Huntsville Hamfest 2026 Recap: DMR, Apps & Accessibility

From August 22–23, the Huntsville Hamfest hosted the ARRL National Convention for the first time since 2007. Thousands of hams filled the Von Braun Center South Hall in Huntsville, Alabama, for exhibits, technical forums, license exams, and the W1AW America250 Special Event Station.

Our partner M&L Radio Technology represented Retevis and Ailunce on the show floor. Here's what we heard.

Booth at a Glance

The booth drew steady traffic all weekend. Visitors picked up radios to try them in hand, tested programming, entered the RETEVIS Ailunce HA2 giveaway survey, and snapped photos with the team — and sales were solid across the lineup. The RA89R, RA89G, and Ailunce HA2 led the display, with the RT95, HD1, and HD2 rounding out the classic lineup.

What Hams Told Us #1: Programming Made Simple

The most consistent praise at the booth was about programming. Hams told us again and again that easy, app-based setup is what draws them to a radio — and our own self-developed mobile app, which pairs with the RA89R, RA89G, and RETEVIS Ailunce HA2 over Bluetooth for cable-free programming, was a frequent conversation starter. Visitors liked being able to configure channels and settings straight from a phone, no cable required.

Many hams also mentioned Chirp, the popular open-source programming tool, as a go-to for cable-based setup. Meanwhile, experienced operators told us they still value direct keypad programming for quick, on-the-fly changes in the field.

The lesson: easy programming means meeting hams where they are — our own Bluetooth app for modern, phone-first users, solid keypad control for veterans, and compatibility with the tools the community already loves.

What Hams Told Us #2: What They Want Next

Two themes dominated the "what's next" conversations.

First, the Ailunce HA2. Visitors loved its compact size, clean audio, and app programming — and several asked, unprompted, when a DMR version might arrive. DMR (Digital Mobile Radio) is hugely popular in North American ham radio, and the idea of an Ailunce HA2 with analog-and-digital dual mode resonated strongly. We heard you.

Second, the fundamentals. Across every conversation, hams came back to the same three priorities: output power, battery life, and charging convenience. Some wanted GPS, APRS, or wideband airband reception — but almost everyone agreed that a radio's real-world usability comes down to those core three.

The Story We Won't Forget

One Ailunce HA2 giveaway winner was an Extra-class ham — the highest U.S. amateur radio license class — with more than five years in the hobby, primarily operating DMR. When asked what defined Retevis and Ailunce for him, he pointed to phone app programming.

He is also visually impaired.

On his survey, he shared that he'd love to join our beta testing program — if the products are accessible to him. As a visually impaired user, he needs features that don't rely on reading a display, and he specifically mentioned voice announcements — spoken feedback for menus and settings — as something that would make a real difference.

He wasn't asking for special treatment. He was asking for access — to use the same radios, join the same programs, and participate in the same community as everyone else.

This is why we listen. Amateur radio is built on inclusion, on reaching people, on leaving no one out of the conversation. An experienced ham who wants to beta test our products isn't an edge case — he's the kind of user whose feedback makes products better for everyone. Voice announcements and accessible menus don't help only one person; they help anyone operating in low light, while driving, or with gloves on.

We can't promise a timeline. But his feedback is on record, it's being discussed, and it matters.

What's Next

The conversations from Huntsville are already feeding into our product work — the interest in a DMR-capable Ailunce HA2, the universal priority on power and battery, and the accessibility conversation that now has a human face rather than just a feature request.

If you stopped by the M&L Radio Technology booth or filled out a survey, thank you. If you have something you want us to hear, reach out through our website or join the Ailunce community on Facebook.

Huntsville 2026 was a conversation, and we're taking notes.