HamCation is one of the largest electronics and amateur radio equipment trade shows in the United States. It’s a walking museum of radio history with classic radio and new equipment. We found lots of RadioShack gear reminding us of the scanner radio boom of the 1990s. There was also some cool gear from the 1930s. Ham radio is in a transition period – it’s not like it was in the 1990s. But there’s still plenty to do as we highlight in our video from HamCation 2025. Take a look and comment if you found something cool.

It was a perfect weekend for HamCation 2025. This event takes place in February at the Central Florida Fair Grounds. ULTRATechLife attended the event on February 8, 2025. The weather was great for strolling around the outdoor swap tables. The indoor commercial vendor area was also pretty cool. Ham radio operators get to experiment with really cool technology these days.

It’s really cool to walk around and see lots of tech history at HamCation. I’ve always thought of it as a radio museum featuring radios from World War II-era technology, which is cool to see for yourself. I’ve seen some of these radios in movies. I’ll never forget the first “boat anchor” I was introduced to, including the Heathkit and Collins stuff. They’re really heavy and have a unique look.

One of my favorite things to do at hamfests is to look for the scanner radios. The period between 1980-1999 was totally awesome for VHF-UHF scanner radios. If you had one of these back in the day you could probably hear everything your neighbor did. You could hear many of the first cell phones, baby monitors, and cordless home phone systems. Your old scanner radio in the 1990s could hear every fire, police, and EMS call.

Unfortunately, as we entered 2000 and beyond, many radio systems transitioned from conventional analog to digital trunking systems. On top of that, many systems are now encrypted, and the general public can’t hear much of what they pay for, which is crazy. Those old scanner radios now have limited use — but they are still cool.

Icom Interview

My first new mobile ham radio was an Icom. I remember using it for storm chasing. It also had remote head which was cool to have that technology. Icom has a place in my heart because of my past experiences so I stopped by the Icom America trade show booth to see the latest technology. Amazingly, we are past remote heads and the introduction of software-defined radios.

Icom showed off the Icom IC-SAT100 – a handheld two-way radio that utilizes the Iridium satellite system. All of the recent disasters really highlight how important wireless communications have become. In some cases, this system is better than local repeaters because it is not limited by a single repeater antenna reception distance. The satellite system makes it possible to use voice and text messaging from almost anywhere on Earth. Seeing this kind of technology available to the average consumer is pretty cool. Check out our interview video for a look at it.

State of Amateur Radio

Ham radio is also known as amateur radio. These are licensed hobbyists who operate various radios and associated equipment. Some ham radio operators do various volunteer activities, including helping with marathons and even emergency communications. According to recent reports from the Federal Communications Commission, Florida has just over 42,000 ham radio operators. There are just over 744,000 US ham radio operators in total, a figure from February 2025 data.

We are in a transition period as I call it because there is a marked shift away from analog VHF/UHF older radios towards newer digital modes, including the use of internet-based connectivity. Technology is always advancing which is a good thing unless you love the old days of VHF radio simplex, which was kind of fun to experience. There seemed to be much more analog 2-meter activity if you went back 10 years or more ago. It’s fair to partially blame the popularity of things like cell phones and the internet as drawing some people away from ham radio.

There are still lots of fun things you can do with ham radio. People operate HF radios to see how far they can get or experiment with antennas (it’s cool to talk around the world without the internet). Recent advances in technology also make it possible to use satellites with ham radio equipment. Volunteer activities like Skywarn also still exist so between just having fun and serving a public service role – ham radio still has multiple purposes. I encourage everyone to check it out. And if you’re ever in Orlando, Florida in February, check out HamCation.

Author: Ben Alonzo is a unique science and tech expert, professor, entrepreneur, and journalist. He founded ULTRATechLife.com and is the CEO of the tech firm Storm Sector, LLC. Ben holds an MS in Information Technology, MS in Geoscience, MS in Health & Nutrition, and a BS in Geoscience. He is a highly rated professor that teaches a wide variety of college courses within earth, environmental, computer sciences and public health. His diverse background spans enterprise information technology, healthcare, weather forecasting, consumer electronics, digital media, web development, and business leadership. He holds numerous professional licenses and certifications, ranging from information technology to healthcare and emergency medical technician. Ben is a tech entrepreneur and is business partners with multiple restaurants. He is also a private pilot, fitness pro, musician, and loves filmmaking. Alonzo has written about science and tech for over 10 years. You can see some of his past articles on the Houston Chronicle, Heart, and other networks. In his free time, he likes scuba diving, storm chasing, and the gym.
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