DAYTON, Ohio — This weekend, ham radio enthusiasts from across Ohio and the world are gathering in Xenia for Hamvention — the biggest event of the year in amateur radio. It’s sponsored by the Dayton Amateur Radio Association, attracting more than 25,000 people from around the world.
What You Need To Know
- Hamvention is the largest gathering of ham radio enthusiasts in the world
- More than 25,000 people gathered at the Greene Co. Fairgrounds in Xenia
- This year's honoree as "Amateur of the Year" is a German broadcaster who organized help for Ukrainian citizens.
Their home is the Greene County Fairgrounds, and there's plenty of festival food, but the real attraction is chewing the fat about ham radio with like-minded men and women from all over.
“We love the atmosphere; it’s nice and large, and we can meet so many people from around the world,” said Robert Pickles, an English ham radio enthusiast who is working for a company selling radio towers.
He is part of an indoor market that includes all kinds of cutting edge equipment. Outside, visitors can peruse a large flea market with antique radios and other treasures.
“A lot of people look at amateur radio as just for old geeks and old frosted flakes maybe like me,” said Michael Kalter, the convention’s spokesman who has been involved for more than 30 years. “I have met so many people from all over the world.”
Kalter said there are growing programs for kids and young adults.
“We see a resurgence of me and women in their 30s and 40s who are suddenly interested,” he said.
Lots of people picked up the hobby when they were shut inside during the Pandemic and Kalter says the convention’s bigger than ever because these broadcasters enjoy meeting in person too:
“I’ve been to the Middle East, I’ve been to India, Europe and other places and a lot of times when I travel, I just meet up with them which is extremely exciting!”
It’s not all fun and games — many times, these radio operators have been crucial in a crisis or disaster:
“Amateur Radio comes in all parts of the world and provides emergency communication to the outside area from wherever disaster has struck.”
This year’s Amateur of the Year is Carsten Dauer - a German who took to the airwaves to help the people of Ukraine.
“Carston is an amazing individual and a very unassuming guy,” Kalter said.
“He has taken truckloads and he collects these radios, fills big vans and then somehow gets them near the border of Ukraine.”
“Some places had no electricity some places had no internet, some places had no telephone so the only way to communicate is by radios,” Dauer said.
He and his family hosted refugees but he wants to be clear: he still talks with some Russians on the radio, too.
“You learn at the beginning when you do a ham radio license, it’s non-politic, non-religion, all that stuff you don’t talk about it,” he said. “I still have Russian friends I still talk with Russian amateur operators I have no problem with the people.”
Dauer is visiting Hamvention for the second time. He traveled here this year to accept the award and to share what he’s learned since his recent mission.
“You can survive on two hours of sleep a night,” Dauer said. “You find out you have many friends and this is the best hobby in the world.”