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Thursday Night Comedy Kickoff – Reminder

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HamXpo banner image

Just a quick reminder, tickets are limited at the Thursday comedy kickoff event. Sales will stop once we have sold 250 tickets. Thus far, only people on our ham radio mailing lists have received notice of these tickets being available online. However, later this week we will begin an ad campaign to the general public in the Marlborough area. We expect tickets will sell briskly once this is done.

If you’ve been on the fence about attending the event, now is a good time to decide. Juston puts on a great show. If your would like to see him in action, lots of his videos can be found on his official YouTube channel.

Purchase Tickets Here

Thursday Night Comedy

Juston McKenneyWe’ll kick off the weekend on Thursday night with a laugh! We’re pleased to announce that world-renowned comedian Juston McKinney will present his comedy act. Juston has starred in numerous Comedy Central shows including his half-hour Comedy Central Presents and his one-hour special “Juston McKinney-A Middle-Class Hole.” He has multiple appearances on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Conan O’Brien as well as a Showtime Special with Rob Gronkowski. He has also appeared twice at Denis Leary’s, Comics Come Home at the TD Garden. Seating is limited to 250, so if you want to go, get your tickets soon! $35

Of course, after the kickoff we have an incredible lineup of workshops, talks and presentations on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, including workshops on: POTA (“Parks On The Air”), contesting, and digital modes and of course the Friday DXCC/Contesting Dinner and the Saturday grand banquet.

Tickets for individual events as well as the “Convention PLUS” package can be purchased by visiting https://tickets.hamxposition.org.

The PLUS package includes:

* General Admission
* NEW Thursday Night Comedy Kickoff
* Friday Dinner
* Saturday Banquet

For the latest news and updates on the 2024 Northeast HamXposition / New England Convention, visit https://hamxposition.org.

73,

Bob – K1IW

Chairman, HamXposition 2024

Comedy Show Thursday 8/22 at 8PM
Seminars & Forums Fri, Sat, and Sun
Flea Market Hours: Fri 12-5, Sat 9-5, Sun 9-1
Exhibit Hall Hours: Sat 9-5, Sun 9-1

2024 Northeast HamXposition to Offer “Mini-Contest University”

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The Northeast HamXposition and New England Division Convention is proud to announce a major addition to its program for 2024.  

“Mini-Contest University,” or mini-CTU, based on K3LR’s popular Contest University, has been featured at the Dayton Hamvention since 2007 and has been presented in 15 countries to over 10,000 participants, is a series of contest-oriented talks and presentations offered at HamXposition on Friday. Interested participants may attend free of charge. Registration is now open.

Door prizes will include gift certificates, courtesy DX Engineering, and an autographed copy of the ARRL’s popular Amateur Radio Contesting for Beginners book written by Doug Grant, K1DG.

The preliminary mini-CTU agenda for Friday, August 23, 2024, is as follows:

8:30 AM Registration
9:00 AM Introduction – Doug Grant, K1DG, and Tim Duffy, K3LR
9:15 AM Getting started in Contesting – Randy Thompson, K5ZD
10:00 AM coffee break
10:15 AM Station setup for Contesting – Paul Young, K1XM
11:00 AM Antennas for Contesting – Mark Pride, K1RX
 
11:45 AM Contest Operating Strategy –  John Dorr, K1AR
12:30 PM lunch break
1:30 PM Eyeball QSO Party – Doug Grant, K1DG
1:45 PM Remote Operating in Contesting 101 – Gerry Hull, W1VE
2:30 PM coffee break
2:45 PM Digital Mode Contesting – Dennis Egan, W1UE
3:30 PM Choosing the Best Radio for Contesting – Rob Sherwood, NCØB
4:30 PM prize drawing

 

Mini-CTU Outline:

Getting Started in Contesting

Why it is fun
How it helps you become better at …EmComm, POTA, everything!
How to make a contest QSO
How to submit an entry
Digital contesting
Logging programs

Station setup for contesting

Focus will be on practical issues for small-lot, small station setup
Ergonomic equipment layout 
Computer interface and automation
 
Antennas for contesting

This is the most important equipment in your station!
High band options – beams
Low band options – how to be competitive with simple wires
Feedlines and connectors

HamXposition 2024 DX / Contest Banquet Speaker: Yuri Onipko, VE3DZ

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VE3DZWe are pleased to have as our special guest well-known international DXer/Contester Yuri Onipko, VE3DZ.

