. An interesting fact, the astronauts have ham radio licenses so they can talk to people on the ground when they aren't working. No wireless internet in orbit. :-) http://makezine.com/2009/07/22/catching-satellites-on-ham-radio/

1 · July 26, 2013
A former member

it is the same day as the Blues and BarBQ Fest that I am volunteer coordinator for .

2 · July 14, 2013
- View all 3 replies
- Gary Y.
  
  Nice ! Blues & BBQ goes on until at least 6 PM. Hamfest is over by 1 PM. The Robot meeting done by 2 or so. Still plenty of time for all your friends to find you for some BBQ & Blues. Who says there's nothing to do in Roanoke ? I dont know how I have time to go to work.
  
  1 · July 14, 2013
- Gary Y.
  
  Be ready for BaconFest on the 31st. http://www.downtownro...
  
  1 · July 14, 2013
- Kevin H.
  
  Chris, please post a link to the Blues and BarBQ Fest. I'd like to attend! :-)
  
  0 · July 20, 2013