April 9th, 2022 was the Memphis Freefest. Even though I lived only a little over an hour away for the last 15 years, I had never made it to this hamfest. Now that I am moving to Connecticut, I figured I better get this one while the getting is good, and I am glad I did.
First, a little bit about the Freefest. It’s free. As in totally free. They do sell raffle tickets, but the proceeds of those sales go to LeBonheur Children’s Hospital. So yeah, we bought some tickets even though I am not eligible to win. I figured if I won, I’d give the prize to a young ham in attendance. No luck. Either way, this fest supports a great cause, and I was happy to do my bit.
I got to hang out at the booth and talk to Delta Division Director David Norris, K5UZ. We had a great time interacting with attendees.
My primary reason for attending was to promote the annual Teachers Institute on Wireless Technology by ARRL. That program falls under the auspices of my department at ARRL, the Education and Learning Dept. I met with a few teachers, several youth, and several people who are willing to take information to the schools in the Memphis area.
I took the opportunity to talk to several youth, ranging from 11 year old licensed ham radio operators to college students. I asked questions that would help drive my focus at work. I wanted to get to know what interested them in ham radio, what drew them into the hobby, what they would like to try, whether or not there was a program at their school for them, etc. I got some great information, met some cool kids, and told several about the ARRL Collegiate Amateur Radio Initiative.
Of course, a hamfest wouldn’t be a hamfest without the swap tables. I went through the area a few times… got tempted by a lot, and ended up getting a really cool little CW bug. A 1941 J-36. There were definitely bugs there in better condition, but the thought that this one was over 80 years old, and likely saw service in at least one war was appealing to me. I’ve got a little cleaning to do, but look forward to the task. Now, I just need to get back to brushing up my CW.
Overall, it was a great time… I found myself wishing I had made the trip in previous years, since this would likely be my last trip to this fest for a long time. Not to worry, I am sure there are tons of hamfests ripe for the picking in New England for me to explore.
Interested in more information about the Freefest, or the Midsouth Amateur Radio Assn? www.maraonline.org
73 de K5ATA
