Northeast HamXposition @ Marlboro 2021 - Sept 10-12

I would like to go but I am unsure I will be able to make it at the moment. That's the weekend after labor day and chances are I will be in RI. I'm still interested in building a backpack radio using a 12V mobile radio and doing QRP work.
 
rude
Perhaps some more national commercial vendors than NEAR-Fest.
Smaller tailgate space than NEAR-Fest.
Way, way more seminars.
Based on the last 2 Near-Fests that I attended:
- Defintely more national commercial vendors (including manufacturers) attend Boxboro.
- Tailgate space is in flat area without muddy swamp areas, less space but maybe equal number of tailgaters (large parking area was pretty sparse at Near-Fest last 2 times I was there) at Boxboro.
- Lots of educational seminars at Boxboro. The handful of seminars at Near-Fest tend to be a lot of repeats, not announced until no earlier than a week prior to the event.
- Good food and bathrooms with running water, soap and paper towels at Boxboro. Only two (IIRC) crude stadium-style "bathrooms" with running cold water but usually no soap or paper towels at Near-Fest.
 
Congratulations! I brought my 2-year old daughter today, she played with the morse code keys and broadcast a very emphatic "No!" on another gentleman's rig. She might be hooked.
 
I passed my Tech today at the expo. My son is the one who wanted to get involved in the hobby, so in support of him I decided I should give it a try. In a couple weeks I will get my official blessing from the FCC.

Congrats! I myself have a few HT radios including the obligatory $25 Baofeng from Amazon, but to be honest what I have been using my license for mainly this year is drone flying.
 
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Holy Cow! We just found out that HamExposition (formerly "Boxboro") has not only changed the venue but the DATE!!!! Read this info and plan accordingly.

2020 Northeast HamXposition: New Venue and New Date!
January 23, 2020 - by k9hi

Northeast HamXposition 2019 General Chair Mike Raisbeck, K1TWF, wrote to convention vendors and exhibitors on January 23, 2020:

To all our vendors, past, present, and (we hope) future:

Northeast HamXposition at Boxboro, the New England ARRL Division Convention, is now four months behind us. The 2019 show went well. The gate remained steady. Attendance at the banquets, forums, and flea market was solid, and there were many smiling faces. We have a formula that works well.
So now it’s time for us to raise the bar. Some big changes are coming to the Northeast HamXposition.
The biggest is a change of date and venue. Going forward, the Northeast HamXposition will be held at the Best Western Royal Plaza Hotel & Trade Center, 181 Boston Post Rd., Marlborough, MA, on the 4th full weekend of July. This year, the dates are July 24, 25, and 26. Reserve that weekend – we have it nailed down for the next 5 years at least.
Why change? There are several reasons:
  1. The Royal Plaza has considerably more parking, and plenty of flea market space. It’s a nice, clean, large, and up-to-date venue
  2. The Boxboro site was having trouble making commitments to us for the adjoining parking lot. It was only a matter of time before we found ourselves, on short notice, without sufficient parking.
  3. The Royal Plaza has an adjacent Trade Center complex. While we won’t need to use it this year, we want to have enough expansion space that we can hold a National Convention some time in the next few years
  4. The Boxboro facility is, frankly, a getting a bit timeworn.
  5. The Royal Plaza has other adjacent hotels, as well as numerous restaurants and other shops – far more than the Boxboro location
  6. Unlike the current convention, the 4th weekend of July doesn’t conflict with the September VHF contest
We’re scrambling to update our forms and procedures. I’ll be sending out another message shortly, as soon as these are all in order.
Please reserve the date, July 24-26. We would love to see you there!
73,
Mike Raisbeck, K1TWF
Northeast HamXposition vendor chair
[email protected]
 
That Boxboro hotel is a pit and has been for >30 yrs, they keep losing their franchises probably due to the rundown facility and bad business practices. Read the reviews on Yelp! (and I'm sure elsewhere) and you know that you don't want to stay there.
 
No major contest that weekend, which is good. RSGB IOTA, which could be fun to operate the on-site SEStation for that one.

