Blue Ridge Amateur Radio Society

[KG4CGC]

Hamfest September 11th.
Spartanburg County Fairgrounds
575 Fairgrounds Road, Spartanburg, SC 29303


By purchasing a Hamfest ticket, You are acknowledging that an inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in any public place where people are present, “While attending the BRARS Hamfest you and any guests that you may bring voluntarily assume all risks related to exposure to COVID-19.”
Individuals who currently or within the past fourteen (14) days have experienced any symptoms associated with COVID-19. (Symptoms would include but not be limited to fever, cough, shortness of breath, loss of sense of taste or smell, fatigue, nausea and diarrhea) have traveled internationally within the past 14 days or have been exposed to a confirmed or suspected case of COVID-19 and have NOT been cleared by a licensed medical provider should not attend.
Personal protection equipment requirements will follow the fair ground requirements at the time of the event.



https://brars.cc/upstate-hamfest/hamfest-ticket-landing/

[kb2crk]

A hamfest on 9/11? Interesting. I used to go to their hamfests back when they were at the Anderson County Fairgrounds.

[KG4CGC]

They used to hold them in early May until 2020.

[kb2crk]

I thought it used to be in the spring. Anderson holds them at the park in October

[KG4CGC]

I thought it used to be in the spring. Anderson holds them at the park in October

Since last year, 2020, they moved it.

Update: They cancelled last Thursday, on FB. Website still said it was on. I drove to Spartanburg this morning.

[kb2crk]

Well that just sucks, I am glad I had things to get do around the house. If I made the 2 hour drive from here I would have been pissed.

[KG4CGC]

Looks like the club has gone underground. Their website hasn't been updated since June 2022 and their Facebook page has gone unfindable to its followers.
I usually check (both places now) to see if and when they're having a hamfest. IMO, it seems that they are shrinking their public profile. This is weird because they have always been prolific in their promotion of AR and encouraging all their members to gain full privileges.
The last person I knew that had ties to the club was Tom, WV6Z but he has erased his internet existence (except for QRZ) and I no longer have any way to contact him.

This hamfest was always a big deal for our area because they had a lot a good vendors and the boneyard was almost always full. I used to monitor their repeater until it became a love affair of a Trumpian nature although it has always been pretty ultra conservative.

Maybe I'll get out the old Icom and park it on their repeater output for a bit. Maybe.

[KG4CGC]

I visited their website again and all mention of hamfests past are gone. If they were going to hold one in September it would be showing on the webpage somewhere.
Seems that they have gone to a weekly swap net and have opened an online club store.

[KG4CGC]

An update: https://brars.cc/radiorally/

[KG4CGC]

I went. It was a nice little hamfest. A CB'er won the Icom IC-7300.
His handle is Scooby.

[kb2crk]

I went. It was a nice little hamfest. A CB'er won the Icom IC-7300.
His handle is Scooby.

Well shit Charles, I was in Greenville on Saturday and missed your previous post about the hamfest. I would have stopped in if I had known about it. Was up there for the cheap trick, heart concert saturday night.

[KG4CGC]

Well shit.
Whale shit.
Deep subject.
Shallow minds.
Geriatric concert for sure.
OK, that last part was a joke.

You have the link to their updated website now. Just keep an eye on it starting around February or March. It was much friendlier this year. I think some of the old guard left. They knew some of the CB'ers and didn't mind them being there. Openly didn't mind them being there.
Over the last 25 years I've heard some of the things that have been said otherwise I wouldn't be making the statement above.
[edit]: Make that 29 years. I was listening in on the scanner 4 years before I took any tests.