Yuri will recap his 50 years of DX and Contesting activities sharing his operating experiences from a variety of locations from around the world.  Yuri recently took top honors in the 2022 WRTC competition held in Italy. He will share practical lessons learned and offer advice for those that may be considering a DXpedition or contest effort from a remote location.

The DX / Contest Banquet will be held at the Best Western Hotel and Conference Center Marlborough, Massachusetts on Friday evening, August 23, 2024.  Tickets for the banquet and other events can be purchased online at https://ticketing.hamxposition.org.

 

 

Elecraft to Showcase its Products at HamXposition

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Elecraft, Inc., manufacturer of amateur radio equipment and kits based in Watsonville, California, will showcase its products at the 2024 Northeast HamXposition in Marlborough, Massachusetts on August 23-25, 2024. Elecraft was founded in 1998 by Wayne Burdick and Eric Swartz. The company’s first product was the K2 transceiver; first prototyped in October 1997

Elecraft offers full-featured transceivers and accessories both as factory-assembled and easy-to-build kits.

“We can trace our company’s roots back to Field Day – the ultimate proving grounds for radio gear as well as hams themselves. Our design philosophy was clear from the beginning: Our radios would offer both high performance and portability. These two goals have spawned seven complete transceiver product lines.

“Our goal for the future is to continue to innovate in directions that benefits our customers. To this end, we actively participate in our vibrant user community. Elecraft has always emphasized both ‘hands-on ham radio’ and uncompromising customer support.”

FlexRadio Systems Coming to HamXposition

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flex radio logoFlexRadio Systems, an Austin, Texas-based manufacturer of advanced software defined radio products for the amateur radio, government and commercial markets will display and sell its products at the 2024 Northeast HamXposition.

“Software defined radios have arrived, and FlexRadio is leading the charge. We are on a mission to change commercial and amateur radio.

“FlexRadio was the first to introduce a true SDR transceiver to the amateur community that allows the personality, functionality, and performance of the radio to be upgraded through simple software downloads. With the introduction of FlexRadio’s SDR-1000 transceiver and the PowerSDR platform in 2003, we single-handedly changed the course of the ham radio industry. This revolution continues to change the face of amateur radio today through our new software solution aptly named SmartSDR and the new FLEX-6000 Signature Series transceiver line. Through innovation and design, we want to help all operators Find Everywhere.“

Marborough Area Attractions Added to Website

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Welcome to Marlborough highway signThe hamxposition.org website now has a new page, “Welcome to Marlborough.” It highlights numerous hospitality, historical, and entertainment venues situated in and around Marlborough and the Metro West area. The page is a valuable resource for attendees who are traveling to the convention accompanied by non-ham family members and children.

MFJ Closing Down its Manufacturing Facilities

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From the YCCC mailing list:
 
April 25, 2024
 
Dear Fellow hams and Friends,
 
It is with a sad heart as I write this letter.
 
As many of you have heard by now, MFJ is ceasing its on-site production in Starkville, Mississippi on May 17, 2024.  This is also the same for our sister companies:  Ameritron, Hygain, Cushcraft, Mirage and Vectronics.
 
Times have changed since I started this business 52 years ago.  Our product line grew and grew and prospered.  Covid changed everything in businesses including ours.  It was the hardest hit that we have ever had and we never fully recovered.
 
I turned 80 this year.  I had never really considered retirement but life is so short and my time with my family is so precious.
 
I want to thank all of our employees who have helped build this company with me over the years.  We have many employees who have made MFJ their career for 10, 20, 30, 40 and more years.
 
We are going to continue to sell MFJ products past May 17, 2024.  We have a lot of stock on hand.  We will continue to offer repair service work for out-of-warranty and in-warranty units for the foreseeable future.
 
Finally, a special thanks to all of our customers and our dealers who have made MFJ a worldwide name and a profitable business for so many years.  You all are so much appreciated.
 
Sincerely Yours, 73s
 
Martin F. Jue, K5flu