This year’s Hamvention was truly incredible. While I haven’t seen the official attendance figures, I can only assume it was highly attended based on my observations.
Once again, my friend Mike (VE3MKX) captured a plethora of photos at Hamvention—both in the flea market and the indoor exhibit areas—and has generously shared them with us here.
Thank you, Mike!
Click to view the complete photo album–> Continue reading Mike’s 2025 Hamvention Photo Gallery
Good morning, QRPers!
Day two of Hamvention 2025 was absolutely amazing—and the weather couldn’t have been more ideal. I wish I had time this morning to write a proper recap, but I’m grabbing a quick breakfast and heading back to the Greene County Fairgrounds for day three.
That said, I wanted to drop a quick note and share a photo of a little surprise from the Flea Market…
Even though I told myself I wouldn’t buy another radio at Hamvention, I spotted one I simply couldn’t pass up:
I already own a TR-35 (a rig I absolutely love), so I let that one go. But I didn’t have an MTR-4B in my collection… and that red chassis in the early morning sunlight? Irresistible. The asking price was $200—very fair, in my opinion—so I snagged it.
Later that day, I showed it off to my good friend Joshua (N5FY), and wouldn’t you know it—he gifted me one of his MTR-4B protective covers!
As soon as I got back to the hotel room that evening, I installed it.
She’s ready for the field.
I’ve actually wrote a review of an MTR-4B I borrowed from a reader. You can check out that review with links to field report here. I’m looking forward to taking this little red machine out to a summit soon!
More to come after Hamvention wraps up.
Thanks again to everyone who’s stopped by to say hello—it’s truly been the highlight of my weekend!
— Thomas (K4SWL)
Good Morning, QRPers!
Day one of Hamvention 2025 (Friday, May 16) kicked off bright and early!
I started the day with a quick walk-through of the Hamvention Flea Market before the gates opened. I also shared an impromptu video with Patreon supporters—it was a peaceful moment before the weekend’s whirlwind began.
I spent most of Friday at the Ham Radio Workbench Podcast table, which served as a kind of home base. I had the pleasure of chatting with so many HRWB listeners, QRPer readers, and YouTube subscribers.
Thank you for taking the time to introduce yourselves—it was a true joy to reconnect with many of you in person! Your kindness and encouragement fuel me through the wonderful chaos that is Hamvention.
As soon as the indoor exhibits opened, I made a beeline to the Yaesu booth to check out their new FTX-1 Field and FTX-1 Optima. They had multiple units on display, ready for hands-on testing.
In person, the rigs look fantastic—the displays are crisp, the fit and finish are excellent, and I really appreciate the modular design with snap-on battery and ATU options.
That said… my first reaction was: “This is bigger than I expected.” I wasn’t alone—I overheard several others expressing the same surprise.
I think that’s partly due to some early promotional material. One Yaesu rep video seemed to suggest the FTX-1 would be just a bit larger than the faceplate of an FTM-500D.
In reality, it has a much larger footprint. Even with just the battery attached, it has noticeable bulk—and with the optional ATU in place, it grows even more.
The Optima version, with its 100-watt amplifier and internal ATU, is larger still—definitely a full-size 100-watt rig. I’d say it’s bigger in every dimension than the FT-891.
I also recorded a quick video with my iPhone while checking out the FTX-1 at the Yaesu booth and shared it on YouTube yesterday, if you’d like a closer look.
After spending some time with the FTX-1, I walked over to DX Engineering and cancelled my reservation.
To be clear: I think Yaesu has done a great job with this rig. It’s incredibly feature-rich, well-built, and will no doubt be the perfect radio for a lot of operators. I’m willing to bet Yaesu will sell a ton of these—and rightfully so.
But for my specific needs—especially as someone who values small, minimalist radios for portable field use—the FTX-1 simply isn’t the right fit. Even the head unit of the FTX-1 Field is larger than I prefer. I could tell that, as much as I might enjoy the radio at home, I’d likely leave it behind more often than take it to the field.
