Program

Authors Track at HamXposition

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book iconLarry Krainson, W1AST, writes:
 
I’m tinkering with the idea of having an “Authors Track” or “Meet the Authors” at this year’s HamXposition.
 
Calling all hams in New England who are book authors! Your books do not have to include ham radio, but it would be fun if they did.
 
If you are interested in learning more, please contact Larry, W1AST, at W1AST@HamX.org with your name and call.
 

“Mini-Contest University” at 2025 Northeast HamXposition

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The Northeast HamXposition is once again proud to announce the return of the popular “Mini-Contest University” workshop.

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.

There is no fee to attend. Registration will be announced soon.

Last year’s mini-CTU offerings featured some of the top contesters in New England: Mark Pride, K1RX; Doug Grant, K1DG; John Dorr, K1AR; Gerry Hull, W1VE, Dennis Egan, W1UE, Randy Thompson, K5ZD; Paul Young, K1XM; and others.

Topics included:

  • Getting started in Contesting
  • Station setup for Contesting
  • Antennas for Contesting
  • Contest Operating Strategy
  • “Eyeball QSO Party”
  • Remote Operating in Contesting 101
  • Digital Mode Contesting
  • Choosing the Best Radio for Contesting

Stay tuned for updates.

AA7A: “Remote DXpeditioning” at the 2025 Northeast HamXposition

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Ned Stearns, AA7AWe are pleased to have as our special guest presenter a well-known international DXer/Contester, Ned Stearns, AA7A, at the DX/Contest Banquet at the 2025 Northeast HamXposition.

The Radio-In-a-Box (RIB) technology has made a big impact in the DX (and contesting) realm. Its use in high-profile DXpeditions has changed the DXing game forever. The use of RIBs in DXpeditions can provide numerous benefits such as reduced project costs, lower environmental impact and safer operations. The “Remote DXpedition” presentation will provide AA7A’s perspective on the nearly seven-year development effort of the RIB concept and other emerging technologies and how their application to DXing is an exciting step forward in amateur radio.

The DX/Contest Banquet will be held at the Best Western Hotel and Conference Center Marlborough, Massachusetts on Friday evening, August 22, 2025.  Tickets for the banquet and other events can be purchased online at https://ticketing.hamxposition.org.

W2NAF: “HamSCI: Space Weather We Can Do Together” at the 2025 Northeast HamXposition

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Dr. Nathaniel Frissell, W2NAFWe are proud to feature special guest speaker Dr. Nathaniel A. Frissell, W2NAF, from the Ham Radio Science Citizen Investigation (HamSCI) program who will present “HamSCI: Space Weather We Can Do Together!” at the 2025 HamXposition Grand Banquet. Dr. Frissell will discuss results from a number of recent HamSCI experiments, what’s next for HamSCI in the future, and how you can participate in these exciting projects.

The Grand Banquet will be held at the Best Western Hotel and Conference Center Marlborough, Massachusetts on Saturday evening, August 23, 2025.  Tickets for the banquet and other events can be purchased online at https://ticketing.hamxposition.org.

Looking for Inspiration?

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Looking for inspiration?

We’re intentionally soliciting talks at all levels: introductory, general interest, advanced. The ideal presentation is preferably about 45 minutes in length and absolutely no longer than 50 minutes. This will allow time for subsequent speakers to set up. Here are just a few ideas to spark your imagination as you prepare a talk about The Excitement of Amateur Radio. (Don’t worry. You may see an inspiration in one subject group and apply it to another.)

Antennas and Propagation Subjects. Simple antennas for the newcomer. Making antennas out of aluminum, or wire. Antenna projects as club activities. All about transmission lines and connectors. Knowledgeable purchasing. Rotators. Tower safety. When should I get on the air, and on which band? Propagation basics. Beacons. Propagation modeling. Propagation reporting. What are all these sunspot numbers, A, and K factors, anyway? The decibel. What’s next in the solar cycle. Results of your own propagation studies. HamSCI activities.

Operating Activities Subjects.

On The Air. Introduction to fox hunting, to ARDF, to OTAs (Summits, Parks, Lighthouses, Boy Scout Jamborees, Girl Scout Thinking days, etc.). International cooperative efforts. Operating practice and/or ethics. Operating awards. Geography and topography. VHF+ hilltopping and roving. Tips and techniques for your successful activity. Activity travelogues. QSLing. Occupying underutilized bands or modes.

Contesting. Introduction to contesting. Configuring your station. Maximizing your score. Breaking through pile-ups. Tips for the “little pistol” competitors. Logging programs and techniques. Submitting logs. Field day war stories.

DXing. Introduction to DXing. Wallpaper opportunities. Organizing and managing a DXpedition. Amateur Radio demographics around the world. Tips for the “little pistol” DX chasers. Getting started with Logbook of the World. Travelogues.

EMCOM, Public Service, and Traffic Subjects. What happens to “When all else fails” when the Internet fails. EMCOM/PS preparation and training. The Incident Commander concept. Initiating and managing local EMCOM relationships. Case studies of or reports on emergency communications.
Introduction to public service. Public service experiences. Case studies of or reports on public service events. Go-kits/portable/packable/mobile equipment. Portable power. Introduction to traffic handling.

