a field organization of the National Association for Amateur Radio®
Two items of note, per HamXposition General Chairman Bob DeMattia, K1IW:
The MIT Radio Society, in conjunction with the MIT UHF Repeater Association, the MIT Electronics Research Society, and the Harvard Wireless Club, sponsors a Swapfest on the third Sunday of each month, April through October. This is a place to buy, sell, and swap amateur radio, electronic, and computer equipment. Hams and non-hams alike are welcome. The next Swapfest will take place on July 17, 2022.
For more information, see the online copy of our Swapfest flyer (pdf, or text only). Print out a copy of the flyer and bring it with you for a discount on the buyer’s admission. Want to sell? Here’s an online copy of the seller’s registration form. Remember to send it in by the 5th of the month for the advanced seller discount. Still need more info? Call 617-253-3776 during business hours.
The Swapfest is held at MIT’s Albany Street Garage on Albany St between Main Streets and Mass Ave in Cambridge. The gate opens for buyers at 9am. There is a small admission fee.
From nediv.arrl.org:
Mike Crestohl, W1RC, writes:
Lose something at NEAR-Fest or Other Area Flea Market? Maybe you can get it back.
If you had something stolen from your table at a flea market or hamfest in NH or Eastern Mass. within the past several years, please contact Officer John Delaney of the Deerfield Police Department as soon as possible. His contact information is <jdelaney@townofdeerfieldnh.org> or telephone 603-463-7258 and leave a message for him to call you back. Be prepared to provide Officer Delaney with a detailed description, giving make, model, serial number, photograph, band(s) covered, what was programmed into it, etc.
This information is needed by the Deerfield Police for an ongoing investigation into thefts of equipment that have occurred at NEAR-Fest and other local area events over the past several years. Five stolen radios have already been recovered and there may be more.
Please copy Paul, W1PRA (pauldepetrillo@gmail.com) and MrMike, W1RC (w1rc@near-fest.com) on all correspondence with Officer Delaney.
Thank you for your cooperation.
73,
Paul DePetrillo, W1PRA,
NEAR-Fest Sergeant-at-Arms,
pauldepetrillo@gmail.com
Mister Mike, W1RC,
Benevolent Dictator,
w1rc@near-fest.com
From the Marlborough Patch, June 7, 2022:
MARLBOROUGH, MA — A large ham radio exposition will return to Marlborough in 2022 for the second time. The HamXposition event will take place in August at the Best Western.
On Monday, the Marlborough City Council on Monday approved a special license for a charitable flea market to be held alongside the exposition featuring radio parts. [Full story]
Northeast HamXposition General Chairman Bob DeMattia, K1IW, writes:
Our electronic ticketing is now live! Visit our website to purchase general admission, flea, and Friday and Saturday banquet tickets!
ATTENTION: two weeks to go! 
Phil Temples, K9HI, writes:
Don’t just attend the 2022 Northeast HamXposition—BE A PART OF IT! The HamXposition Committee seeks fresh and exciting presentations for this year’s joint ARRL New England/Hudson Division Convention on August 26, 27 & 28, 2022. We’re looking for talks of both a technical and non-technical nature. As a HamXposition presenter, you will have the opportunity to share your subject and knowledge with amateur radio operators from around New England, New York, the surrounding states, and Canada.
In addition to talks and forums throughout the day on Saturday, we will feature Saturday evening entertainment, workshops on Friday, and a half-day Sunday program.
If you represent a regional club or organization (e.g. YCCC, NEQRP, WRONE, MARS, etc.) we can help facilitate open forums or closed meetings by providing you a meeting space.
Non-profit groups who wish to set up information tables should get your requests in early. While the tables are offered without charge, we ask for some volunteer time in return to assist us with ticket sales and other logistics during the convention.
To register as a speaker or presenter, please go to https://hamxposition.org/speaker.html or email k9hi@hamxposition.org if you have additional questions.
We look forward to seeing you at the Convention.
73,
Phil Temples, K9HI
Program Chair
Northeast HamXposition
k9hi@hamxposition.org
Bob DeMattia, K1IW, writes:
Our 2022 Website is now live!
Online ticketing begins May 1st. In the meantime, you may sign up as a volunteer, as a speaker, and book your hotel reservations with the convention discount.