So this was a personal decision, and canceling also frees up over $2,000 in funds for other gear that better aligns with my style of operating.
One thing I heard repeatedly throughout the day–a number of folks who had pre-ordered the FTX-1 Field through Ham Radio Outlet were frustrated. Several told me they were surprised—and disappointed—that HRO had a batch of FTX-1 Field units for sale at Hamvention, even though some customers placed reservations months ago.
These folks followed HRO’s instructions last year to reserve early and expected to be first to receive units in-hand.
Update: Two readers have noted that their FTX-1s reserved via HRO actually shipped on Friday, so perhaps all or some of the reserved orders actually shipped day of Hamvention.
Hamvention day one was absolutely amazing—but I’ll admit I was wiped out by the end of it (and I know I wasn’t alone!). I did make it to Club Night at Four Days In May (FDIM), but we headed back to the hotel early—just in time to avoid the intense storm that rolled through Dayton around 8:30–9:00 p.m.
I’m wrapping up this post over breakfast, then heading back to the Greene County Fairgrounds for day two. I can’t wait to see what’s ahead!
Once again, thank you to everyone who stopped by to say hello. Your encouragement and kindness truly mean the world to me.
— Thomas (K4SWL)
I’ve got a few quiet moments this morning as I sit in the dining room of our hotel in downtown Dayton, Ohio. It’s peaceful here—no one else is around, and no one has turned on the TV. Bliss…
Of course, that’ll change in a couple of hours when we pull into the parking lot at the Greene County Fairgrounds for Hamvention 2025!
So far, the trip and Four Days in May have been amazing.
I left Swannanoa bright and early Tuesday morning in the rain, but it cleared up as I crossed into Tennessee. The theme of the day was passing through thunder showers as I made my way north.
The plan was to activate Camp Creek State Park (US-5584) in West Virginia, grab lunch, then head to the QTH of Eric (WD8RIF).
I rolled into Camp Creek around 11:15 in light rain. Eric had confirmed there was at least one picnic shelter in the park, so I figured I’d activate from there to avoid scrambling if a downpour started.
I grabbed my end-fed half-wave and throw line from the back of the car—but then heard a very distant rumble of thunder. It was barely audible, but I decided to play it safe and set up under the metal shelter roof using my AX1 vertical instead. If I could wrap up the activation in 10–20 minutes, I could be packed up before any storms moved in.
It only took two minutes to set up the KX2 and AX1. I started scanning 20 meters for an open frequency, but could only hear one ragchew in progress—the band was otherwise dead.
I called QRL on 14,033.5 kHz, hoping for the best, when a loud clap of thunder hit.
Ugh.
I don’t mix radio and thunderstorms, so I packed up quickly, tucked in my tail, and hit the road. Camp Creek will have to wait for another day.
For lunch, I stopped at Tamarack in Beckley, WV. While the dining area might look like your typical folk art center café, the food is exceptional—the staff are in training for the famous Greenbrier Resort. I had a trout filet with green beans and mushrooms, kale, and sweet potato fries. It was incredible.
After a relaxed lunch, I hit the road again. A couple of hours later, I crossed the Ohio River and rolled into Ohio.
I arrived at Eric’s QTH around 4:30 and was warmly greeted by my canine buddy Theo—“The Great Warg” himself. You might remember him from some of Eric’s previous POTA adventures.
Eric and I packed the car and headed into uptown Athens, Ohio for a quick bite.
On Wednesday morning, we hit the road early and activated Lake Alma State Park (US-1967), then headed to Great Seal State Park (US-1954) for a second activation.
While conditions were a bit unstable, we didn’t have to work too hard to complete both activations. (Full field reports and activation videos are coming soon.)
Afterward, we drove another 90 minutes to Dayton and made a few stops at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, including the clothing store—where I stocked up on my usual Rite in the Rain pads—and the Commissary, where Eric picked up his annual supply of Nutella!
