MONROE -- Sunday is Father's Day, and in Monroe County that means it's time for the annual Hamfest gathering of amateur radio operators at the Monroe County Fairgrounds, sponsored by the Monroe County Radio Communications Association.

Father's Day is perhaps an appropriate day for the event, which is in its 46th year, because ham radio operators tend to be men, said Fred VanDaele, Hamfest chairman.

For the uninitiated, amateur, or ham, radio is serious stuff. Licensed operators use designated bands for communication, including emergency communication. Technically speaking, they are "stations" with their own call signs for identification purposes. Rules limit the power of their transmissions and prohibit them from broadcasting to the public.

The Hamfest attracts about 1,200 radio buffs from as far north as the Upper Peninsula and Canada as well as from Ohio, Pennsylvania, Illinois, and Indiana, Mr. VanDaele said.

There are other amateur radio get-togethers in the state, he said, "but we're probably the biggest in Michigan. It's more like a swap shop, a free market in things for amateurs. People come to buy, sell, and trade."

Lots of amateur radio and computer equipment and accessories will be on display. The Hamfest has 85 tables available inside and outside. Space is available for people to sell out of their vehicles.

He said the Hamfest has been held for 20 years at the fairgrounds, a venue that works out well because it has plenty of space. The fairgrounds also is a fully licensed campground.

The doors will open at 8 a.m. and remain open until everyone leaves, which usually is by 1 p.m. Admission is $6 for the public. Table rentals are $15 each, and space for vehicle or "trunk" sales $10 each. Parking is free.

The county radio communications association uses the proceeds to fund an annual scholarship for a high school senior who excels in electronics, electrical engineering, or computer science and wants to pursue a college degree in the fields.

First Published June 15, 2011, 4:45 a.m.