05/22/2023

by Mark H. Derks, KC1RVQ, ARRL Acquisitions Editor

Sunday at Dayton Hamvention[1]¿ proved to be a whirlwind affair, even if the
crowds had thinned considerably from Friday and Saturday's surge. In the ARRL
Expo space, a few more books sold out, along with some of the popular sizes for
2023 ARRL Field Day t-shirts. Among the staff and volunteers present, there was
a sense that the event had proved a success even as it was winding down.

Session Overview

Of interest in the 9:15 AM forum slot was the introduction of FreeDV[2]. While
FreeDV has been around since 2021, it has been growing in popularity with
digital amateur radio enthusiasts as a digital mode that allows for voice
contacts and more extended conversations. The session provided an opportunity
to spread the word about this emerging digital voice mode. Mooner Salem, K6AQ,
described the variety of modes available within the software, each suited to
different band conditions. When there is good propagation, the 2020 mode
provides improved digital voice, but as conditions degrade, it may be necessary
to shift to one of the lower quality options. He also promoted the FreeDV
Activity Day, which occurs during the third weekend of each month and has
expanded from a single day to a weekend-long activity. He was quick to point
out it's not a contest, just a get together -- a way to motivate regular FreeDV
use.

Volunteers Heed the Call

Any report on Hamvention would be remiss if it didn't take a moment to
acknowledge the scale of the help and the depth of the commitment that the
many, many ARRL member-volunteers demonstrated. Recall that photograph of the
big ARRL Expo team? Of those, just twenty were ARRL employees. The remaining
sixty-five or so -- from Division Directors and Section Managers, to everyday
members -- demonstrated their profound commitment to bettering ham radio and
ARRL. Volunteers checked thousands of QSL cards and fielded numerous questions
about Logbook of The World. They labored long hours at the checkout table,
entering items and cashiering. They helped fellow hams solve problems with
software compatibility, projects, and antenna advice. They helped test radios
for spurious emissions. They engaged young hams and young prospective hams.
They shared paths for getting involved in the Field Organization, how to create
more vibrant radio clubs, how to renew your license, and what must have felt
like a million different things. And if they couldn't solve the problem
themselves, they pulled that old ham trick of talking to other hams to chase
down an answer. They followed the advice of CEO David Minster, NA2AA, who
regularly charges each of us to "be the connector" that grows amateur radio and
ARRL. It cannot go without saying that the ARRL Expo and each of ARRL's
numerous presentations would not have succeeded without their dedication,
knowledge, and effort.

Despite some heat, aching feet, hotel beds, cheap coffee, and changeable
weather, ARRL volunteers at Hamvention came together to demonstrate what it
means to "climb one rung higher." We thank and salute each of them!

[See ARRL's photo album from 2023 Dayton Hamvention at
https://tinyurl.com/ARRL-at-2023-Hamvention[3].]

[1] https://hamvention.org/
[2] https://freedv.org/
[3] https://tinyurl.com/ARRL-at-2023-Hamvention

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