HamQuest 2023 June Update
Tables & Tailgating
our move into the new Made in Tennessee Building at the Ward Ag Center comes a few important changes to HamQuest. First and probably most important is the ability to have everyone under one roof and in the same room. This makes it easier for you to see everything we have at HamQuest and no more maneuvering through a couple of hallways or having to go outside to another building to take in all the flea market. We also now have the much-needed room to continue growing without having to spread out even more than we were in years past. The 20,000 square foot exhibit hall gives us more flexibility and the ability to easily add more tables as needed. While not the most important or needed, it also allows us to avoid having to raise our prices, keeping it a very affordable hamfest for even the most frugal attendee with booths $15.00 each (includes one 8’x’30” table, two chairs, and one General Admission/Door Prize ticket), Admission $5.00 for adults (17 years and older), FREE for children & youth (16 years old and younger), and FREE for ANYONE passing their license exam with our onsite VE team including new applicants and those hams upgrading to either General or Extra.
Booth reservations are now being taken for the remaining tables in the exhibit hall area. As of this writing, we only have 22 booths left (two 8’x10’ outer wall booths and 20 8’x8’ booths in the middle of the exhibit hall floor.) All booths along the outer wall have electricity available as do many of the booths in the middle of the exhibit hall. We do not supply extension cords or power strips so you will need to bring your own if you need power.
Tailgating will be on the new paved area alongside and behind the Made in Tennessee Building. We will be able to accommodate up to approximately 60-80 vehicles in the tailgate area this year without it being spread out and inconvenient to walk through and take in all the great tailgaters. Tailgate spaces will remain $10.00 each and include one General Admission/Door Prize ticket as well.
Commercial Vendors
We will have five commercial vendors at HamQuest 2024 offering a wide variety of new ham radio equipment, accessories, and novelties. The commercial vendors planning to be at HamQuest 2024 are:
- TN07 Engineering (TN07.com) – Eagleville, TN
- William Perry Company – Louisville, KY
Be sure to visit our commercial vendors and pick up that new radio, antenna, hat, or those little “odds and ends” you need to make that repair, finish a project, or just sport your call sign on a nice new hat.
Parking
The main parking area for HamQuest 2024 will be in the grass just outside the white fence that runs next to the Made in Tennessee Building. You will park in the grass, much like when attending the Wilson Co./Tn State Fair. There will be a walk-through opening in the fence where you will come in at the side entrance to the building. At this time, we anticipate that all visitors will come in through the main gate at the Ag Center, just as in the previous years. If there are any changes to this plan, we will send out an email to the HamQuest Newsletter subscribers and post it both on our Facebook Page and Web site. Please monitor for any changes to this when arriving by tuning in to our talk-in station.
For 2024 we’ve over doubled our of handicapped parking spaces for those in need of them and having a state issued Handicapped hangtag, license plate, or license plate decal.
Once you have entered the main gate, please watch for and follow the signs pointing you to the HamQuest Parking area. You may also call in to the talk-in station for directions.
Talk-in
Talk-in will once again be on the WC4AR repeater (147.105, + offset, TSQL 156.7). The talk-in operator will make announcements periodically regarding any changes to the which entrance to use when arriving at the Ag Center, provide directions to arriving guests, or to provide any other needed information to our visitors.
