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Tadd's list of ham resources

Hamfest List

Some hamfests are worth driving an hour to, some 30 minutes, and some 8 hours. Your own interest and ability to travel are your own deal. Personally, I think that the Dayton Hamvention is the #1 first choice of hamfests to go to from Raleigh, followed by RARSfest which is way closer. If you are in Raleigh, and would consider driving three hours for a big hamfest, then these are the ones I think you should do: Dayton, RARSrest, JARSrest, Frostfest, Shelby, Durhamfest, Cary. 2nd to those, Charlotte, Hamcation, FireCracker, Huntsville, Stone Mountain, Rockingham, Down East, Cape Fear, First-Fest. That's not to say that I don't think any of the 2nd place hamfests are crummy, though some may be, but the value (including social, learn-new-things), against your driving and lodging time is not as high. Hamcation is regarded very well by many and has some excellent side benefits including NASA, Disney etc... I went to Hamcation for 5 years in a row ending in 2007. They say it is getting bigger. I'll find out sooner or later and then I'll bump it up the list. Similarly, Huntsville is well regarded. There is a most excellent rocket/spacecraft/space-flight museum in Huntsville. Perhaps you can make it work with finances and family. I could talk for an hour about the Dayton Hamvention. Parties, huge flea market, all the vendors, lots of other hams who have

The hamfests I intend to go to are listed below.

Get a full list of hamfests from the ARRL Hamfest Calendar.

Each button goes to a hamfest web page. The dates are rough estimates. Please use the hamfest web page for exact information. If any of these hamfests are gone forever, please send me an email at my QRZ email address: KA2DEW@QRZ.

hamfest city monthhow fartalk-in frequency (check before drive!)
First-Fest Winston Salem NC January 2 hours 145.47 100hz
FrostFest
Not held in 2022		Richmond VA February 2.5 hours
Hamcation Orlando FL February 8.5 hours
Charlotte Hamfest Concord NC March 2 hours 146.655 (no tone) or 146.94 (118.8)
RARSfest Raleigh NC April 0 minutes 146.64 (no tone)
Down East Hamfest
Not held in 2022		Kinston NC April 1.5 hours 146.685 (82.5)
Catawba Valley Hamfest Morganton NC end-of-April3 hours ?147.15 (? tone)
GoldsBoro Un-Fest Goldsboro NC May 1.2 hours ?? (no tone)
Rockingham County Swapfest Reidsville NC May 11 1.5 hours 146.67 (no tone)
DurhamFest
Not held in 2022		Durham NC May 30 minutes147.255 (82.5) or 145.45 (no tone)
Dayton Hamvention Xenia OH May 8 hours 146.94 (123.0)
Cary Swapfest Cary NC July 15 minutes146.88 (no tone)
Cape Fear ARC SwapFest Fayetteville NC August 1.5 hours 146.91 (100.0)
Huntsville Hamfest Huntsville AL August 9 hours 146.94 (100.0)
Shelby Hamfest Shelby NC September 3 hours 146.88 (no tone)
Lexington Hamfest Lexington NC September 1.5 hours
Forsyth County ARC Hamfest Winston-Salem, NCOctober 1.5 hours 146.67 (no tone)
Stone Mountain Hamfest Atlanta GA November 6 hours
JARSfest Benson NC November 30 minutes147.27 (no tone)
AB4OZ Hamfest (Raleigh)
Monthly & Free 		Raleigh NC 10 Months close

Athens Tennessee's regional hamfest calendar