Yup that’s right. Opportunities to gather with others outside of our Pamlico flock. If you happen to attend any of these send pictures and any observations. We will post it on our page and possibly send you a certificate for some free ionospheric reflectivity.
Hamfest
A “Hamfest” is a convention of amateur radio enthusiasts, often combining a trade show, flea market, and various other activities of interest to amateur radio operators. In the United Kingdom the term “rally” is more commonly used for amateur radio conventions. “Hamfests” were noted as early as 1924 in the U.S. according to Wikipedia.
WASHINGTON HAMFEST – MAY 9, 2026 (Saturday)
(Annual PARC & BARC Spring Tailgate & Cookout)
The annual PARC and BARC – Spring Tailgate Hamfest & Cookout is fast approaching!
This annual spring Hamfest & Cookout ‘s open to Everyone! All Clubs & All Hams!
Date and Time: Saturday May 9, 2026, Hamfest tailgating starts at 9:00 am and Lunch will be at 12:00 Noon.
Location: Clarks Neck VFD #2 3797 Wharton Station Rd, Washington, NC 27889
PARC and BARC is supplying burgers, hot dogs, and grilled chicken breasts.
Please check the attached flyer and scan the QR code to access the Sign-Up Genius page and choose a side dish to bring.
Please if you can, bring an item for the cookout, KFC, Beans, Soups, Chili, Cookies, Pie, mash-taters, (Sams Club, Walmart, Publix, Harris Teeter)
Last year we had a wonderful turnout and a beautiful day. We are looking forward to seeing you all again this year!
Contact:
Gary Faust, NG9T
Gfaust1963@gmail.com
Ph: (252) 531-4982
Beth Gonzalez, KN4FZB
Bgonz1492@gmail.com
Ph: (570) 380-3356
Spring Cookout Coordinators
GOLDSBORO HAMFEST – MAY 2, 2026 (Saturday)
(Chris Keen Memorial UnFest)
This I a reminder that the 9th annual Chris Keen Memorial UnFest (Hamfest) is on May the 2nd here in Goldsboro.
More information is available at www.k4cyp.com/unfest
This year we will be having inside tables for $5.00. Admission is FREE, you can also tailgate for FREE as well. We are hoping to a fill up all the inside tables….so sign up as soon as you can because we have a limited number of tables.
We will be holding a VE test session from 9 am until 12 noon…..walk ins welcome.
Refreshments- sausage biscuit – coffee – some soda – and water.
Location is; 1100 The First Church Rd, Goldsboro, NC 27534 https://thefirstchurch.com/
Talk in frequencies: 146.850/pl 88.5
Door prizes are as follows:
Xiegu G90 HF radio, Spooltenna Ultra,
Talkpod virtual Ham Radios X 6, Dx Engineering $50 gift, Cert Alph Antenna $50 gift Cert, X 5 ARRL gift Cert $50 x 2, $25 x 4 GigaParts TBD at press time
Tickets sales are for door prizes;
1 ticket $1
6 tickets $5
13 tickets $10
Tickets are the key to supporting the UnFest……we need to pay for the door prizes and the venue so come on out and buy, buy, buy tickets. Also sign up for a table ASAP
Contact:
Peter M. Wene, WA5T
Pete@wene.net
Ph: (919) 440-2937
Is Dayton 2026 in your Plans?
Keep us in the Loop at N4PRS.org should you attend. Photos and stories are most welcome. Please feel free to pass them along. We will dress them up should you wish. Also, if you have not done so in the past, do make a couple of extra hours in your trip to visit the National Air Force Museum in Dayton. It is a short drive from Zenia and everyone will find something of interest there and radio nerds too. It is free and a marvelous exhibition.
N4PRS.ORG at Dayton 2024
On total fluke of nature and a dare, coupled with prospects of free room and board, our “.org” stringer motored to Xenia Ohio for HAMVENTION 2024. Truly the holy grail of Hamfests all expectations were delivered. Though we haven’t confirmed the numbers it was expected that over 35,000 attendants would show. Judging from the looks in the wide eyes (reminding one of deer in the headlights) of local Xenia residents and business people, we believe the estimates were accurate if not understated. Xenia is a lovely small town southeast of Dayton Ohio. Here contained is a spacious fairground perfectly suited to host the waves of equipment vendors, seminars, ARRL functions and of course the ubiquitous, endless, outdoor flee market and tailgating. The one hour trail of vehicles worming through town each day just to arrive at your parking spot was the first test of patience. After which car spots were to found in the recently bush hogged tall grass covered fields. This is a massive Agriculture state after all. Heavy rain and the accompanying mud slogging did not hold anyone down. Singles, couples, complete families and animal life trudged through the first days opening without pauses. Foul weather gear, store bought rain coats, ponchos, trash bags etc., could be seen everywhere. On foot, wheelchair, golf cart, hover board and hundreds of those mobility scooters. Mud mired or recently freed if it was clean getting out of your car before everything was mud covered from then on. They even had a special golf cart tow truck which was kept very busy. You had to be intensely interested in the goings on to put up with all that. We were. No one else appeared to hold back either. Luckily the excess of radio radiation (honestly there was enough radiated power in one spot to recreate HARP) was enough to disperse the rains and clouds to deliver pleasant, however warm weather, for the balance of the show.