We checked into our hotel and later grabbed dinner at Carillon Brewing Co., one of my favorite spots in Dayton.
Yesterday, we left the hotel around 7:00 AM to attend Four Days in May at the Holiday Inn Fairborn.
I wish I had more time to describe what an incredible event it was—truly a highlight of the year!
We wrapped up the day at a jam-packed Vendor Night. And I do mean jam-packed—it was shoulder-to-shoulder.
A huge thank you to the many readers and subscribers who introduced themselves. I truly appreciate it!
I’ll cap off this report now because it’s time to hit the road again. More to come!
Please note: I hesitated to bring up this topic because of the inherent political weight it carries here in the United States (and this really only applies to those of us in the U.S.). So please—no political comments. Our moderators will remove them.
That said, I feel it’s important to share this, especially for anyone attending Hamvention 2025 or planning a radio or gear purchase in the near future.
Many of you know I have a number of contacts in the amateur radio world, including manufacturers and retailers. While I won’t share names or specific companies, I can tell you there are two common concerns among all of them right now: tariffs and uncertainty.
As of this posting, most amateur radio goods imported into the U.S. from China and Japan are subject to tariffs. These tariffs can increase the price of an item by 24% or more—in some cases, more than doubling the cost, depending on the item and country of origin. One manufacturer mentioned to me, “What impacts us most as hams is stuff [components and final products] generally comes from Japan 24% or China 145%.”
Even U.S.-based manufacturers are feeling the impact. Many rely on components from China simply because there’s no equivalent supply chain available in the States. Another manufacturer told me he recently paid $1,800 for components and was then charged a $2,700 tariff on top of that. When profit margins are already thin, those added costs inevitably get passed on to the customer.
Retailers are seeing this too. Unless something changes, certain products may not be imported at all because tariffs make them unaffordable. According to two different sources in the world of amateur radio retail, this could even affect the availability of the new FTX-1 in the U.S. It’s already a premium-priced radio—would customers be willing to pay 24%+ more than MSRP? Retailers are betting not.
Some manufacturers tried to plan ahead by stockpiling components before tariffs took effect. Others are using options like bonded warehouses to hold inventory in hopes that tariffs will be rolled back soon. But many smaller, mom-and-pop manufacturers don’t have the capacity or resources to do this, so they’re forced to deal with tariffs in real time.
If you’re based in the U.S. and considering a large purchase like a new radio, now might be the time. Tariffs do not affect inventory that’s already Stateside. So if you’re shopping Hamvention next week and buying direct from a vendor and walking away with the product in-hand, you’re likely getting a better deal than you would a few weeks or months down the road if tariffs persist.
Of course, this could all change overnight if tariffs are lifted or reduced—it may become a non-issue. But as things stand today, we’re on the cusp of seeing the real impact of tariffs on amateur radio gear here in the US. Once existing inventory is depleted, expect increased costs to be passed on to the consumer.
Please remember: I consider QRPer a safe haven from political discussions. There are much better places online to explore and debate the politics of this issue—QRPer simply isn’t one of them. Our community has always been welcoming, civil, and focused on what we love: field radio. Thank you in advance for helping keep it that way!
This year seems to have flown by already. No doubt it’s because it’s been one of the busiest years of my life so far (and I kind of hope it doesn’t get any busier!).
It feels like I was just wishing everyone a Happy New Year, and now—poof!—we’re only a week away from Four Days In May and Hamvention!
I’ll be leaving the QTH next Tuesday morning, doing an overnight at the QTH of my buddy Eric (WD8RIF) and his wife Vickie (KC8MAJ), then (hopefully) fitting in a day of POTA en route to our hotel in Dayton, Ohio.
We’ll spend all day Thursday at Four Days In May—always my favorite part of the Hamvention weekend.
On Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, we’ll be at Hamvention, held at the Greene County Fairgrounds in Xenia, Ohio.
