75th Annual Texoma Hamarama

The 75th Diamond Anniversary Texoma Hamarama Hamfest is scheduled for October 28, 2023.

This annual event will be held at the Ardmore Convention Center, in northwest Ardmore, OK at 2401 N Rockford, Ardmore, OK 73401. The convention center is conveniently located halfway between Oklahoma City, OK and Dallas/Fort Worth, TX. It is a short 90-minute I-35 drive from both locations. This is also a convenient location for southern Oklahoma and north Texas residents.

A hamfest is a convention of amateur radio enthusiasts (hams) of all ages, whether licensed or not. Hamfests offer exhibits, forums, and fleamarkets for Amateur Radio operators or “hams.” This is a trade show, flea market, and various other activities of interest to amateur radio operators, all at one location, and is open to anyone interested in amateur radio, electronics, or building communication skills. With the addition of computers and the Internet, amateur radio has never been more popular. Hams are typical ‘makers’ since they can build our own radio communications equipment or use inexpensive commercially available radios. Hams can communicate with family and friends without accessing any public infrastructure during severe weather conditions, talk to folks in all continents using a radio they built, or send a balloon around the world with their own transmitter on board. Amateur radio provides many different project opportunities to design, create, and use their gear. Last year almost 300 amateur radio operators participated in this hamfest, and more are expected this year due to the 75th anniversary. There is no better time to find friends, new and old, while learning more about amateur radio.

Doors open Friday afternoon, the 27th for vendors and flea market table set up from noon to 5:00 p.m. The doors open to the public on Saturday morning, the 28th at 8:00 a.m. and will run through 3:00 pm. Food will be available Saturday. Door prizes will be awarded throughout the day, and the grand prize drawing is an ICOM 7300 HF radio, awarded at the close of the hamfest. This year, a $3,000 ICOM 705 complete operating station will be raffled. Tickets are only $20 and only 300 tickets will be sold. Tickets can be bought online, and the winner need not be present to win.

Online discount admission tickets are available for $10, and there will be a drawing among those buying tickets before October 21st on https://hamarama.org. Tickets will also be available at the door for $12. The event will feature vendors from the region with over 100 individual sales tables with hams selling their wares to make room for new ones. Vendors should contact Sam Smith at ki5cwr@gmail.com with any questions. Order your flea market tables since they are going fast.

Educational programs on amateur radio operations, emergency communications, weather operations, the future of amateur radio, and one-on-one mentoring are available at the forums throughout the day. Equipment testing will be offered throughout the event at the free Test Bench.

The South Canadian Amateur Radio Society volunteer exam team will provide free FCC amateur radio license tests at 11:00 a.m. Test takers will need to obtain a Federal Registration Number (FRN) and sign up for the test session from the links at https://hamarama.org.

Contact: Mark Kleine N5HZR – 405-410-6756 – n5hzr@arrl.org PO Box 1103, Nicoma Park, OK, 73066