Why Every Ham Should Experience a Hamfest – Especially Ham Holiday
By ChatGPT, for the Edmond Amateur Radio Society (EARS)
If you’re new to the hobby—or even if you’ve been licensed for years—you may have heard the term “hamfest” tossed around but never quite known what to expect. In short, a hamfest is part flea market, part educational forum, part social gathering—and 100% radio fun.
Here in Oklahoma, we’re fortunate to have Ham Holiday, our own long-running hamfest, taking place this year on July 25–26, 2025 at Oklahoma City Community College. It’s more than just a swap meet (though yes, you will find tables full of vintage rigs, antennas, connectors, and maybe that weird part you’ve been searching for since 2012). It’s a chance to learn, network, get licensed or upgrade, and put faces to familiar voices.
Here’s what you can expect:
- Forums & Presentations: Learn from experts and hear updates on topics like emergency communications, digital modes, portable ops, and more.
- VE Testing: Ready to get your license or go for that upgrade? Testing sessions will be available.
- Flea Market & Vendor Hall: Browse gear both new and used. It’s like an amateur radio treasure hunt!
- Social Time: Reconnect with fellow hams from across the region. It’s one of the best parts of the event.
Whether you’ve attended for years or this would be your first time, Ham Holiday is a fantastic opportunity to immerse yourself in the hobby, pick up something new, and have a lot of fun doing it.
📍 Event Details:
Ham Holiday 2025
July 25–26, 2025
Oklahoma City Community College
7777 S. May Ave, Oklahoma City
Forums
This is the 2025 forum list to help you plan your day.
Time | Room 1 | Room 2 | Room 3 | Room 4 |
0900-0950 | ARRL Forum – Division Director John Stratton N5AUS and OK Section Manager Mark Kleine N5HZR | Meshtastic Jeff Scoville–AE5ME | Route 66 Airplane Rover – Bill Hartsell W3WSH | |
1000-1050 | ARES Mark Conklin–N7XYO | M17 PROJECT Jeff Scoville–AE5ME | Chinese Handie Talkies Duane Angles – AA5KD | |
1100-1150 | AUXCOM Gayland Kitch–WX5MOR | OKDXA Jeff Martin–K5WE | ARDEN Chris Chandler – KW5CCC | |
1200-1250 | Oklahoma Repeater Society Inc. (ORSI) Meeting | OKC Memorial Marathon Communications – Jon Love – KJ5DBL | DMR Networks Chris Chandler – KW5CCC | VE Session Ed Hatch — AG5DV– Be here by 12:30 to start a test |
1300-1400 | AREDN / DMR Radio Programming |
Find full details and ticket info at: hamholiday.com
Cycle 66 is this Sunday – Volunteers Needed!
Cycle 66 is happening this Sunday, July 27th, and we could use some extra help to make it a success. If you’re available to assist, please send me an email at sirens@k5eok.org, and I’ll get you on the list.
Thanks in advance for your support!
Clay, WA6LBU
LibertyFest – Thank You
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to each and every one of you who volunteered to help with LibertyFest this year. Your dedication, time, and teamwork made the event a great success — and we truly could not have done it without you. Thank you for being such an important part of this community effort!
Brandy, K5GBN
Edmond Siren Test – Saturday, August 2nd
The next monthly Edmond Outdoor Warning Siren Test is scheduled for Saturday, August 2nd.
If you’ve been assigned a siren but are unavailable this month, please let Clay (WA6LBU) know as soon as possible.
We are also looking for a few more volunteers to adopt a siren. If you’re able to help or would like to be added to the siren monitoring list, please reach out!
📧 Contact Clay at: sirens@k5eok.org
Thank you for supporting this important community service!
Next EARS VE Test Session – Saturday, August 2nd at 9:00 AM
The Edmond Amateur Radio Society will hold its next VE Test Session on Saturday, August 2nd at 9:00 AM.
If you—or someone you know—plans to test, please visit the License Testing page and complete the sign-up form. This helps the VE team prepare to accommodate all participants efficiently.
Questions?
Contact Ralph Turner, N5AMR
📧 Email: Raltur47@gmail.com
📞 Phone: (573) 999-4748
We look forward to seeing new and upgrading hams there!
EARS Monthly Training & Elmer Session – August 12
The Edmond Amateur Radio Society (EARS) has begun hosting a monthly Training and Elmer Session before each board meeting. Whether you’re a new ham or have years of experience, these sessions offer helpful information and an opportunity to grow in the hobby.
Our next session will be held on Tuesday, August 12th at 6:00 PM at Edmond Fire Station 5, located at 5300 E Covell Rd.
