A large ARRL team of member-volunteers, program representatives, and presenters will advance the convention theme inviting attendees to “reDiscover Radio” at Orlando HamCation, host of the 2022 ARRL National Convention February 10 – 13. A wide-ranging roster of workshops, exhibits, and activities will educate and entertain radio amateurs committed to developing knowledge and skills in radio technology and radio communication.

The convention will be held in two parts. On Thursday, February 10, an all-day ARRL National Convention Program will be held at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Orlando at SeaWorld. Advance registration is required and includes a series of day-long ARRL Training Tracks and a National Convention luncheon. Registration can be completed online. 

DX Engineering is the Official Sponsor of the 2022 ARRL National Convention Program.

On Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, February 11 – 13, HamCation will take place at the Central Florida Fairgrounds and Expo Park in Orlando — an 87-acre lakefront fairgrounds. The convention marks the 75th anniversary of HamCation — one of the largest, annual gatherings of radio amateurs in the US. HamCation tickets can be purchased online until January 31 and at the gate during the event. 

The centerpiece of ARRL’s participation will be a large exhibit area in the East and West Hall. Nearly a dozen ARRL program areas will be represented, including Radiosport and DXCC Card Checking, Radio Clubs, the Amateur Radio Emergency Service®, Development, and the ARRL Foundation.

A suite of exhibits organized by the ARRL Education and Learning Department will include an introduction to the new ARRL Learning Center. ARRL Education and Learning Manager Steve Goodgame, K5ATA, will introduce this new member benefit that includes online courses, videos, and other amateur radio instruction and training. At another booth, ARRL Education and Technology Program Instructor Tommy Gober, N5DUX, will cover the ARRL Teachers Institute on Wireless Technology. 

ARRL has invited several ham radio content creators from popular YouTube channels to meet and interact with attendees in the exhibit area. Josh Nass, KI6NAZ, of the popular “Ham Radio Crash Course” YouTube channel, will moderate. He is the 2020 winner of the ARRL Bill Leonard Award for outstanding published media that advances amateur radio. Visitors will have a chance to meet ARRL authors and editors.

ARRL Laboratory engineers and volunteers will offer free testing of visitors’ handheld radios. This service will determine the spectral purity of the output signal from their radios.

Members and other attendees can meet ARRL elected officials and Field Organization volunteers at the Southeastern Division booth to catch up on events and to explore opportunities to get involved through their ARRL Sections and radio clubs.

The exhibit area will also include the ARRL store and membership area, where visitors may join, renew, or extend ARRL and Diamond Club memberships and purchase publications, apparel, and 2022 Field Day products. New ARRL Membership Manager Matt Caruso will be eager to meet and greet members.

ARRL is sponsoring three forums at HamCation:

• An ARRL Emergency Communications Panel will be held at 3:15 PM Eastern on Friday. The panel will be moderated by ARRL Director of Emergency Management Josh Johnston, KE5MHV, and will include panelists from the ARRL Southeastern Division Field Organization.
• On Saturday at 2 PM Eastern, ARRL Collegiate Amateur Radio Advisors Andy Milluzzi, KK4LWR, and Tony Milluzzi, KD8RTT, will lead a Collegiate Amateur Radio Forum. The ARRL Collegiate Amateur Radio Initiative is a regular networking source among active campus radio clubs and their student members.
• An ARRL Membership Forum will be held on Saturday at 3:15 PM, moderated by Southeastern Division Director Mickey Baker, N4MB. This forum offers an opportunity to hear from ARRL representatives on key areas of member interest and amateur radio advocacy and to learn how ARRL supports dozens of ways to get involved and active on the air. Panelists will include President Rick Roderick, K5UR, and CEO David Minster, NA2AA.

Thursday’s Training Tracks at the DoubleTree Hotel are organized as all-day workshops led by experienced presenters. Four tracks being offered include Contest University (CTU), Emergency Communications Academy, Hands-On Handbook, and Technology Academy. Registration includes a seat at the National Convention Luncheon, which will feature a keynote address by David Minster.

Contest University will make its debut in the ARRL Southeastern Division. CTU Chairman Tim Duffy, K3LR, has organized the workshop with Teri Grizer, K8MNJ, assembling a team of experienced contesters as presenters and instructors. Presentations will include Fred Kleber, K9VV/NP2X, on “Contesting and Emergency Preparedness from the Caribbean;” Chris Blake, NX4N, and George Wagner, K5KG, on “Mobile QSO Party Contesting;” Luis Romero, W4LT, on “SSB Contest Audio Characteristics,” and Claudio Veroli, I4VEQ, on “World Radiosport Team Championship (WRTC) 2022/23.” Duffy will present “The Antenna Notebook.” Max Fountain, KJ4EUT, will offer a youth perspective, covering ways to use amateur radio contesting to attract more young people to amateur radio and retain them.

Emergency Communications Academy has been organized by ARES® Letter Editor Rick Palm, K1CE, and EmComm instructor Gordon Gibby, KX4Z. A panel of nationally recognized experts and trainers will conduct this workshop, which will cover current events, EmComm techniques, hardware, and software. Presenters include C. Matthew Curtin, KD8TTE; Helen Straughn, WC4FSU; Leland Gallup, AA3YB; Arc Thames, W4CPD; Christine Duez, K4KJN; Earl McDow, K4ZSW, and Jeff Capehart, W4UFL. ARRL staff, including Director of Emergency Management Josh Johnston, KE5MHV, and Field Services Manager Mike Walters, W8ZY, will be on hand.

Nass will lead the Hands-On Handbook Training Track. Presenters will take a deeper dive into a handful of popular amateur radio activities. Jason Johnston, KC5HWB, of the YouTube channel “Ham Radio 2.0” will present “Getting Started in Parks on the Air (POTA).” Additional presentations will feature Patrick Stoddard, WD9EWK, on “Amateur Satellites — Getting on the Air, and Operating from (almost) Anywhere;” Kyle Krieg, AA0Z, with “Intro to Remote Operating,” and Education and Technology Program Instructor Tommy Gober, N5DUX, with “Coding in Amateur Radio.”

ARRL Pacific Division Director Kristen McIntyre, K6WX, will lead the Technology Academy. “Amateur radio is based on technology. The more we know about how things work, the more effective we can be as radio operators,” said McIntyre, who will also share a presentation about SWR. ARRL Lab Manager Ed Hare, W1RFI, will present “Compliance with the new RF-Exposure Rules,” covering the rules and recent changes by the FCC. Michelle Thompson, W5NYV, will present “Digital Communications Technology,” offering an understanding for how information travels over the air and how digital communication works. Joel Wilhite, KD6W, will present “Digital Amateur Television — A New Paradigm.” He will include a review of broadcast television technology being deployed into the US market, including ATSC 3.0 — Next Gen TV, and share opportunities that will influence the next generation of digital amateur television. Bob McGwier, N4HY, will present “ARDC Technical Projects and GEO/HEO Spacecraft Proposals,” discussing major projects supported by Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC) to advance significant technical innovation in amateur radio. ARRL Central Division Director Carl Luetzelschwab, K9LA, who sits on the ARRL Electromagnetic Compatibility Committee, will also present a "Solar Cycle 25 Update and the Tie Between Space Weather and Propagation."

The Orlando Amateur Radio Club sponsors Orlando HamCation. Hundreds of volunteers, including radio amateurs from radio clubs throughout the region, help support the event. Further details about the convention are available at www.arrl.org/expo and www.hamcation.com.