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Next Meeting
๐
Next Meeting
Saturday, June 6, 2026 at 10:00 AM.
In person at the Jay County Amateur Radio Clubย clubhouse in the Jay County Fairgrounds, Portland, Indiana.
Everyone is invited to attend. The clubhouse is located on the north side of the fairgrounds next to the new bathrooms. We'll be monitoring 443.475+ PL 100.0 in case you need directions.
We hold most of our planning meetings online since we can practically guarantee participation and it saves us a lot of driving, but this may well be one of our last meetings in-person before the actual event.
๐ป 2025 ECI Hamfest Recap
Another Hamfest was officially in the logbook โ and despite a gloomy forecast, the day turned out far better than expected. The storms never materialized, the humidity stayed tolerable, and the crowd that did show up brought great energy. Attendance dipped a bit, likely thanks to the forecast, but because of a generous donation from one of our sponsoring clubs, it should have little effect on what we can offer in the 2026 door prize lineup. We also hope for a little better cooporation from the weather.
๐ Highlights & Lessons Learned
Technical issues from 2024 โ Fixed. Everything ran smoother on the infrastructure side.
Tailgate audio needs improvement. One outdoor area struggled to hear announcements โ weโll correct that for 2026. We decided to move the entire tailgate area next to the main building.
Livestream overload. Four cameras proved too much for our current setup. Switching angles was nearly impossible, but we know exactly why and hopefully have a better plan for next year. Likely we won't need so many cameras. Probably just two plus the laptop's cam.
Vendor turnout was excellent. A strong mix of sellers made the event worthwhile for attendees and operators alike.
๐ Thank You, Volunteers!
From setup to teardown โ and especially those who camped overnight to keep the building secure โ your dedication makes this event possible. We appreciate you!
๐ Thank You, Volunteers!
From setup to teardown โ and especially those who camped overnight to keep the building secure โ your dedication makes this event possible. We appreciate you!
๐ก Frequencies We Monitored
๐ก Frequencies We Monitored
Repeaters:
145.210โ (144.610 MHz input) โ PL 97.4 Hz โ Pennville, IN (Talk-in - currently off-line)
ย 443.475+ (448.475 MHz input) โ PL 100.0 Hz โ Portland, IN (Talk-in)
Simplex:
147.540 MHz
GMRS Channel 1
Note: While 147.540 MHz and GMRS Channel 1 arenโt typical talk-in channels, theyโre handy for Hamfest info and guiding folks to the event.
๐ธ Is It Really Free?
Yes โ and we plan to keep it that way as long as possible!ย Donations are welcome but never expected.ย Save your cash for extra door prize tickets if you're at the event, or contact us at inhamfest@gmail.com.
๐ธ Is It Really Free?
Yes โ and we plan to keep it that way as long as possible!ย Donations are welcome but never expected.ย Save your cash for extra door prize tickets if you're at the event, or contact us at inhamfest@gmail.com.
Big thanks to our generous donors and vendors who contribute prizes โ your support keeps the fun going without cutting into the prize pool. Weโll make sure attendees know where to find you!
๐งพ Donations & Tax Info
While weโre not tax professionals, both the ECI Hamfest and the Jay County Amateur Radio Club are registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations. That means your donations are not only appreciated โ they may also be tax-deductible.
๐งพ Donations & Tax Info
While weโre not tax professionals, both the ECI Hamfest and the Jay County Amateur Radio Club are registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations. That means your donations are not only appreciated โ they may also be tax-deductible.
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