Hamfest India 2024 just two months away!

Many of my friends regionally and globally are eagerly waiting for Hamfest India 2024 to be held at Kolkata on December 14th and 15th. It will be a great gathering of amateur radio operators and enthusiasts. The event is being hosted by OSCAR INDIA. VU2OII, the young and dynamic convener of Hamfest India 2024 reminds us that it is being held at the land of First Licensed Amateur Radio Operator of the nation! OSCAR INDIA, an acronym for Open Source Classes for Amateur Radio India, was established in 2015 with a mission to foster enthusiasm and education in amateur radio. They have a key partnership with the Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority (NSDMA), for providing specialized training to NSDMA officials to improve their proficiency in using amateur radio for effective emergency communication and disaster management. So you can expect a focus in Hamfest India 2024 on emergency communication and disaster management.

Unique feature about the organizing team is that all the three others in the team other than the convener are YLs -VU3ZHM, VU3CVC and VU3XBA. That is in sharp contrast as amateur radio is often being quoted as a hobby of really old men! Average age of amateur radio operators in some regions have been mentioned as high as 80 years. Seeing the organizing team, we have great hopes that the hobby is going to survive into the next century and not going to perish as the old men leave this world! You can register online from the website as well as view the delegate list. Delegate fee with meals is just 1580 INR, which comes to only $18.80. Delegate fee without meals is only 680 INR ($ 8.09). There is no mandatory fees for booking a table at the flea market, though you could make a voluntary donation. As the number of tables are limited, allotment will be on first-come first-served basis.

All are welcome to submit to your articles for the HAMFEST INDIA 24 Special Edition of “RAW (Radio Amateurs World)” Magazine by 21st October 2024 via email: [email protected]. Maximum word count of the articles mentioned is 500 words and selected submissions will receive a QSL Card from the team of “RAW (Radio Amateurs World)” as a token of appreciation. Detailed rules and regulations for article submissions are available online. In addition to written articles, there is an option for presenting your unique ideas during the Hamfest as well. Nominations for National Excellence Awards for Outstanding Achievements have also been invited.