This was released by the ARRL today. Sounds like fun to me…..Dan
August 29, 2012 NEWINGTON, CT – ARRL, the national association for Amateur Radio®, announced the organization will hold its national Centennial Convention in Hartford, Connecticut, July 17-20, 2014. The Convention will mark 100 years of the ARRL’s founding in Hartford. The theme for ARRL’s Centennial year is “Advancing the Art and Science of Radio — since 1914.”
Hiram Percy Maxim (1869-1936), a leading Hartford inventor and industrialist, founded the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) in May 1914, together with Clarence Tuska, secretary of the Radio Club of Hartford. Today, ARRL serves over 158,000 members, mostly licensed radio amateurs, in the US and around the world. The organization’s headquarters has been maintained in the Hartford area since its founding. ARRL’s present facilities are located on Main Street in Newington, Connecticut, a suburb of Hartford, and are visited by nearly 2,000 groups and individuals each year. The site is also home to The Hiram Percy Maxim Memorial Station since 1938. The radio station, W1AW, is known as “the flagship station for Amateur Radio” and is known world wide. ARRL employs around 100 people.
“The 2014 Centennial Convention is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” said ARRL Marketing Manager Bob Inderbitzen explaining that event will have all of the trademark elements of a proper convention and hamfest; presentations and forums, exhibits, vendors, demonstrations, flea market, activities for youth, and banquet. “But, plan on some very special centennial-themed activities,” he added, “including tours of ARRL headquarters and W1AW, guest presenters, some surprises, and lots of celebrating! We want ARRL members to come with all of their experiences from the first one hundred years of Amateur Radio and ARRL, and leave with a shared vision for ARRL’s Second Century.”
The decision to host the Centennial Convention in Hartford was reinforced by the organizers of the New England Division Convention, held every two years in Boxborough, MA. “Boxborough’s organizing sponsor, FEMARA, Inc., graciously agreed to forgo holding a convention there in 2014,” said ARRL Chief Operating Officer Harold Kramer. “Instead, FEMARA has offered to help share its expertise and volunteers as we prepare to bring this national level celebration to Hartford.
The area boasts dozens of attractions and activities, making Connecticut a great destination for members who plan to attend the convention with their family and friends. Nearby attractions include the Connecticut Science Center, Mark Twain House, Harriet Beecher Stowe Center, and Wadsworth Athenaeum. Hartford is served by an international airport (Hartford/Springfield BDL), and is conveniently located between Boston and New York City. Hartford’s centrally located Union Station is serviced by Amtrak and major bus companies.
Interested parties may learn more about ARRL, Amateur Radio and the Centennial Convention at www.arrl.org/expo.
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