The Fort Pierce Amateur Radio Club 2009 Fort Pierce Hamfest (Flyer in PDF) is at a new location this year at the Indian River Community College Public Safety Complex on 4600 Kirby Loop Road, Fort Pierce, Florida.  The hamfest is all indoors, no tailgating. Doug Shields W4DAS picked several tables  months ago so if you belong to MCARA and want to sell something or share a table, contact Doug via the MCARA web site or contact FPARC direct to reserve your own tables. See you there!

The FECDX Club will present a DX forum followed by a business meeting. 10:45 - 11:45. Forum topic: You made the contact, now get it confirmed Presenter: Norm Alexander, W4QN. "DXCC Award Card Checking to be available - for instructions visit www.freewebs.com/fecdx 

Report on the Fort Pierce Amateur Radio club hamfest held on August, 09, 2009

The Fort Pierce hamfest was a load of fun this year at it's new location of 4600 Kirby Loop Road. The building is so new that the glue was seeping out from the newly installed floors (and smelling a bit) but attendance was pretty good for a summer event and the indoor facility was very comfortable indeed.

At the peak attendance around 10:30AM it was quite difficult to navigate the aisles- I believe this was duly noted for next year. I sold some stuff I had too much of- like IRF730GTs at 4 for a buck and also got rid of a radio. Sadly, there were not as many transceivers as I hoped to see- I believe the economic doldrums kept some people away. I know some hams refuse to attend unless they have some money to spend; but most of us have some surplus items that could help out new hams so it was those who were in that spirit who lifted the event for me. Sure, no big deals- but if you wanted a deal on toroids, or teflon insulated wire, or MOSFETs, there were deals. With the economy on the fritz- homebrewing seems to be making headway again. 

I met a group of guys who are really into QRP and CW- and promptly forgot their calls but remember their names: Kelly, Lou, and Jim. It used to be the other way around. 

The guys from ARRL were there as usual and testing sessions reulted in several new hams and upgrades. Congrats to John KE4CEC on attaining his Extra class priviliges today.

Hats off to the Fort Pierce club and all their volunteers for a fine and fun event! 

73
Bill N4BKT