When I’m not out and about checking out vendor booths and catching up with friends, I’ll be hanging out at the Ham Radio Workbench / Packtenna / Halibut Electronics / Sierra booth in Building 3—booths 3011 and 3012.
I remember when I first started attending Hamvention regularly (back in 2008 or 2009), I’d go with an extensive list of items to hunt down. Often you can find things at Hamvention that are hard to source elsewhere—especially items that aren’t easy to ship. I’d typically come home with a couple of boxes full of gear.
These days, though, my shack is pretty well stocked—and lately, I’ve been more focused on paring down than accumulating. So it’s rare for me to have more than one or two items on my Hamvention list.
This year, it’s pretty simple: I’ll be looking for another Alpha Delta 4-position antenna switch and possibly a few other components. Truthfully, I mostly keep an eye out for cool innovations from smaller mom-and-pop companies. I always leave a little room in my pack for those kinds of purchases!
If you’re attending Hamvention, what’s on your list?
If you’re not attending Hamvention but plan to go to Ham Radio Friedrichshafen, the Tokyo Ham Fair, the National Hamfest, or a national or regional hamfest where you live—what are you planning to buy?
What’s on your list?
On the morning of Wednesday, May 15, 2024, I woke up, grabbed breakfast, and headed to Strouds Run State Park in Athens, Ohio. (You can read about that activation in my previous field report.)
Once I returned to Eric’s (WD8RIF) QTH, Eric, his son Miles (KD8KNC), and I packed up the car for the drive to Dayton—roughly 2.5 hours from Athens. En route, we decided on an activation of Scioto Trail State Park (US-1990) which also happens to be a two-fer with Scioto Trail State Forest (US-5448).
I’d hoped band conditions would remain as favorable as they were in the morning, but the sun had other plans! (Indeed, this would become a recurring theme throughout the following week.)
We arrived at Scioto Trail around 2:00 PM, under scattered clouds and after passing through some rain. We hoped the weather would hold!
I’d never been to Scioto before and was pleased to see a small island on the lake accessible by a footbridge. It had a gazebo, perfect for a POTA station.
A highlight of this trip was giving Eric a chance to operate my Index Labs QRP Plus. Eric had owned one for 13 years as his first field radio. In fact, as I’ve mentioned before, when I first met Eric in 1997, it was while he was operating a QRP Plus during FYBO!
Since the QRP Plus is better suited for tabletop use, I recommended Eric set up in the gazebo.
I provided my Chelegance MC-750 for him to operate on 20M.
I set up under a tree at the edge of the island—as far from Eric as possible to minimize interference. In reality, the island is small, so I was only about 15 meters away—not ideal!
The tree offered some shade and potential rain protection. I deployed my Helinox Chair, my “no-transformer, no feedline” Tufteln random wire antenna, the Elecraft KX2, and my Tufteln/N0RNM kneeboard.
When I turned on the radio, I could hear Eric’s signal bleeding through on 30 meters (a band I chose to avoid harmonic interference with 20M).
The KX2 is sensitive, so this wasn’t unexpected. Eric never experienced interference from my station, likely due to the QRP Plus’s less sensitive receiver.
Note: All Amazon, CW Morse, ABR, Chelegance, eBay, and Radioddity links are affiliate links that support QRPer.com at no cost to you.
This turned out to be an activation where I’d really put my KX2 ATU to work! Continue reading Overcoming Band Conditions: A Challenging (But Rewarding) POTA Activation at Scioto Trail State Park!
Sunday, May 21, 2023, was the final day of Hamvention.
I traveled to Hamvention with my buddies Eric (WD8RIF) and his son Miles (KD8KNC). We decided in advance that instead of attending Hamvention that Sunday (after having spent all day Friday and Saturday there) we’d opt for a relaxing day playing POTA near Dayton/Xenia.
We weren’t, in fact, the only ones who skipped Hamvention that Sunday–our friends Vince (VE6LK or AI7LK State-side) and Charlie (NJ7V) did as well, so we decided to play POTA together!
