Another Hamvention® is in the history books. As things wind down at Hara Arena, the crowds are thinning, but that could work to the advantage of those sticking around until the bitter end.

“Many dealers are offering steep discounts in an effort to move inventory before the show closes,” ARRL Publications Manager and QST Editor Steve Ford, WB8IMY, said. While there have been only a few showers, Ford said that fleamarket vendors were already tearing down by late Sunday morning.

Ford said ARRL EXPO sales are brisk in the ARRL Store, including a high level of interest in Propagation and Radio Science by Eric Nichols, KL7AJ, and Oscilloscopes for Radio Amateurs by Paul Danzer, N1II. “Both sold out,” he said.

At the peak of things, Ford said, large crowds jammed the aisles in the Hara Arena complex, despite the very warm and humid atmosphere indoors.

One highlight of this year’s Hamvention: On Saturday, Dayton Amateur Radio Association (DARA) President Don Dubon, N6JRL, presented two $10,000 checks to President. One was a gift to support the ARRL Teachers Institute on Wireless Technology. Past Teachers Institute sessions have been held at Dayton and sponsored by DARA, and a class will be held this summer as well, July 13-16. The second check was a donation to the ARRL Foundation Scholarship Fund.

Named as Amateur of the Year was Tim Duffy, K3LR. Hamvention’s Special Achievement Award went to Tom Medlin, W5KUB, and the Rev George Dobbs, G3RJV, will receive the Technical Excellence Award. Hamvention paid tribute to the Orlando Amateur Radio Club (OARC) as Club of the Year.

Hamvention has been offering live coverage of selected forums on its website. Several other webcasters, including Tom Medlin, W5KUB, and Icom America, also have made live video streams available.