{"id":111914,"date":"2026-01-09T15:48:06","date_gmt":"2026-01-09T15:48:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/111914\/"},"modified":"2026-01-09T15:48:06","modified_gmt":"2026-01-09T15:48:06","slug":"southwest-florida-regional-hamfest-returning-to-fort-myers-jan-16-17","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/111914\/","title":{"rendered":"Southwest Florida Regional Hamfest returning to Fort Myers Jan. 16-17"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/swflhamfest.com\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">Southwest Florida Regional Hamfest<\/a>\u00a0returns to Fort Myers Friday, Jan. 16 (noon to 5 p.m.)\u00a0and\u00a0Saturday, Jan. 17 (8 a.m. to 3 p.m.), when the air-conditioned halls of\u00a0Florida Southwestern State College\u00a0transform into the epicenter of innovation, education and excitement for radio enthusiasts from across the region.<\/p>\n<p>Hosted by the\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.fmarc.net\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">Fort Myers Amateur Radio Club<\/a>, this annual event is much more than a swap meet \u2014 it\u2019s a celebration of discovery, community and the science behind radio communication.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOur Hamfest isn\u2019t just about buying and selling equipment; it\u2019s a celebration of learning and discovery,\u201d said\u00a0Carmine Ventrano, president of FMARC. \u201cWe\u2019re here to empower people with the knowledge and skills to engage with amateur radio-whether for emergency preparedness, scientific exploration, or simply connecting with others around the world.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Hamfest 2026 will feature a lineup of presentations from industry experts and innovators, covering today\u2019s hottest topics in amateur radio technology and operation.<\/p>\n<p>Featured presentations include:<\/p>\n<p>\u2022  ARRL Southern Florida Section Meeting\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Barry Porter, KB1PA<\/p>\n<p>\u2022  What\u2019s New at DX Engineering\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Tim Duffy, K3LR, President, DX Engineering<\/p>\n<p>\u2022  C4FM Fusion\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Bill \u201cBucky\u201d Buckwalter, W0SUN<\/p>\n<p>\u2022  Remote Operations\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Alex Cochran, KB4LX<\/p>\n<p>\u2022  DC in the Hamshack by Paradan Radio\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Dan Gavereaux, N1ZZ<\/p>\n<p>\u2022  Ham2K Parks on the Air App\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Sebastian Delmont, KI2D<\/p>\n<p>\u2022  Flex Radio\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Michael Walker, VA3MW<\/p>\n<p>\u2022  DigiRig\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Denis Grisak, K0TX<\/p>\n<p>\u2022  Digital Confusion\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Bucky Buckwalter, W0SUN<\/p>\n<p>\u2022  Introduction to NXDN\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Paul Toth, NB9X<\/p>\n<p>With exhibits, equipment vendors, demonstrations and educational sessions, Hamfest 2026 promises something for everyone \u2014 from newcomers curious about the world of radio communication to seasoned operators eager to connect, learn and exchange ideas.<\/p>\n<p>The SWFL Regional Hamfests offer FCC license testing on-site. If you\u2019ve been thinking about becoming a licensed operator, this is a convenient opportunity to take the test and join the community.<\/p>\n<p>Hamfests aren\u2019t just for hardcore techies-they\u2019re family-friendly and full of excitement. Some events even have food trucks, raffles, and fun activities for kids.<\/p>\n<p>Learn more at\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/swflhamfest.com\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">swflhamfest.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>About the Fort Myers Amateur Radio Club<\/p>\n<p>Founded in\u00a01957, FMARC is dedicated to advancing the art and science of amateur radio. It is an affiliate member of the American Radio Relay League, which is the national association for amateur radio in the United States. As an\u00a0ARRL-affiliated organization, the club promotes technical education, fellowship among radio operators, and vital public service communication during emergencies. Learn more at\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.fmarc.net\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">fmarc.net<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The\u00a0Southwest Florida Regional Hamfest\u00a0returns to Fort Myers Friday, Jan. 16 (noon to 5 p.m.)\u00a0and\u00a0Saturday, Jan. 17 (8 a.m.&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":111915,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[209,211,210],"class_list":{"0":"post-111914","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-cape-coral","8":"tag-cape-coral","9":"tag-cape-coral-headlines","10":"tag-cape-coral-news"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/111914","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=111914"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/111914\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/111915"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=111914"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=111914"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=111914"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}