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The Dayton Hamvention is one of the two largest
The Dayton Hamvention is one of the two largest amateur radio
Amateur radio, also known as ham radio, is the use of the radio frequency spectrum for purposes of non-commercial exchange of messages, wireless experimentation, self-training, private recreation, radiosport, contesting, and emergency commu ...
convention (or 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 (hams). In the United Kingdom the term rally is more commonly used for amateur r ...
) in the world. It is held each May in the Dayton, Ohio
Dayton () is the List of cities in Ohio, sixth-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, Ohio, Montgomery County. A small part of the city extends into Greene County, Ohio, Greene County. The 2020 United S ...
area and draws attendees from various parts of the world. Since 2017, it has been held at the Greene County Fairgrounds in Xenia, Ohio
Xenia ( ) is a city in southwestern Ohio and the county seat of Greene County, Ohio, United States. It is east of Dayton and is part of the Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area, as well as the Miami Valley region. The name comes from the Gree ...
near Dayton. Prior to this it was held each May at the Hara Arena
Hara Arena was a 5,500-seat multi-purpose arena located in the Trotwood, Ohio suburb of Dayton. The facility began as a ballroom in 1956, added an arena in 1964 and grew to a six-building complex which closed in August 2016.
At various times, it ...
in Trotwood, Ohio.
The first Hamvention occurred on March 22, 1952 at the Biltmore Hotel in Dayton (QST March 1952).
Hara Arena had been the home of Dayton Hamvention since 1964. The Hara Arena announced its closure in 2016 with the 2017 Hamvention being forced to move as a result.
The 2019 Hamvention drew 32,462 paid attendees over its three days, and offered a wide variety of activities for amateur radio enthusiasts, including:
* 5 parallel tracks of forums, classes, and demonstrations covering all aspects of the hobby.
* 6 buildings full of commercial exhibit space, where major amateur equipment manufacturers put their newly announced products on display and smaller companies and amateurs themselves opened booths to display their products including homebrew equipment.
* A large flea market area drawing buyers and sellers of radio parts, old equipment, accessories, and a wide range of other merchandise.
* Amateur radio license exams for newcomers as well as for hams who want to upgrade their current license levels.
* Over two dozen food and drink vendors, serving a wide range of breakfast and lunch specialties.
* Numerous affiliated events held by local hams after the gates have closed or at close by locations.
The 2020 Dayton Hamvention was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
, the first cancellation in the 68-year history of the event.
On January 11, 2021, Hamvention Organizers Dayton Amateur Radio Club (DARA) announced that the 2021 event had also been cancelled, citing delays in widespread availability of vaccines for the COVID-19 virus and the emergence of more communicable forms of the virus.
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