The SUPER PARTY 2026 on 31 October in Zofingen was a great success.

The display board on the hall wall showed 8:59 a.m., and it was already hard to get through the multi-purpose hall in Zofingen. Barely half an hour after the doors opened, hundreds of radio amateurs were pushing their way through the aisles, bending over boxes full of connectors, turning equipment over in their hands and negotiating prices. Switzerland’s largest amateur radio flea market was in full swing.

Bazaar atmosphere

The day started early. From 7 a.m., exhibitors with a reservation were allowed to set up, while the early-bird bar opened in the entrance area at the same time, and at 8:30 a.m. the doors opened to everyone. The conditions have been the same for years and are well received: admission is free, one running metre of market table costs 20 francs, and there is no sales commission. Only items related to amateur radio or computers may be sold; the organisers send pans or clothes out of the hall.

Classics and modern equipment

And what an array lay on the tables: antennas, power amplifiers and transceivers, boxes full of components, computers, world receivers, old rotary-dial telephones, crystal receivers in wooden boxes with yellowed instructions in the lid, Bakelite radios and colourful basket-weave coils. Right next to them, others showed where things are heading: state-of-the-art SDR transceivers with the spectrum running across the screen as a waterfall, together with matching software.

A gathering of friends

Trading was done as at a bazaar. A Morse key labelled at 100 francs changed hands for 60 francs after a conversation about mutual acquaintances, and both sides walked away satisfied. That is how it went at many tables. After all, the Surplus Party is also a huge gathering of friends. People know each other from the band, from contests or from last year, and many a call sign gets a face here for the first time. As usual, HB9SOTA had its own table in the back corner near the restaurant, and in the entrance area the USKA and OFCOM provided information at their stands right next to each other.

Bratwurst instead of components

Anyone who got hungry in between was in the right place at the HAM-Beiz. For lunch there was bratwurst, hamburgers or pork steak with French fries, plus sandwiches and snacks at the snack bar. But those who just wanted a coffee were also well catered for. Many used the break for a chat at the table before heading back into the aisles.

Talks, meetings, city tour

In parallel, the Hamfest programme ran in the education centre. At 10 a.m. OFCOM spoke about EMC, at 2 p.m. the conference of USKA section presidents met, and at 4 p.m. the HF/VHF meeting followed. Those who preferred fresh air went on a city tour through Zofingen’s old town with Cornelius, the town clerk of 1864.

USKA band at the Hamfest

At 4:30 p.m. the flea market closed. The USKA Hamfest continued at the Hotel Zofingen. On the programme were a festive dinner, an aperitif and folk music with the USKA jam band Fünf-Neun-Plus, as well as the after-party from 10 p.m. including a bar. Many a conversation that had begun in the morning between two flea market tables only came to an end there.

Many thanks go to the Zofingerrunde and all the helpers. The date for next year is already set: the next Surplus Party will take place on 30 October 2027.

Published by HB9HGH

Further information: https://www.surplusparty.ch/