The Warminster Amateur Radio Club (WARC) hosted their annual Hamfest at the Bucks County Community College’s Lower Bucks Campus in Bristol Township this past Sunday.
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The event ran from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. and offered plenty of gadgetry and information for this interested in the Amateur Radio hobby. New and used equipment was for sale, not only radios but also computers and related peripherals.
One addition to this year’s fest was the Eastern Pennsylvania section meeting of the American Radio Relay League (ARRL). Speakers were scheduled throughout the morning with forums about emergency communications, the current status of the ARRL, and the future of the ham radio hobby. A testing session was also held with 40 people taking tests to become ham operators.
In the end, it is estimated over 500 people came to the campus to look around and learn more about the hobby, according to organizers.
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Amateur Radio is a regulated worldwide service for the purpose of bringing people together through fellowship, promoting radio experimentation and volunteer communications for events and emergencies.
“People use ham radio to talk across town, around the world, or even into space, all without the Internet or cell phones. It’s fun, social, educational, and can be a lifeline during times of need,” the National Association for Amateur Radio website reads.
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While operators come from all walks of life, the common thread for all is an interest in radio communications, and the passing of tests which cover various aspects of the hobby as set forth in the FCC rules governing the Amateur Radio Service.
The American Radio Relay League (ARRL) is the national association for ham radio in the United States. Since 1914, the league has been the primary representative with the FCC and the government relating to all things governing the hobby. Anyone with a ham license is eligible for membership, and the league sponsors study guides and testing, as well as offering many other guides covering all aspects of ham radio, from antennas to digital communications.
WARC is a general purpose amateur radio club and its over 135 members are involved in all aspects of amateur radio. We make a special effort to participate in providing communications support for public service events, teaching classes for those who wish to obtain an amateur radio license or upgrade their license privileges and serving as Volunteer Examiners as part of the ARRL VEC program. The club was founded in 1964 and has been designated an ARRL Special Service Club since 1984. (from the WARC website).
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In 2014, the FCC listed 717,201 Amateur Radio operators in the United States.
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