I failed my Novice test in August 1988 at Boxboro- too much pressure. Passed through technician and general in November 88 @ WPI.

likely will be going to meet up with friends.

uj
 
2021 expo in Marlborough.


I may go to this but only for one day...probably Saturday. It would be my last ham radio fling in New England before I head to fly over country for good.

EDIT: and only if face pampers aren't required...
 
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Sunday September 12:
Military Auxiliary Radio Service (MARS) programs Tom Kinahan, N1CPE
Tom will introduce the Army and Air Force Military Auxiliary Radio Service (MARS) programs. He'll explain how they are different from the past, and focus on what MARS is today.
Time: 10:00 AM - 10:50 AM
Room: Salon B
 
Sunday September 12:
Military Auxiliary Radio Service (MARS) programs Tom Kinahan, N1CPE
Tom will introduce the Army and Air Force Military Auxiliary Radio Service (MARS) programs. He'll explain how they are different from the past, and focus on what MARS is today.
Time: 10:00 AM - 10:50 AM
Room: Salon B

The MARS station on Camp Schwab (Okinawa) had a booth for the user to sit when the radio operator connected them in on a phone patch home. It had clearly been there since the Vietnam era.

I am guessing there is not much call now for MARS phone patch home what with the advent of cell phones with international dialing and even actual satellite phones for $500 (less minutes).

But apparently the service persists there in its other missions. This is from last year on Camp Hansen, the next camp south on the island from Schwab.



🐯
 
I received an Email last night. Face diapers are mandatory indoors for the entire HamXposition. :mad:

The good news is that they are offering refunds to those that change their mind before 9/2 (banquets) and 9/8 (general admission).

The Convention Committee has been developing a policy to address appropriate COVID precautions for several weeks. Because the situation is and has been rapidly evolving, we originally felt that providing a statement too soon would put us at risk of needing to issue multiple policies or updates. This would lead to confusion. However, given the number of inquiries we have been receiving, we have decided to publish this policy now.

Please understand that things may change as the convention draws closer. The rate of new cases in our area has been leveling off. However, the situation may change again. In the event that it does, FEMARA may revise its policy as necessary. The most current policy will always be on our website, https://hamxposition.org/covid, and will be posted at numerous locations at the convention.

1. Masks covering nose, mouth and chin will be required in all indoor areas. In designated areas, they may be removed for the purpose of eating. A forum speaker, at their discretion, may remove their mask while physically distanced from the audience.

2. Masks will not be required in outdoor areas.

3. FEMARA will provide disposable masks at no charge to anyone who needs one.

4. Hand sanitizer will be available at strategic locations inside the venue.

5. Forum/conference rooms are set up for 75% capacity. If you cannot find an open seat., please leave the room. In forums where we anticipate capacity will be reached, we will have room monitors to turn people away. FEMARA will attempt to work with the speakers that have reached capacity to see if they are willing to run a second session.

6. Up until September 8th, anyone who has previously purchased a general admission ticket and now feels anxiety about attending may request a refund for that ticket. As for dinner tickets, FEMARA must commit to these with the hotel on September 3rd, so dinner tickets are only refundable up until September 2nd. Of course, general admission tickets will still be available at the door, if you wish to wait to decide until then.

We realize that the wearing of masks has unfortunately become a politically charged activity. Please understand that given the demographics of our population, as well as the fact that children under age 12, ineligible for vaccination, will be attending, we are asking everyone to follow item 1 of the Radio Amateur's code:

"The Radio Amateur is CONSIDERATE...They never knowingly operate in such a way as to lessen the pleasure of others."

... or in this case lessen the safety of others.
 
I received an Email last night. Face diapers are mandatory indoors for the entire HamXposition. :mad:

The good news is that they are offering refunds to those that change their mind before 9/2 (banquets) and 9/8 (general admission).
Well, I guess they made my mind up for me. I was on the fence as to whether I was going to go or not. I wasn't feeling the love to drive that far for what...look at either stuff I can't afford or junk and be in a room that will most likely smell like a kennel of wet dogs.
 
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