Both Charlie and Vince were leaving the Dayton area that afternoon, so they needed to finish up their activations by noon at the latest. We decided we could fit in two activations that morning before Charlie and Vince headed back, then Eric, Miles, and I would hit a third park in the afternoon. Actually, Miles never planned to hop on the air, but he was both our ride and valuable POTA support!
Charlie and Vince met us at our hotel around 9:00 AM and we drove to the first of two parks we’d activate together.
The weather was beautiful that day, but the space weather, much less so. We knew in advance that it would be a struggle based on the propagation forecast and numerous reports from other activators.
Vince set up his Elecraft KX3-based station in the trunk/boot of his rental car.
He deployed his “low-slung” wire antenna (read more about that here) and hit the air.
Eric described the POTA station he deployed in his field report on WD8RIF.com:
Eric found a shady, level spot near the parking lot, strapped his 31′ Jackite telescoping fiberglass pole to his folding camp-chair, deployed his 28½’ wire vertical on the pole, set up his Elecraft KX3 on the camp-chair’s flip-up table, and was on the air at 1412 UTC. Eric began his operation with a lovely touch-paddle which he had unexpectedly been given as a gift from the builder, Brian Manley, K3ES.
Note that Eric carefully documents each and every one of his field activations and field contests on his website. His field reports date back to Field Day in 1995!
I found a spot to set up next to the lake under the shade of a large tree. I deployed my Tufteln no-transformer 28.5 foot end-fed random wire. This antenna is simply two lengths of 28.5′ wire: one wire for the radiator and one for the counterpoise. The KX2’s internal ATU does all of the heavy lifting. Continue reading QRP POTA with Friends: Two Park Activations with VE6LK, NJ7V, WD8RIF, and KD8KNC!
I made a tough choice a few weeks ago.
Since last year, I’ve been planning to attend the 2022 Hamvention and the Four Days In May (FDIM) evenings.
Hamvention weekend is one of the big highlights of my year and–until the pandemic–I hadn’t missed a single on in more than a decade.
I was really looking forward to this year if for no other reason than to connect with friends I only see at Hamvention.
My buddy Eric (WD8RIF), his son Miles (KD8KNC), and sometimes our good friend Mike (K8RAT) attend Hamvention together. We split accommodation, car pool, and fit in park activations before, during, and after. We also fit in an annual pilgrimage to the USAF museum. It’s incredibly fun.
As fun as Hamvention is–which is insanely fun–I realized that it was going to be a pricey 3-4 night excursion when I already have some pretty epic, much-anticipated travels planned this summer with my family.
Since I had literally no items on my Hamvention shopping list (Eric didn’t either) and since I wanted to funnel all of my travel monies into the amazingness that awaits us this summer, I had a hard time justifying the costs of the trip.
So I reached out to Eric who, turns out, was feeling much the same way.
We hatched an alternate plan that ended up winning us over. Continue reading Why I’m skipping Hamvention this year
The following note was posted on the Dayton Hamvention website:
Unfortunately, several setbacks in the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic make necessary the difficult decision to cancel Hamvention 2021. Hundreds of volunteers have been working to do everything necessary to bring this Hamvention to the many amateur radio enthusiasts and vendors who support the Dayton Hamvention.
Vaccine distribution both in the United States and around the world is lagging behind what was planned. In addition, the emergence of a more communicable form of the COVID-19 virus increases the potential for further public health problems in the next few months. We make this difficult decision for the safety of our guests and vendors.
Those who had their tickets, inside booths or flea market spaces deferred last year will be deferred again. Those who purchased 2021 tickets, inside booths or flea market spaces will also be deferred. If you desire a refund instead please email tickets@hamvention.org and we will contact you.
Stay tuned for information about a QSO party for the 2021 Hamvention weekend. We are looking forward to the 2022 Hamvention!!!
Executive Committee, Dayton Hamvention 2021