73,
Bob – K1IW
General Chair, HamXposition 2022
From nediv.arrl.org:
In what may well be a “first,” the Northeast HamXposition is proud to announce that it will host both New England and Hudson division conventions this year. HamXposition will be held on August 26 – 28, 2022, in Marlborough, MA.
FEMARA, the organization that runs HamXposition, voted on February 17 to officially approve the unique arrangement. Attendees included: Fred Kemmerer, AB1OC, New England Director; Ria Jairam, N2RJ, Hudson Division Director; Phil Temples, K9HI, New England Vice Director; Mike Raisbeck, K1TWF, ARRL 1st Vice President and FEMARA President; and Bob DeMattia, K1IW, HamXposition General Chairman. Director Jairam was officially appointed to the HamXposition Committee.
Proceeds from the convention will be directed to scholarships for both New England and Hudson Division students. Volunteers and speakers will be drawn from both divisions. Other details will be worked out as things progress.
“It certainly has been a while since the Hudson Division has had a convention” said Ria, N2RJ. “By joining forces with the New England Division for a joint convention, we can bring back a sense of nostalgia and community.”
“We are excited to have the Hudson Division join with New England to support and grow the 2022 HamXposition event.” said Fred, AB1OC. “It’s a great opportunity to expand HamXposition participation, programs, and work to provide support for the scholarships to young hams in both divisions.”
“Joining the two division events into one convention offers expanded opportunities for attendees, League members, and vendors alike” commented Mike, K1TWF. “We anticipate larger attendance than we have seen in many years.”
The Northeast HamXposition, formerly known as “Boxboro,” features a Saturday morning keynote address, Friday and Saturday evening banquet dinners with special guest speakers, a large outdoor flea market along with an ample indoor commercial vendor space. The convention’s impressive three-day program of forums and speakers is one of the best in the country.
Bob, K1IW
General Chair, HamXposition 2022
Mike Crestohl, W1RC, writes:FEMARA Inc. is a Massachusetts non-profit corporation that sponsors and runs the ARRL New England Division Convention. Our goals are twofold; to offer the richest and most diverse ARRL Convention in the country, and to support the ARRL Foundation’s scholarship program.
FEMARA is qualified under IRS 501(c)(3). Donations to FEMARA are deductible as allowed by IRS regulations.
The Whitman Amateur Radio Club will hold its Winterfest on January 15, 2022 from 9 AM until 1 PM at the Knights of Columbus Hall, Route 18, in Whitman. A VE testing session will be conducted at the event. Admission is $5; tables cost $15. Raffle prizes will be drawn at noon. For vendor information, call: 781-523-5010 or visit http://www.wa1npo.org/WF/WinterfestFlyer2022.pdf.
With COVID-19 uncertainties precluding an in-person gathering for a second year, the 23rd annual Ham Radio University (HRU <http://www.hamradiouniversity
Advance registration is required and begins on December 20.
HRU 2022 will be adding five forums this year, for a total of 19 presentations by experts in a broad range of amateur radio activities, including Amateur Radio Emergency Communications. Other topics are:
* Basics of HF Operating
* Ham Radio Contesting and DXing
* Communicating through Amateur Radio Earth Satellites
* Software-Defined Radios
* HF and VHF Digital Communications
* Parks on the Air
* SKYWARN
* Cables and Connectors
* Using Raspberry Pi Computers in Amateur Radio.
Online attendees will be able to ask questions of the presenters. Founded by Phil Lewis, N2MUN (SK), HRU also serves as the online convention of the ARRL NYC-Long Island Section.
As in past years, participation in HRU 2022 is free; an optional donation of $5 is suggested. Additional information is online, including the schedule of forums and advance registration starting December 20
The Northeast HamXposition (a.k.a. ARRL New England Division Convention) organizing committee has confirmed the dates for the 2022 convention: August 26-28, 2022. 
As we get ready to return to Deerfield NH in a couple days to resume our beloved hamfest that we have all missed so much for two years it is obvious that there are some fundamental precautions we must institute in order to be in full compliance with all CDC, State and Town Departments of Public Health guidelines. We do not want to wear out our welcome. NEAR-FEST IS SAFE FOR ALL must be our motto!
