The Dayton Hamvention® -- the largest gathering of radio amateurs in the US -- is just around the corner, May 17-19. Held annually at the Hara Arena Conference and Exhibition Center in the Dayton suburb of Trotwood, Ohio, Hamvention is sponsored by the Dayton Amateur Radio Association (DARA).

This year’s “ARRL Dayton Team” includes more than 100 people -- volunteers, officials and Headquarters staff. The centerpiece of the ARRL’s participation is ARRL EXPO 2013, a large exhibit area in Hara’s Ballarena Hall. First introduced in 2005, ARRL EXPO has become a popular mainstay at the event. “ARRL EXPO is a show-within-a-show, and the area will be filled with membership program representatives and exhibits that cover a variety of Amateur Radio topics and interest areas,” explained ARRL Marketing Manager Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R, who also serves as the ARRL EXPO Coordinator. “The ARRL has put together dozens of exhibits, programs and activities to help represent the very best of our programs, services and information. There will be something for every ham at ARRL EXPO.”

This year’s ARRL EXPO will include a spotlight on W1AW, the Hiram Percy Maxim Memorial Station. The world’s most famous Amateur Radio station turns 75 in September. Dayton attendees will enjoy a special W1AW exhibit, including photographs of the station from over the years. Commemorative W1AW anniversary merchandise will also be available.

Does your handheld transceiver meet FCC emission standards? At a booth sponsored by the ARRL Laboratory, you’ll meet ARRL Test Engineers and volunteers who will use a state-of-the-art spectrum analyzer to measure spurious emissions from your handheld transceiver. You’ll also learn about other ways the ARRL Lab serves the Amateur Radio community with technical information services, trusted product testing and reviews, spectrum-protection engineering and its RFI/EMC program.

ARRL Education and Technology Program Director Mark Spencer, WA8SME, and ETP Instructor Matt Severin, N8MS, will be offer a series of mini “how to” presentations on various topics, including how to build a simple receiving antenna system to hear signals from the Amateur Radio station aboard the International Space Station, how to understand remote sensors and programming for GPS and measuring temperature and pressure, how to build a high altitude balloon package with a sensor for locating the O3 (ozone) atmospheric layer, how to control remote vehicles (ROVs) on land and on the sea and much more. If you are a school teacher, instructor or involved with educational programs or demonstrations, you do not want to miss these programs. A detailed schedule of topics and times will be posted near the ARRL Education Services booth.

Youth Activities

Two ARRL exhibits will focus on opportunities for young hams. Hams and their friends who are 21 and younger can meet and socialize at the ARRL Youth Lounge. Youth Activities Organizer Megan McClellan, K5MEM, and other volunteers have organized scavenger hunts, games, Morse code activities, a QSL card designing contest and more. All youth attendees -- licensed or not -- are invited to come by and join the fun.

Boy Scout volunteers have also organized an exhibit to help demonstrate the many ways ham radio and Scouting make a great pairing. Hear from active Scouts and Scouters about resources, programs and activities to interest Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, Venturers and Girl Scouts in Amateur Radio.

In addition to the youth activities within the ARRL EXPO, all collegiate and young adult hams are invited to meet for dinner at Dayton’s Little York Tavern & Pizza on Friday, May 17 at 7 PM. This dinner is hosted by the ARRL Committee for Youth in the Second Century and the Virginia Tech Amateur Radio Association, K4KDJ. Directions to the restaurant will be available at the ARRL Youth Lounge. Please contact Nathaniel Frissell, W2NAF, via e-mail for more information or with any questions. While RSVPs are welcome, they are not required.

DX and Radiosport Activities

Award hunters often make the pilgrimage to Hamvention to have their QSL cards and award applications hand-checked by volunteers and staff from the ARRL DXCC Branch. All cards will be eligible for checking, including old cards, cards from deleted countries and cards for 160 meters. Applications will be limited to 101 cards (more cards will be checked as time and volunteer card checkers are available). Remember to use the electronic DXCC application and bring a printout of your application, card list and your cards in the order in which they are entered. Special guests from the Japan Amateur Radio League (JARL) will also be available to check applications for certain JARL awards, as well as the IARU’s Worked All Continents (WAC) and 5-Band WAC awards.

ARRL members are invited to drop off their QSL cards to be sent through the ARRL Outgoing QSL Bureau (QSLs going to foreign stations; no US-to-US QSLs, please). Save shipping costs by bringing the cards to Dayton; the ARRL will transport your cards to the Outgoing Bureau at ARRL Headquarters. All of the standard QSL Bureau rules must be followed. Cards do not have to be boxed, but should be wrapped with rubber bands.

Get Ready for the 2014 ARRL Centennial

While at ARRL EXPO, be sure to visit the 2014 ARRL Centennial booth to discover some of the many ways that the ARRL is preparing to celebrate its big birthday next year. You can join the celebration by attending the 2014 National Centennial Convention in Hartford, Connecticut, scheduled for July 17-20 at the Connecticut Convention Center. Attendees will also enjoy tours of ARRL Headquarters and W1AW -- only 6 miles away from the Convention Center. Save the dates so you can be a part of this once-in-a-lifetime event.

