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| International Exhibition for Radio Amateurs Radio contact round the globe, into the Antarctic and into outer space – this is what amateur radio enthusiasts love about their hobby. Between Friday, 27th June and Sunday, 29th June 2008, the Friedrichshafen exhibition grounds will once again become the centre of the amateur radio enthusiasts' world. The focus of the 33rd International Amateur Radio Trade Fair is on cultivating the interest of the younger generation: The youngsters can spend two whole days morsing, using the radios, soldering or making things and generally gathering first experience of the world of amateur radio. Amateur radio enthusiasts from across the world will be meeting up at the HAM RADIO. The trade fair is the number one in Europe and is not only a source of ideas but also an important opportunity to make purchases. Every year around 18,000 guests come from across the world to the International Amateur Radio Exhibition and numerous radio international associations offer the opportunity for cross-border exchanges. Around 200 exhibitors and associations and 102 additional company representatives from 30 countries will be showcasing everything the amateur radio sector has to offer. The 59th DARC Bodensee Meeting will be looking at topics such as digital transmission procedures. Once again, the 33rd HAM RADIO 2008 will be held in combination with the HAMtronic. The visitors will find technology and equipment in four halls: Measuring devices, aerials, extra devices and electro-technology equipment as well as hardware, software, electronics and accessories. Market leaders such as Boger Funk, Icom Europe, Kenwood Elektronik, Waters & Stanton, Wimo, YAESU or Conrad Electronic as well as smaller and larger traders and inventors will be represented. Attractively priced second-hand accessories and spare parts are on offer to hobby technicians at the flea market that fills 3 halls. The motto of this year's trade fair is that amateur radio is more than just a hobby, it is education – leisure – fun. The fair aims to show that amateur radio represents a unique combination of communication, technology and sport. "The persons involved in this hobby are just as diverse as the opportunities that amateur radio offers: King Juan Carlos of Spain or Sonya Gandhi are just two examples of amateur radio enthusiasts", explained DARC Foreign Officer Dennis M. Härtig. The HAM RADIO 2008 will be focussing again on the younger generation: After the successful premiere of the first HAM youth days at the HAM RADIO 2006, schoolchildren and youngsters can now look forward to even more activities: "The interest of the younger generation last year was so great that we have decided to extend the youth program to two days" explained project manager Thomas Grunewald. On Friday, 27th and Saturday, 28th June 2008 the younger visitors can look forward to an exhibition rally with different stations through the hall A1. The young participants will have the opportunity to try their hand at morsing, soldering, transmitting and experience first hand what the world of amateur radio is all about. The meeting point is 10 am at the promotion stage in Foyer West. The program has been designed in close cooperation with the Amateur Radio and Telecommunications in Schools Working Party (AATiS). "We want to convey to young people that amateur radio is more than just a radiotelephony hobby, it also involves telegraphy, the development and design of devices, handling state-of-the-art equipment, satellite radio, bearings sport, expeditions, competitions and providing assistance via radio", explained DARC spokeswoman Stephanie Heine. The new teacher training program, which is taking place during the HAM RADIO, has been designed in line with the motto "From amateur radio user to engineer". The DARC, the Amateur Radio and Telecommunications in Schools Working Party (AATiS) and the Friedrichshafen exhibition will be inviting teachers from throughout Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria to Friedrichshafen. The lecture program will include suggestions on how to get the younger generation acquainted with electronics and informatics. For example, Gerhard Schmidt will be lecturing on "Electronics in schools – simple, fascinating and cost-effective" and will be providing examples for action-oriented lessons. The HAM RADIO also has an interesting and varied series of lectures on offer for active amateur radio enthusiasts. The focus is on the 59th Bodensee Meeting of the German Amateur Radio Club (DARC) that will be organising more the 50 lectures and about 20 meetings. One focus of the lecture program is the digitalisation of the amateur radio world. The lecture titled "Classic receiver concepts versus digital receivers (SDR)" looks at the fundamental functional principles of the different receiver architectures. A podium discussion on the first day of the fair will also be looking at "New technologies for amateur radio". One advantage of the digital technology is that it can also be used to transmit data in addition to normal communication. The local branch of the Federal Technical Assistance Service in Friedrichshafen will be represented at the HAM Radio 2008 from 27th to 29th June 2008 on a 1700m² stand on the outside grounds. During the special exhibition "Radio in emergency management", the local branch in Friedrichshafen will be presenting emergency vehicles and equipment used by the specialist Management and Communication groups from the local associations in Wangen, Heidelberg and Villingen-Schwenningen, also including control, communication and transmission vehicles. The tasks of the specialist Management and Communication groups are to set up and run THW control centres, to operate and maintain telecommunication lines of all types to all participants at home and abroad. Also, there are emergency vehicles from the local Friedrichshafen branch with representatives from the Recovery groups and special Clearing group. These include the new appliance unit, a clearing unit, a MAN-dumper with a flat-bed trailer and a multi-purpose boat. The helpers and managers will be available on both weekends to answers questions from interested visitors. Also, information material about the Technical Assistance Service and an exhibition of photos from rescue operations will be on display. There is also a new special exhibition dedicated to the police radio system, also known as BOS radio. A UKW radio troop of the federal police will be providing information about its work. Also, a police helicopter will be circling above the exhibition grounds taking pictures which will be transmitted to the exhibition stand. The visitors will have the opportunity to examine a variety of operational vehicles including a relay station vehicle with two 15 metre high masts. write your comments about the article :: © 2008 Exhibition News :: home page |