28/06/2012 | Final Report
14,800 visitors come to Friedrichshafen to attend Europe’s largest amateur radio exhibition - retailers and clubs from 31 countries on hand - spotlight on digital radio - exhibitors are pleased with results
Ham Radio once again attracts enthusiasts from around the world
Friedrichshafen, Germany - The 37th edition of Ham Radio once again demonstrated the power of amateur radio to connect people from around the world with a high degree of technical expertise, from young entrepreneurs from Russia to enthusiasts from Australia and clubs from Israel and the United States. Over the course of the three-day event, 14,800 visitors flocked to the exhibition grounds in Friedrichshafen in order to shop for products from a total of 203 exhibitors and learn about the latest developments in amateur radio at the 63rd DARC Bodenseetreffen event. Amateur radio fans from around the globe came together at the exhibition’s motorhome area, and many of them combined their visit to the exhibition with a vacation in the Lake Constance region. Numerous exhibitors expressed their satisfaction with their sales during the exhibition. Messe Friedrichshafen CEO Klaus Wellmann was also pleased, despite this year’s slightly lower number of attendees: "Ham Radio has an excellent reputation in the industry. This motivates us to continue offering this international exhibition in partnership with the German Amateur Radio Club (DARC).”
From 22 to 24 June, Ham Radio offered a comprehensive overview of the world of amateur radio. A total of 203 exhibitors and clubs from 31 countries presented their latest innovations and once again demonstrated their determination to remain at the cutting edge with digital radio technologies. Numerous opportunities to learn about amateur radio and shop for current products were offered across three exhibition halls. "With 10% more exhibitors and a broad international showing among exhibitors as well as attendees, Ham Radio has once again demonstrated its position as Europe’s leading amateur radio exhibition,” stated Project Manager Petra Rathgeber at the conclusion of the three-day event. Michael Kalter, General Chair of the Hamvention in Dayton, Ohio, also praised Ham Radio, calling it the most important event in the industry, along with the Hamvention, during his opening address in Friedrichshafen.
This was echoed by Olga Zubareva and Vasily Vasilev from Expert Electronics in Russia, who attended the event this year for the first time. "We’re presenting a new technology, the SunSDR2 transceiver, and the exhibition provides a perfect opportunity for us to launch this product. Ham Radio is well known around the world and is an excellent place to make new contacts with customers and to introduce our product.”
Other exhibitors were also satisfied with their sales, as well as the positive atmosphere at the exhibition: "We’re expecting a large number of follow-up sales, since we met with many attendees with professional backgrounds in amateur radio who will introduce their customers to our products,” says Helmut Riexinger, Product Manager at WINRADIO Communications in Australia. "We’ve been coming to Ham Radio for ten years. The overall atmosphere here is very pleasant, and Friedrichshafen is our favorite destination among the ten exhibitions that we visit every year.”
The German Amateur Radio Club hosted its 63rd Bodenseetreffen event on Lake Constance, and was able to interest even more enthusiasts in the latest developments in amateur radio. This year’s event included a dedicated exhibition area and numerous talks on digital radio technologies. "We’ve laid the foundation for further innovation,” said Jens Hergert, Acting Managing Director of the German Amateur Radio Club, who was very pleased with this year’s exhibition. "The Ham Rally introduced children and young people to amateur radio, and our training course for teachers will help inspire next generation of enthusiasts to learn about technology.” This year’s event attracted a total of 93 children and young people with an interest in amateur radio. "Due to the upcoming exams in Baden-Württemberg, this year’s total of 94 participants in the training course for teachers was slightly lower than in previous years. We’re very pleased with the results of the first international youth event, which included 30 young people from countries such as Finland, Italy and the Netherlands,” says Axel Voigt, responsible for public relations at the German Amateur Radio Club.
Visitors interested in attending next year’s edition of Ham Radio can mark their calendars for June 28 to 30, 2013, when the exhibition will take place for the 38th time in Friedrichshafen. Additional information is available at www.hamradio-friedrichshafen.de.
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