ARRL Chief Development Officer Mary Hobart, K1MMH, and the members of the Second Century Campaign Committee will be at ARRL EXPO to share information and opportunities about the campaign’s goals. They will explain how individuals can help contribute to the ARRL Endowment to ensure that League will be there to support radio amateurs in the years ahead.

Forums and Presentations

In addition to all of the ARRL exhibits and activities at Hamvention, a handful of presentations that are directly sponsored by the ARRL, or that involve ARRL programs, will be included on the big slate of Hamvention forums:

Friday, May 17

12:15-1:45 PM (Room 3)
Ham Radio and the Law: Getting It Up and Keeping It Up
A discussion by Amateur Radio attorneys on legal issues of interest to hams, including how to avoid restrictive covenants, how to present your case for a tower permit and how to do your own needs analysis, as well as information on the latest court rulings on RFI, PRB-1 and towers. Hear about updates on the ARRL’s Amateur Radio Legal Defense and Assistance Committee. Moderator: Jim O’Connell, W9WU. Speakers: ARRL Volunteer Counsel Fred Hopengarten, K1VR (author of Antenna Zoning for the Radio Amateur), ARRL Regulatory Information Manager Dan Henderson, N1ND, and Dennis Egan, W1UE.

2:30-3:45 PM (Room 2)
Using Amateur Radio in the Classroom
ARRL Education & Technology Program Instructor Matt Severin, N8MS, explains how one teacher has used Amateur Radio in his classroom, and presents tips for even the most novice radio operator.

2:30-3:30 PM (Room 5)
Power Line Interference
ARRL RFI Engineer Mike Gruber, W1MG, and ARRL Laboratory Manager Ed Hare, W1RFI, explain the causes of power line noise, and provide a demonstration of professional power line noise-locating equipment. Learn about the ARRL and FCC’s cooperative program for working with utilities.

Saturday, May 18

9:15-11 AM (Room 5)
ARRL Member Forum
Hear from local and national ARRL officials on key areas of membership interest. Find out how the ARRL supports dozens of ways to get involved and get on the air. Members and prospective members are all welcome! Moderated by ARRL Great Lakes Division Director Jim Weaver, K8JE.

10:30-11:45 AM (Room 3)
Getting Started with Antenna Modeling
Join the discussion on how to use antenna modeling software to design simple antennas. The discussion will be based on the EZNEC antenna modeling program and will illustrate several of the basic techniques involved. Examples of dipoles, verticals and loops will be presented, as will common techniques used in modeling. Hosted by Ward Silver, N0AX, author of Antenna Modeling for Beginners.

1:15-2:15 PM (Room 3)
ARRL and FCC on Amateur Radio Enforcement
ARRL Regulatory Information Manager Dan Henderson, N1ND, gives an update on how the ARRL and the FCC work together to promote operation on the Amateur Radio bands legally, safely and appropriately. The presentation will include information on the role of the ARRL Amateur Auxiliary -- better known as the Official Observer program -- and the current status of Amateur Radio enforcement.

2:30-3:30 PM (Room 3)
The ARRL Laboratory
ARRL Laboratory Manager Ed Hare, W1RFI, describes the many jobs done in the ARRL Laboratory and the how the Lab’s staff is involved with the ARRL’s efforts to protect the Amateur Radio spectrum. Hare will also share a few tales from the Lab that you won’t read about in the pages of QST!

Sunday, May 19

9:15-10:15 AM (Room 2)
Exploring Our World through Remote Sensing and Ham Radio: Applications for Science and Math Curriculum
Remote sensing -- whether carried aloft on high altitude balloons, satellites in space or afloat on buoys -- is an evolving and fascinating facet of Amateur Radio. Hurricane warnings, tsunami alerts, predicting global climate change or even day-to-day weather observations for air traffic operations all have one thing in common: remote sensing from sea, air- or space-borne buoys. This forum will center on new resources developed by the ARRL’s Education & Technology Program that allow students to explore remote sensing, and will discuss how to use remote sensing to study the environment and the pivotal role that Amateur Radio plays in connecting the users to the remote sensing platforms. This forum will be of particular interest for school teachers and those interested in supporting STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education in our schools. Presented by ARRL Education and Technology Program Director Mark Spencer, WA8SME.

10:30-11:30 AM (Room 3)
Amateur Radio Emergency Service® (ARES®)
This forum is for all past, present and future ARES® volunteers. Join an hour long discussion on recruiting, retention and the future of ARES®. Moderator: ARRL Ohio Section Emergency Coordinator Matthew Welch, W8DEC. Speaker: ARRL Ohio Section Manager Frank Piper, KI8GW.

For a complete Hamvention Forum schedule, please visit the Dayton Hamvention website.