Melbourne Hamfest 2026

The PCARS VE Team will be administering amateur exams on Saturday, beginning at 10AM. This is your chance to either get your license or upgrade during the Hamfest.  Be sure to bring a copy of your current license if you are upgrading. PLEASE arrive no later than 9:45 AM for the testing. Advanced registration is preferred, but walk-ins will be accepted. Location of testing will be the entrance just to the left of the stage. There is no cost for the testing.

• This is a Friday & Saturday event.
• Open to general attendees Friday 12:00 to 18:00, and Saturday 09:00 to 15:00 local.
• Vendors and tailgaters can setup starting at 7:15 am both days.
• Adult admission is $10, and covers both days. No charge for persons 18 and under.

To purchase tickets for the Hamfest—including Admission, Raffle, Table, and Tailgate area tickets —please follow the steps below:

1. Click button below.

2. Click on Buy Ticket Online.

3. On the next screen, enter your call sign, email or phone number. Click I’m not a robot, then click Next – Look Up.

4. If you entered your call sign, your information on will be automatically retrieved from QRZ. Correct or add your information as needed.

5. Select the items and quantities you wish to purchase. Note: Purchasing a Tailgate or Table space requires an Admission ticket if one has not already been purchased.

6. Click Calculate.

7. The total purchase price and list of selected ticket items will be displayed.

8. Click on Pay in PayPal. This will take you to the PayPal site to complete your payment. *Note — you DO NOT need a PayPal account to use this feature. PayPal will process your credit card payment.

To View Your Purchased Tickets

1. Go to hfpcars.plumtx.com.

2. Click View Your Tickets.

3. Enter the call sign or phone number used to purchase the ckets, then click Submit.

4. Your tickets will be displayed below.

Inside vendor tables are available for $40 each and require one admission ticket per vendor.

Tables are available for purchase online. To pick your table please go to the auditorium layout. Tables are color coded as White – Available, Blue – Requested, or Orange –Reserved. You may then request and purchase your table(s) and admission tickets through the online ticketing system. Tables are reserved on a first-come, first-served basis.

Returning vendors may request their previous table(s) by emailing the table manager at .  Requested tables must be purchased by July 1st 2026, or the request will be canceled.

When purchasing table(s), please indicate which tables you wish to reserve from the available options shown on the auditorium layout in the “My Request” field. You may also include any additional requests, such as power. If you do not request specific table(s), available tables will be assigned to you.

Once your purchase is complete, the table manager will be notified, and your request will be processed within a few days. You may check the status of your table purchase through the online ticket system by selecting “View My Tickets and Tables,” where your assigned tables will be displayed.

If you have any questions or special requests, please contact us at .

On the day of the event, please check in at the vendor booth to receive your vendor wristband.

Loading and unloading must be done on the east side of the auditorium only. Vendors may check in and begin unloading at 7:15 AM on both Friday and Saturday. Items may be left inside the auditorium overnight.  Per the city of Melbourne no overnight parking is allowed.  All vendors must pack up and exit the auditorium by 5:00 PM on Saturday.

View/download information flyer for indoor vendor tables: Vendor Table Instructions

NOTE –NO OVERNIGHT PARKING ALLOWED, per the City of Melbourne.

Tailgate area parking spots are $20 each and require 1 admission ticket per tailgater.

Tailgate spots are available for purchase online. To view the tailgate area, please refer to the tailgate area layout. You may then purchase your tailgate spot and admission tickets through the online ticketing system. You may also purchase a tailgate spot on the day of the event at the Vendor Booth inside the auditorium.

When purchasing a tailgate spot, please indicate whether you will have a trailer or oversize vehicle in the “My Request” field. Tailgate spots will be assigned upon arrival, first-come, first-served.

Once your purchase is complete, the tailgate manager will be notified, and you may check the status of your tailgate purchase through the online ticketing system by selecting “View My Tickets and Tables.”

If you have any questions or special requests, please contact us at .

On the day of the event, please check in at the Vendor Booth inside the auditorium, where you will receive your tailgate pass and admission wristband. You may then proceed to the tailgate monitor and your assigned tailgate spot.

Anyone without a tailgate pass will be asked to leave the tailgate area and park in general public parking.

Per the City of Melbourne & the Auditorium rules, there IS NO overnight parking to include campers and RVs. This will be enforced by Melbourne Police Department.

• Technical Equipment Distributors, Inc
• Orlando Hamcation
• W2HVH Enclosures
• Heeth LLC 
• HamReady 
• Paradan Radio
• PotaPower
• Elmer Brand

The world famous PCARS Consignment Table has super bargains on radios, accessories, and more, If you have a few items to sell, you may place them on our table. We will sell them for your stated price range and keep a small donation. Please fill out the consignment form in advance, and bring it with your items. You may also donate items to our club and get a receipt for tax purposes.

Friday

1400-1500 – Getting PicoBalloons off the Ground – presented by Dan Welch KC9LGR 

1515-1615 – CubeSat Simulators with an Attitude – presented by Rob Best KC9LGS

Saturday

0915-1015 – ARRL Meeting/Forum (tenative)

1030-1130 – Hollow-state (vacuum tube) homebrew techniques – presented by Grayson Evans KJ7UM

1145- 1245 – Florida Contest Group Meeting/Forum

1300-1400 – Hurricane Update – presented by the local Melbourne National Weather Service Office

• Grand prize drawing at 14:00 on Saturday. You need not be present to win.
• For hourly prize drawings you must be present to claim your prize.

Grand Prize List

1st Prize – ICOM IC7300 MK2 or Yaesu FT 991A (UHF/VHF/HF) OR $1000

2nd Prize – ICOM ID-50A (UHF/VHF/DSTAR) or Yaesu FT 5DR (2m/70cm C4FM/FM) OR $300

3rd Prize -Rig Expert Stick 500 OR $200

• Armoloq https://armoloq.com/
• Buckmaster https://www.hamcall.net/
• DX Engineering https://www.dxengineering.com/
• GigaParts https://www.gigaparts.com/
• Ham Radio Prep  https://hamradioprep.com/
• HamStuffOnline https://hamstuffonline.com/
• Heil Sound https://heilsound.com/
• JSystems (KJ6ER Antennas) https://www.etsy.com/shop/JSystems
• Mastrant Antenna Guying https://www.mastrant.com/
• Messi & Paoloni Coax https://messi.it/en/home.htm
• N3FJP Amateur Radio Software https://www.n3fjp.com/
• National Amateur Radio Alliance https://usnara.org/
• Orlando Hamcation https://www.hamcation.com/
• Paradan Radio https://paradanradio.com/
• PotaPower https://www.youtube.com/@PotaPowerLive
• Radioddity  https://www.radioddity.com/
• RT Systems https://www.rtsystemsinc.com/
• Technical Equipment Distributors, Inc. https://www.rfdistributor.com/tediinc
• The Wireman, Inc. https://thewireman.com/
• WB2ADF, Bruce (PCARS)
• K5LD, Walter (PCARS)
• KG5OA, Doug (PCARS)

• List of hotels and RV / camping spots.