The 2022 Dayton Hamvention®, among the world's largest annual amateur radio gatherings, is ready to celebrate its 70th Anniversary event, May 20 - 22, at the Greene County Fairgrounds and Expo Center in Xenia, Ohio. Organizers report that brisk advance sales of tickets and reservations for inside exhibit booths and flea market spaces are an indication that Hamvention 2022 is headed for success.

At the final planning meeting held on May 10, committee members learned that 94 percent of the inside exhibits were already sold, and more than 450 vendors had already claimed over 85 percent of the flea market spots.

Adding to the interest this year is the largest prize ever offered in the history of Hamvention, an amateur radio dream station package worth almost $20,000. General Chairman Rick Allnutt, WS8G, thanked DX Engineering and Icom America for the prize, which made them Platinum Prize Sponsors for Hamvention 2022. The prize package includes an Icom IC-7851 HF/50MHz Transceiver and an extensive list of station accessories. Allnutt also acknowledged all the other donors who contributed the many hourly prizes given out during Hamvention.

Other points made during the planning meeting included urging the use of the free ARRL Events app for smartphones and tablets to help attendees navigate the large schedule of forums and meeting locations, the sprawling fairgrounds, multiple buildings that house hundreds of exhibits, and related activities. While a printed program will be available, the app provides an easier way to access information. Visit your app store to download the app (search "ARRL Events"), or via the following link: www.tripbuildermedia.com/apps/arrl. A web version is also available. The ARRL app is offered in partnership with Hamvention.

The use of the Hamvention web pages was promoted to help locate parking areas, gates, and other relevant materials. It was also recommended that committee members and those attending also have an In Case of Emergency Card on their person, preferably on a lanyard around their neck.

Hamvention will continue the policy of having free admission on Sunday. However, tickets are still required for entrance on Sunday, and can be obtained at no cost at the ticket booth. Those tickets are for admission only and do not include a prize drawing stub.

Allnutt thanked all committee members and asked them to pass on his thanks to all their volunteers. Dayton Hamvention includes hundreds of volunteers and is sponsored by the Dayton Amateur Radio Association.

For its part, ARRL The National Association for Amateur Radio® will host over a dozen booths in its large exhibit area, located in building 2 (see PDF-format map). The booths will be supported by an 80-person team comprised of ARRL Board members, Section Managers, Field Organization volunteers, program representatives, and ARRL Headquarters staff. Included are exhibits supporting radio clubs, the ARRL Great Lakes Division (including the ARRL Sections of Kentucky, Michigan, and Ohio), the Amateur Radio Emergency Service® (ARES®), ARRL Development and ARRL Foundation, ARRL Learning Center, ARRL Teachers Institute, ARRL Collegiate Amateur Radio Program, ARRL Volunteer Examiner Coordinator, ARRL Volunteer Monitor Program, ARRL Radiosport and DXCC, and the ARRL Laboratory. The ARRL exhibit area is also host to a booth for the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU). Visit www.arrl.org/expo for a complete summary of ARRL's participation at 2022 Hamvention.