The 36th Annual Tampa Bay Hamfest will be held at the Manatee Convention Center in Palmetto, FL this coming weekend. More information is available at this web site.
Amateur radio operators from all over the Tampa Bay area will be able to buy and sell equipment, parts, tubes, and exchange ham-talk for two days on Saturday and Sunday. Several regular commercial dealers will be set up inside the convention center display area, including C.T. Morgan, Flex Radio, and Aluma Tower. There will be a large tailgate area outside, at the rear door of the arena, for anyone who has parts, equipment, and electronics for sale.
In addition to all the buying and selling, there will be information forums on AMSAT, MARS, QCSA, and the Florida Repeater Group. More information on these groups is available on the internet, from my previous article, and from the various amateur radio clubs and organizations who operate VHF and UHF repeaters around Tampa Bay.
Larry Price, a local ham, will give a presentation on the largest hamfest in Europe.
Geoff Haines, a technical author, will present a forum on home-brew equipment for anyone interested in building radio equipment. The forum will specialize in AM transmission and reception, something that has been coming back to Ham Radio from the 1940's and '50's. More and more hams are restoring those older AM radios and making their own AM equipment these days. If you have an interest in operating AM, be sure to come and attend Geoff's AM Forum.
Amateur Radio License Exams will be held on Saturday if you are looking to take the test or upgrade your existing license. Also, the National Weather Service Skywarn Program will offer certification classes and testing on Sunday.