It is our hope that everyone will have been vaccinated. However we realize that not everyone will be. If you have not had your shots please take extra care: wear a mask especially inside and use hand sanitizer often. We don’t want anyone getting sick at our event.
The State of New Hampshire does not currently have a mask mandate so neither does NEAR-Fest. However, we have some common sense requests and recommendations because we want everybody to feel safe at our hamfest:
1: We are strongly requesting that everyone wear a mask or face shield while inside the commercial buildings, when attending forums and when at the exam session. Masks will be available at the entrance to these buildings but it is advisable to bring your own as well. We are also strongly requesting that all attendees wear a mask when buying or presenting your admission ticket or otherwise interacting with any of our staff members.
2: Our staff volunteers have expressed some concerns and we want them to feel comfortable helping us run the fester. Remember we cannot do the hamfest without them. They did not volunteer to get Covid. Many of them aren’t the young healthy kids we once were and have serious concerns about covid either personally or with immediate family members. We are requesting that everyone put aside all political and personal views about mask wearing and wear them where we have requested out of respect for the dedicated volunteers who run this event.
We are committed to keeping everyone safe and this request from me is part of this commitment.
3: The use of hand sanitizer is advised especially after handling any items in the flea market and commercial buildings. We will have hand sanitizer in automatic dispensers as well as masks available at the entrances to the buildings.
Additionally, we ask that all attendees attempt to maintain a distance of six feet (or two metres) from others as much as possible and avoid crowding others at flea market and commercial vendor tables. I know this is difficult especially if there is “good stuff cheap”.
These are still difficult and trying times. We are glad to be back running the hamfest again but the world has changed in the past 18 months and we must change with it. We appreciate your cooperation which is particularly important because we want to continue holding the hamfest while assuring the local community that we pose a minimal health threat with our presence.
HELP MAKE NEAR-FEST SAFE FOR ALL!
Stay well!
MisterMike, W1RC, and the entire NEAR-Fest gang
Michael Crestohl, W1RC, writes:
Attention All Units! NEAR-Fest XXX is Next Weekend… We Are Back Live and Online!
Falmouth ARA’s FARA Fest will be held November 6, 2021 at the Upper Cape Regional Technical School, 220 Sandwich Road, Bourne, MA, from 9AM to noon. Sellers can set up beginning at 7AM. 
Michael Crestohl, W1RC, writes:
NEAR-FEST XXX is ON! We are looking forward to seeing all our friends, new and old, after a very long two-year absence at Deerfield at 0900 on Friday October 15th.
Although there are no state or local mandates we want everybody to feel safe at NEAR-Fest. We are asking all attendees to bring their own masks and hand sanitizer. PLEASE respect the wishes of others and wear a mask when inside any of our buildings and observe a 10’ or 2m distance from others whenever possible. We also request that you don your mask when interacting with any member of our staff, inside or outside. They have expressed their concerns. Remember if we didn’t have them we could not do NEAR-Fest! Kindly honor their wishes.
Tickets will be on sale at the gate. Admission is $15 per person and $10 for inside parking which includes flea market selling space. You can save $5 on your admission tickets if you buy them in advance. They are available BY MAIL (do not mail later than Monday October 5th)Mail to NEAR-Fest, 316 Atlantic Avenue, Marblehead MA 01945, checks or amo payable to NEAR-Fest and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Also available in person at Ham Radio Outlet in Salem NH and at Ross W1EKG’s clock shop, 40 Walnut Street in Whitman MA.
We look forward to our “Grand Homecoming”. It has been a very long two years.
73,
MisterMike, W1RC
PS: Don’t forget to attend the ARRL Division Director candidates “Town Hall” meeting on Friday. See our web site www.near-fest.com for details.
HamXposition Chairman Bob DeMattia, K1IW, has released some preliminary numbers for ticket sales for the Northeast HamXposition and New England ARRL Convention in Marlborough, MA on September 10-12, 2021.
“Based on the number of unissued tickets, attendance was 1212,” writes Bob.
“We printed 2200 tickets, and had 988 remaining at the end. We issued approximately 1212 tickets total.” K1IW adds, “For what it’s worth, my prediction was we would issue around 1200.”
The Committee expects to net between $8,000 to $10,000 in profits–most of which will be used to fund FEMARA scholarships.
