This year’s event is set for May 15–17, returning to the same venue.
The 2026 Hamvention awards team recently announced the Hamvention award winners for this year:
Technical Achievement Award: Robert Famiglio K3RF
Robert B. “Bob” Famiglio, K3RF, has spent almost 60 years in amateur radio, blending technical expertise, legal knowledge, and leadership in emergency communications.
For more than 40 years Famiglio has served as Volunteer Counsel, advising hams on PRB 1 matters, zoning, and antenna ordinances, RFI enforcement, and club governance; his technical understanding of station engineering and interference resolution has informed effective legal strategies and regulatory comments.
Previously, Famiglio served several terms as Vice President & General Counsel of the Radio Club of America and functioned as corporate counsel for the board.
In emergency communications he served as ARES District Emergency Coordinator for Greater Philadelphia, supporting regional response agencies applying technical expertise, message handling, and interoperability between amateur and public safety systems; his formal training as a professional firefighter enhances his ability to align ham radio technology with operational needs of served agencies.
A long-time mentor, Famiglio supports on-air training nets and club programs stressing technical competence, regulatory literacy, and readiness for public service. He believes that amateur radio’s core value lies in the skills, service, and technical capability of operators, not merely spectrum access.
Bob’s blend of engineering, legal acumen and emergency response experience has encouraged continuous training, lowered barriers to participation and inspired new generations of ham radio operators.
Amateur of the Year Award: Dr. Jose “Otis” Vicens NP4G
Otis Vicens, known to friends and fellow operators on the air as NP4G, was born and raised in Humacao, Puerto Rico.
Vicens later moved to the United States to study Biology at Purdue University, where he became active with the W9YB Amateur Radio Club. One of his early memories of service through amateur radio was in 1998, when he helped provide communications support in Puerto Rico following Hurricane Georges.
Early in his ham career, Vicens attended the DX Forum at Dayton Hamvention, where presentations on major DX-peditions inspired him to someday be a part of future adventures. He has now participated in many DXpeditions from all over the world including the very rare Bouvet Island (3Y).
Vicens is very active in Puerto Rico ham radio. He is Past President of the Puerto Rico Amateur Radio League (PRARL) in 2012 and during the 2017 Puerto Rico hurricane disasters Vicens helped coordinate amateur radio emergency communications across eastern Puerto Rico following Hurricane Georges. Vicens is now President of the International DX Association (INDEXA) and most recently was part of the all KP4 team to activate the very rare Desecheo Island with amazing technology as KP5/NP3VI.
Special Achievement Award: Martha Fell N3QBE and Joe Fell W3GMS
Martha and Joe Fell’s journey began in 1966 when Joe earned his Novice license (WN3GMS) at age 14. Shortly thereafter, he met Harry I. Davis, W3FDY (SK), who mentored him for four years. Davis taught him to think critically, design circuits, and execute projects with precision. His guidance was life-changing, and Fell pledged to honor his request to give back to others just as Harry had done for him.
To fulfill this promise, Fell chose to retire at age 56, following a 34-year corporate career and the successful launch of his own company. The success of this mission is thanks to his wife, Martha, whose dedication to overseeing administration and logistics has greatly benefited their students.
Their program’s reach has grown significantly over the decades. In 1976, Fell designed and built a repeater for his mentor’s radio site which remains operational 50 years later, serving a group of approximately eighty-five operators. Their weekly technical net has become a primary resource for both new and seasoned amateurs, including many professional electrical engineers.
Today, they mentor students of all ages and interests. While their first student is currently pursuing a PhD in Electrical Engineering at MIT, their youngest started at just eight years old.
Club of the Year: Long Island CW Club
Long Island Continuous Wave Club (LICW) is an online Morse code training community built to help everyday ham radio operators become confident and proficient CW operators. The club combines high standards with a welcoming culture. Members teach real operating skills, treat people with respect, and keep learning fun.
LICW offers structured classes from beginner through advanced, a wide range of topical forums, and practice resources that help students move from “copying characters” to true conversational flow. Instructors are volunteers who remember what it felt like to be new, and who coach students through plateaus with clear, effective teaching methods, encouragement, and accountability.
LICW is also proud to be a diverse community, with strong participation and leadership across generations. The club includes more than four hundred women who serve as instructors and club leaders and includes programs that support youth and hams with disabilities.