It is very unfortunate that Hamvention, in Dayton, Ham Radio, in Friedrichshafen, the Kansai Ham Festival, in Japan, and many other ham events have canceled this year. During this worldwide COVID-19 crisis, here is a great news for all hams around the world.

Source:https://www.qsotodayhamexpo.com/

QSO Today, https://www.qsotoday.com/, an audio podcast based in Los Angeles, United States, will host an amateur radio event called “Virtual Ham Expo,” starting from August 8th to 9th, 2020, 00:00 UTC. The show will be open for 48 hours, with events and speaker from all over the world. The Expo is built on a live virtual reality platform, “Host a Virtual Trade Show with vFairs,” which is widely being used by many companies or universities in the United States. You can attend this event from your home or office, maintaining social distancing and safe, and browsing is free. Registration can be found at https://www.qsotodayhamexpo.com/.

The promotional video, Host a Virtual Trade Show with vFairs, describes the benefits of this platform, and provides some insight of what to expect from the virtual expo.

Host a Virtual Trade Show with vFairs promotional video for exhibitors

The Expo is sponsored by some of Amateur Radio’s industry leaders. Icom is the Expo’s Platinum Sponsor, with RT Systems, FlexRadio, RFinder, DX Engineering, Elecraft, and GigaParts as Gold Sponsors.

Source:https://www.qsotodayhamexpo.com/

At the Expo, you can attend lectures given by famous amateur radio speakers such as Ward Silver, N0AX, on Grounding and Bonding; Glen Johnson, W0GJ, on DXpeditions, and John Portune, W6NBC, on building slot antennas for Shacks with limited Antenna Access.

As with a traditional Amateur Radio exhibition, you can go through each company’s exhibition booth, enjoy demos of the latest ham radio equipment, ask questions and talk with fellow hams. You will virtually be able to view promotional videos, download brochures and other documents while in the exhibitor’s booth. Additionally, Vendors will have the exhibit booths staffed by “live” attendants to answer your questions about the latest Amateur Radio tech. After you make your way through the exhibitors’ booths, and the presentation auditorium, you can work on your “Virtual DXCC” by meeting hams from all over the world in the lounge areas. You can have a greater experience than traditional conventions as you have a 30 day period to revisit the Expo after the live event is over.

“I was planning on my own trip to Dayton this year when I heard of its cancellation, followed by The Ham Radio Friedrichschafen, and now Huntsville. With the encouragement of my listeners and guests of the QSO Today Podcast, I spent months looking at alternatives before deciding on a platform to create this virtual event to share with the amateur radio community. Admission is free, and door prizes will be posted to the event’s website as they are added.” said Eric, 4Z1UG.

For more information, visit their website.
https://www.qsotodayhamexpo.com/