via the ARRL: ARRL Coverage of 2025 Dayton Hamvention – Friday, May 16

Friday was opening day at 2025 Dayton Hamvention® and it was a day of superlatives — huge crowds coming through the gates, standing room only at “Salty Walt” Hudson’s portable antenna forum, and more as hams from across the country and around the world descended on the Greene County Fairgrounds in Xenia, Ohio for the first of three days of total immersion in all things ham radio.

At the many booths that make up the ARRL Expo area, crowds were constant, and sentiments were similar among the employees, board members, and volunteers who staffed them. ARRL CEO David Minster, NA2AA, was in the meet and greet area and talked with ARRL members nearly non-stop the whole day.

At the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES®) booth, ARRL Director of Emergency Management Josh Johnston, KE5MHV, said “It’s busy. I love it! Hamvention is an awesome opportunity to talk to hams, find out what’s going on in the field, and share ideas,” adding, “It’s a unique opportunity to hear about problems and successes and try to help get issues resolved.” He also noted that informal conversations with influential visitors can often have far-reaching benefits.

Across the aisle at the ARRL Foundation booth, Development Operations Manager Christine Lessard, KC1TDM, said she “enjoyed connecting with clubs that have received club grants and answering questions about scholarship programs.” Lessard added that “It’s exciting to talk about all the good that the Foundation does for the amateur radio community.”

Read more

American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources – Read More