Anyone that has ever scanned QST mag would recognize almost each and every vendor displaying wares in the 4 massive exhibition buildings on the site. Old tech, conventional tech, space age new to the world tech. All the big guns down to the Mom and Pop Ham cottage industry were on board. Even with the absence of some seemingly stalwarts of the industry, new producers took their place to make a showing. It was all there including every conceivable hardware, software, service organization, satellite, doodad, widget, gadget,wire, cable the list was endless. Almost infinite. One does not breeze through this in an hour or two. If you take in any of the numerous forums or meetings as well, you must spend a couple of days if not all three.
Granted the crowd was predominately older. We aren’t fooling anyone here, it is to be expected. However we are exceptionally pleased to report a steady stream of younger hams and with intense interest in all things radio amateur. Very positive energy among this new blood. Exam sessions we heard were full. Seminars packed. Even booths displaying robotics and telemetry to the youngest hamlets were very busy. Reportedly the vendors were exceptionally pleased with sales too. We have attended hundreds (no exaggeration) of trade, industry and retail shows. This Dayton exposition rivaled many. As a roving scribe one of our greatest take backs were the conversations with fellow amateurs from all over the world. Did I mention that you could have worked all states and countries from the bench by the food courts? Such a great feeling to put eyes and ears on folks from all over. Some from our own QSO’s and many from the world of the internet too. Pretty obvious that these people are a solid new face of the industry. We met many of them too. Oh yaah. Ducks. Internet ham radio ducks too. If you have seen them on You Tube then we probably chatted them up or quacked.
Though we present some photo evidence here it cannot do justice to the scale of this show. If one has the opportunity to experience this Great Ziggurat of hamfests then you should definitely attempt this one. We hope you enjoy the pics. Though we were there to show the flag for PARS and N4PRS.org with honor and bravado it was a bit of a task to repeatedly answer the question “Where the Hell is Oriental”. Just tell them FM-15.
Oh Wow. We actually made it!
The first wave. Can’t hold them back.
Like locusts on fresh crops
Step right up friend we’ve got your satellites here!
How about one of these for the next club project?
There’s something for everyone in Ham Radio
When the Meatball was king
Memories or What
The old and…
…The New in Training
Sir this could be your lucky day
From my car trunk to your car truck
I know they are somewhere here
WAS award for
Worked All Sausage vendors
I don’t mean to repeat myself.
What the heck are these things?
Yup..had one but it’s gone. Tell ya what I do have though….
If found please return to XYL
I just may have to because the parts are getting smaller.
His XYL followed about 20 feet behind
Girls are a mighty force on the air too
These three here have more followers on YouTube that most hams have lifetime contacts
Many “remember when” moments at the flea market
One day Dad when you least expect it……
Smile already The rain has stopped.
That’s what 100 watts looks like now a days
No further captioning needed
You actually know who I am? Yes of course Jim AI4WL quotes you every week.
No spouse or loved one should hinder your quest for the radio bargain.
Scenes of Hamfests Past
DAYTON…….2019
Too late now. Send any pictures or news of club member participants if you can. We will plan on next year now
It’s not all serious at Dayton from Imgur
Snippet of Dayton from Imgur
In the month of May is the big one. Hamfest of all hamfests. The annual national convention of the ARRL as well. DAYTON. I am told that if one does have the opportunity to attend that you will not be disappointed. So check it out next year let us know if it’s everything we have heard.
Please stay tuned as we add events when we hear of them. I will try and keep them current. The date of the actual event is contained in the post.
If you have a Hamfest event to post, please send it to us at PARSwebman@gmail.com.
If you want to search for hamfests in North Carolina or nationwide, use this ARRL Hamfests and Conventions search form.