Restructuring of the NTS. Analog and digital repeater systems and networks. Analysis of command, control, and communications during Paul Rever’s 1775 ride.

History, Invention, and Reinvention Subjects. Where did we come from. Historical artifacts. Amateur Radio’s contributions to the art and technology of radio. Amateur Radio demographics. A tank away: radio-related tourist venues. How can Amateur Radio thrive: where are we going, how do we get there. Rejuvenating clubs and club meetings.

League, Division, and Section Activities and News. What’s next, what’s big in Amateur Radio. Rules and regulations. Major operating activities. Supporting scouting activities and college clubs.

Technical Subjects. New signal sources, modes, or modulation schemes. Introduction to the digital modes. Introduction to repeaters, DSTAR, DMR, etc. The analog modes aren’t dead. Unusual modes (video, telemetry, remote control, etc.) Equipment construction techniques. Physical circuits versus programming. The basics of software defined radios. SMD soldering. Parts and programs resources. Hints and Kinks. RFI chasing and fixing. Using clusters, spotters, and reporters. How to remotely control your station. Frontiers in the hobby. The Clean Signal Initiative. Exploring Lightwave communications. Experiences at HF and below, VHF and above. Shack networking and interfacing. Remote operation. Reports of experiments, studies, or significant achievements.

Training and Education Subjects. T&E planning for your club. T&E success (or failure) stories. Demonstrations, and how to present them. Long format versus short format license preparation. Tech Nights. Post-exam, continuing, and remedial training. Finding candidate trainees. Bringing the next
generation on board. Elmering.

“POTA Adventures at the Northeast HamXposition”

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POTA Adventures at the Northeast HamXposition: Conrad, Peter, and Brian’s Exciting Weekend
 
The Northeast HamXposition, held in Marlborough, Massachusetts, from August 22nd to 25th, was a weekend filled with ham radio activities, presentations, and special events. For Conrad Trautmann (N2YCH), Peter Cimino (K1PCN), and Brian Horne (N1BAM), it was a memorable event that blended education with the thrill of Parks on the Air (POTA) activations.
 
Conrad and Peter, along with Shawn Warren (KC1NQE), delivered a joint presentation on the evolution of the Connecticut Parks on the Air (CT-POTA) Activators Group on Saturday afternoon. Given the presentation topic, permissions were granted for them to activate some parks over the weekend using the special event call sign W1XPO, the official call of FEMARA.
 
Activating a park is always fun, but using a special event call sign like W1XPO added an extra level of excitement. Conrad mentioned, “Everyone wants to try and get you, which usually means a good pile-up!”
 
Peter and Conrad started early on Friday, mapping out parks to visit before the main event. Their first stop was Bigelow Hollow State Park (US-1648) in Union, Connecticut. With some helpful advice from Shawn, who had activated there before, they set up near Bigelow Pond. Conrad recalls, “The park is wooded with forest right up to the bank of the pond. There’s not much open space, so we set up among the trees.” Peter operated SSB while Conrad handled digital modes, offering hunters different opportunities to make contact.
 
Meanwhile, Brian Horne (N1BAM) also got in on the POTA action during the HamXposition. On Friday, he activated Callahan State Park (US-2424) in Massachusetts using his personal call sign, N1BAM. Setting up a SuperAntenna with a Faraday cloth for HF, Brian logged an impressive 44 contacts in just over an hour, making it his first time activating a Massachusetts park.
 
On Sunday, after the conference wrapped up, Brian activated Moosup Valley State Trail (US-7535) in Connecticut on his way home. Hiking in about a quarter-mile, he found an elevated spot overlooking a river and made 17 contacts in just 20 minutes, using the W1XPO call sign.
 
Conrad and Peter continued their activations with a stop at Quacumquasit Wildlife Management Area (US-11562) in East Brookfield, Massachusetts. Unfortunately, Conrad faced a challenge with his logging software, which refused to cooperate. While Peter had a successful activation, Conrad’s issues reminded them that even experienced operators can encounter setbacks in the field.
 
The duo made one more stop on the way back to Connecticut, activating Wells State Park (US-2462) in Sturbridge, Massachusetts. As rain began to fall during their activation, they quickly wrapped up and headed home.
 
The Northeast HamXposition was a tremendous success for Conrad, Peter, and Brian. The combination of presentations and activations made the weekend unforgettable. The joint presentation on the CT-POTA Activators group showcased their passion for POTA, while the activations using the W1XPO call sign highlighted the joy of working with a special event call.
As Brian, Peter, and Conrad activated parks in New England, they further cemented their love for POTA and the unique bond it fosters within the ham radio community. Until next year’s event, the team is eager to continue their POTA adventures, inspiring more operators to explore the joys of activating parks on the air.
 
POTA on!
 
Shawn Warren
KC1NQE – Keep Creating 1 New Quality Experience
 
N2YCH - Activating W1XPO