If you’re an amateur radio operator, there are certain events that simply become part of the calendar. For many of us in Arkansas, one of those is the annual Ham Holiday in the Oklahoma City area. This year it was held in Norman, OK at the Cleveland County Event Center. A great new location!
The drive always begins with anticipation. You start wondering what treasures will be hiding on the flea market tables this year. Will someone finally decide to part with that pristine Collins gear? Will there be a box of military surplus connectors that everyone else overlooked? Or maybe it’s the one piece of test equipment you’ve been searching for over the past decade.
That’s the magic of a hamfest—you never really know what you’ll find.
Ham Holiday has been bringing together amateur radio operators since 1974 and continues to be one of the premier hamfests in the region. Sponsored by the Central Oklahoma Radio Amateurs (CORA), the event combines commercial vendors, flea market tables, educational forums, licensing opportunities, and plenty of fellowship among radio enthusiasts.
Walking through the doors, you’re immediately greeted by familiar sights and sounds. Radios chatter. Everywhere you look are conversations between people who have probably never met before, yet within seconds they’re discussing antenna designs, propagation, repeaters, or the latest HF transceiver as if they were lifelong friends.
One of my favorite parts is wandering the flea market.
Every table tells a story.
There might be a weathered Heathkit sitting beside a brand-new SDR receiver. A collection of vacuum tubes next to a box of modern surface-mount components. Someone is selling coax connectors by the handful, while another vendor has military surplus equipment that probably served during the Cold War.
To most people, it might look like a room full of “old electronics.”
To hams, it’s a room full of possibilities.
Of course, no hamfest is complete without running into old friends. You recognize familiar callsigns on name badges before you recognize faces. Conversations begin with “What have you been working on?” and somehow end thirty minutes later after discussing antennas, propagation, digital modes, repeaters, emergency communications, and whatever new radio someone just couldn’t resist buying.
Then there are the vendors.
Somehow that turns into carrying out a bag full of connectors, coax adapters, meters, tools, antenna parts, and maybe even another radio that absolutely wasn’t on the shopping list.
But that’s part of the fun.
Ham Holiday also offers technical forums covering topics ranging from emergency communications and mesh networking to DMR, Meshtastic, repeaters, ARRL activities, and license testing. Whether you’re newly licensed or have been on the air for fifty years, there’s usually something new to learn.
What makes hamfests special isn’t just the equipment.
It’s the people.
In an age where so much communication happens through keyboards and screens, amateur radio remains one of the few hobbies where people still enjoy getting together face-to-face. Knowledge is shared freely. Experienced operators help newcomers. Lifelong friendships are formed over conversations about antennas and radios.
By the end of the day, your feet may be tired, your wallet may be a little lighter, and your vehicle may somehow contain more equipment than when you arrived.
But you’ll also head home with new ideas, renewed enthusiasm for the hobby, and memories of another great weekend spent among fellow amateur radio operators.
If you’ve never attended Ham Holiday, put it on your calendar. Whether you’re searching for that elusive piece of vintage gear, looking to upgrade your station, or simply wanting to spend a day surrounded by people who speak the language of RF, it’s well worth the trip.
Who knows?
The next great find may be waiting on the very next table.
73, and I’ll see you at the next hamfest.