This month’s topic will be Radio Programming, presented by Randy, KG5GOV. Following the presentation, we’ll have time set aside to help anyone who needs assistance programming their radios—so feel free to bring your equipment and questions.
We hope to see you there!
John, N5RET
help@k5eok.org
EARS August Board Meeting – August 12 at 7:00 PM
The Edmond Amateur Radio Society (EARS) holds its monthly board meeting on the second Tuesday of each month. Our next meeting will take place on Tuesday, August 12th at 7:00 PM at Edmond Fire Station 5, located at 5300 E Covell Rd, just east of I-35.
The meeting will be held in the training building down the hill by the tower. The blue pin on the map below marks the exact location.
If you have any trouble finding us, just call on the repeater and we’ll guide you in.
All are welcome—we hope to see you there!
Steven, N5ZQ
Why Space Weather Matters for Radio Operators
Space (solar) weather plays a significant role in radio communication. While its most noticeable effects are often seen on HF bands, solar activity can also impact VHF, UHF, and even higher frequencies under certain conditions.
Understanding space weather helps us better predict band conditions, plan operations, and troubleshoot unusual signal behavior.
Below is a recommended video from a trusted YouTube channel that shares updates on solar activity and space weather about every two weeks. The presenter breaks down complex topics in a way that’s easy to follow and incredibly informative.
📺 Watch the latest space weather report
If you haven’t already, I encourage you to follow her channel. It’s a valuable resource for amateur radio operators at all levels!
Upcoming HF Contests
Here are a few upcoming HF contests to keep an ear out for! These events offer a great opportunity to sharpen your operating skills, test your equipment, and connect with hams across the country—and the world.
For a more comprehensive list, check out the ARRL Contest Corral in QST Magazine, available as a downloadable PDF from the ARRL website.
You can also find up-to-date contest schedules and detailed information at:
🌐 contestcalendar.com
Alabama QSO Party | 1500Z, Jul 26 to 0300Z, Jul 27 |
North American QSO Party, CW | 1800Z, Aug 2 to 0559Z, Aug 3 |
Maryland-DC QSO Party | 1400Z, Aug 9 to 0400Z, Aug 10 |
Kentucky State Parks on the Air | 1400Z-2200Z, Aug 9 |
ARRL EME Contest | 0000Z, Aug 16 to 2359Z, Aug 17 |
ARRL 10 GHz and Up Contest | 0900Z, Aug 16 to 0759Z, Aug 18 |
North American QSO Party, SSB | 1800Z, Aug 16 to 0559Z, Aug 17 |
Hawaii QSO Party | 0400Z, Aug 23 to 0400Z, Aug 25 |
Ohio QSO Party | 1600Z, Aug 23 to 0400Z, Aug 24 |
Web Links
Here are a few links to other websites that may be of interest.
- ARRL (American Radio Relay League) – https://arrl.org
- CORA (Central Oklahoma Radio Amateurs) – https://coraok.org
- Ham Holiday (OKC Hamfest) – https://hamholiday.com
- ARRL Oklahoma Section – https://ok.arrl.org
- South Canadian Amateur Radio Society (SCARS)
- DMR Info – https://w5nor.org/okdmr/
- They have lots of other good info on their website such as modes of operation, weather/emergency info etc.
- ARES
- ARRL ARES – https://www.arrl.org/ares
- OK ARES – https://aresok.org
- Winlink – https://winlink.org
- AREDN – arednmesh.org
- POTA (Parks on the Air) – https://pota.app
Upcoming Events
- EARS Information Net – Every Monday at 8pm
- Route 66 10m Net on 28.390 – Every Monday Following the Information Net
- EARS Breakfast – Every Saturday at approximately 6:30am at Around The Corner, 11 S. Broadway, Edmond
- EARS Breakfast Net – Every Saturday at 7am on 147.135 and 443.425
- Ham Holiday – July 25th and 26th – Details at hamholiday.com
- EARS Licensing Testing – Saturday, August 2nd – Sign Up on License Testing page
- Edmond Siren Test – Saturday, August 2nd at 11:30am – Send email to sirens@k5eok.org
- August Mentoring Session and Training – Tuesday, August 12th at 6pm at Edmond Fire Station 5, 5300 E Covell
- August Board Meeting – Tuesday, August 12th at 7pm at Edmond Fire Station 5, 5300 E Covell
- August EARS Dinner – Thursday, August 21st at 6:30pm – Location TBD
We’d love to feature your original content! If you’ve written—or would like to write—an article, we’d be happy to include it in an upcoming issue of the EARS newsletter.
Steven Christy, N5ZQ
n5zq@n5zq.us