Huntsville Hamfest

[W5KUB]

Tune in this week to Amateur Radio Roundtable at 8:00 PM central at w5kub.com . This week our guest will be Mark Brown N4BCD the spokesperson for the Huntsville hamfest. Dave will talk to us about oscillators, how they work, and what they are used for. We may have a quick visit from NE4RD Jamboree on the air at K2BSA. Chat room and phone lines open. This program is also simulcast on famous international shortwave station WBCQ on 5130 Khz. We invite you to join our ham radio facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/w5kub/

[W4KVW]

A friend mentioned the Huntsville Hamfest a couple of days ago.I watched some of your videos from last year as well as a couple of others that were posted & I am not sure that a 15 hour total (Round Trip) is worth it for a Hamfest that is all inside just one building? Nobody has done a video that really shows how big this building really is but it does not look all that big? Other than everything being inside in the AC & no worries about rain what is the Big Draw that would make me want too drive 7 1/2 hours one way? I must be missing something?   

Clayton
W4KVW 

[N4BCD]

Clayton, the photo link below taken a few years ago gives some indication of the size of the South Hall of the Van Braun Civic Center.  In total there are 384 flea market tables!  And they're all sold out again this year.  The tables with the red skirts are the beginning of the commercial vendor area (also sold out) that extends left and down in the image.  Not shown in the image is a curtained off area just outside the hall where exams are given, another area for the Youth Forum, and 5 or 6 additional air-conditioned rooms used for Forums.  The Hall is connected via a covered sky-bridge to the Embassy Suites where a Hospitallity Suite welcomes hams after Hamfest hours.  There's a DX Banquet on Saturday night and Bob Allphin K4UEE is our speaker - topic is the upcoming Bouvet expedition. 

https://shows.wiredco.com/wp-content/gallery/huntsville/huntsville2.jpg

You'll find a complete list of this year's commercial vendors at:
          http://hamfest.org/DealersList.php

A list of flea market vendors at:
          http://hamfest.org/FleaLayout.php

The Forum schedule
         http://hamfest.org/Forums-SatSked.pdf

I'd say it's worth the trip and invite you to experience what vendors & visitors alike call "The World's Friendliest Hamfest".

73,
 Mark  N4BCD
 Huntsville Hamfest Representative
 North Alabama DX Club - President

[K4JK]

I grew up going to this hamfest... It really is one of the better ones. Especially now with all the hotels around now.

[ND6M]

...(edit)...
Clayton, the photo link below ... it's worth the trip and invite you to experience what vendors & visitors alike call "The World's Friendliest Hamfest".

73,
 Mark  N4BCD
 Huntsville Hamfest Representative
 North Alabama DX Club - President

Mark, GREAT reply!

 There are 2 hamfests that I always attend, Orlando & Huntsville.

Heck, I even really enjoy the streaming video of W5KUB's driving , not to mention the vids he does during your event.

[KI4ZUQ]

I have been to the Huntsville Hamfest and could not see it all! Wanted to go to Dayton and got scheduled out. One Huntsville local claimed it was second only to Dayton. Going again this year and plan to stay a little longer. I am only about 3.5 hours away. 7.5 hours is a bit much but Dayton is even a longer duration trip from here!

By the way, I plan to overnight near Florence-Tuscumbia in some Patel-motel since Huntsville hotels-motels are so expensive and the reviews are horrible.

Karl
KI4ZUQ

[W4KVW]

Thanks for the replies.I am still considering going but it may be a last minute decision.I just had surgery on my upper spine & I'm not sure how well that would go with the long ride? About a 50/50 chance at this time. 

Clayton
W4KVW

[W6EM]

I have been to the Huntsville Hamfest and could not see it all! Wanted to go to Dayton and got scheduled out. One Huntsville local claimed it was second only to Dayton. Going again this year and plan to stay a little longer. I am only about 3.5 hours away. 7.5 hours is a bit much but Dayton is even a longer duration trip from here!

By the way, I plan to overnight near Florence-Tuscumbia in some Patel-motel since Huntsville hotels-motels are so expensive and the reviews are horrible.

Karl
KI4ZUQ

The Huntsville area has two attractions that are well worth some spare time to take in.

The NASA Space and Rocket Center is in Huntsville, along I-565.  And, over in Tuscumbia/Florence, the Alabama Music Hall of Fame.  While the NASA venue is well known, the MHOF isn’t.  No, it isn’t all about country.  Lots of 60’s rock, soul and blues history as well.  How many know that Aretha Franklin recorded her early works there.  Or, that the Rolling Stones tracked Brown Sugar in Florence/Muscle Shoals.  Or, that Percy Sledge, who recorded “When a Man Loves a Woman,” was an orderly at a Florence hospital…..

It’s not Disney World, but north Alabama has two facilities that are really first class and worth exploring.

[W3HR]

I think Huntsville is going to be my new "Dayton."  All indoors and air-conditioned.  Dayton was my yearly big hamfest trip, but now that they're in the muddy cow pasture...