UPCOMING HAMFESTS –

July 6:  34th Annual Firecracker Hamfest, sponsored by Rowan Amateur Radio Society, Salisbury Civic Center, 315 Martin Luther King Jr Avenue South, Salisbury, NC 28144, http://www.rowanars.com/events  (source: ARRL website)

July 20:  Mid-Summer SWAPFEST, sponsored by Cary Amateur Radio Club, Ritter Park, 301 West Lochmere Drive, Cary, NC 27511, http://www.qsl.net/n4nc  (source: ARRL website)

July 27:  WCARS Hamfest 2019, sponsored by Western Carolina Amateur Radio Society, Haywood County Fairgrounds, 758 Crabtree Road, Waynesville, NC 28785, http://www.wcars.org/wcarshamfest.htm  (source: ARRL website)

August 10:  21st Annual Cape Fear Amateur Radio Society Swapfest, sponsored by Cape Fear Amateur Radio Society, Cumberland County Shrine Club, 7040 Ramsey Street, Fayetteville, NC 28301, http://cfarsnc.org  (source: ARRL website)

August 30 – September 1:  63rd Annual Shelby Hamfest, sponsored by Shelby Amateur Radio Club, Cleveland County Fairgrounds, 1751 East Marion Street, Shelby, NC 28150, http://shelbyhamfest.org  (sources: ARRL and Shelby Hamfest websites)

October 12:  W4NC Fall-Fest, sponsored by Forsyth Amateur Radio Club, Robinhood Road Baptist Church, 5422 Robin Hood Road, Winston-Salem, NC, http://W4NC.com  (source: ARRL website)           

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THE WCARS HAMFEST IN THE MOUNTAINS (7/27) – The following information (edited) was received from Ruth Berner, WA4VT:  “Spread the word for WCARS Hamfest July 27th.  …  This year in addition to our traditional vendors, the hamfest will feature a variety of exhibits and forums to add a little spice.  Exhibits include Margie Spangenberg's 50 States QSL Quilt, solar powered emergency communications, Summits on the Air, LEGO-O-Ham (different facets of the hobby in miniature built from LEGOs, including a miniature W1AW), and AMSAT.  Forum presentations will include Antennas (Slightly) Demystified by Harry Frick KC4EZN; Remote Stations and Remote Operating by Hank Fallek WA3KK/4; and, ARRL updates provided by Karl Bowman W4CHX.  ..."  "…there will also be VE testing and for more information, go to http://www.wcars.org/wcarshamfest.htm”  Thanks to Ruth Berner WA4VT, Hamfest Chair, Western Carolina Amateur Radio Society, for providing this information!  (sources: WA4VT, WCARS website)

GO KIT TRAINING ON SHARES FREQUENCIES (7/13) – The following information was received from Bob Rodgers, KC4TVO:  “Go Kit Training.  Over the past several months, KC4TVO (Bob), WA9OTP (Dave) and WA4NC (Marv) have developed and offered a training program on the use of the NC Emergency Management HF Go Kits that operate on SHARES frequencies.  NCEM needs additional AUXCOMM ham operators who are familiar with the Go Kits and SHARES, as well as being willing to deploy in support of NCEM during disasters.  Four sessions (Asheville, Boone, Jackson County, Newton) have trained 49 operators, and a final session in the Western Branch will be offered on July 13th in Charlotte.  Contact Bob Rodgers (kc4tvo at oakcreekcorp dot com) to register for the Charlotte session.  N3FRP (Frank) will begin offering additional sessions in the Central Branch in the near future.”  Thanks to Bob Rodgers KC4TVO, NC COML Type III AHIMT (NC0009) and NC Deputy AUXCOMM Coordinator (Statewide), for providing this information!  (source: KC4TVO)

73, Karl W4CHX, ARRL NC Section Manager, 919-669-6068 (mobile)