The AM Forum

NEARfest was a blast, as always. Much appreciation to you and your crew for all the hard work you put in to make what looks lke the rest of us as a  ???seamless event.
73 and relax
Carl
WA1KPD

I second Carl’s e-motion!  The rain wasn’t all that much of a problem, appreciated the guys on golf carts providing Uber service for those heavy and or ackward to handle acquired treasures.  I was a little apprehensive when you handed over the microphonium to Tim at your the grand prize drawing just after you said you were going to keep things short... but Tim didn’t buzzard long at all!

Sorry I couldn’t hang around after the excellent AM dinner. I got an urgent phone call just as things were wrapping up and naturally the phone  battery had a crap-out just as I tried to answer it.  Had to hustle out to the truck to give the phone an electron transfusion.

NEAR-Fest is in MrMike's soul and it shows.  With the team that he has put together, its a well oiled machine.  Martha and I deeply appreciate all the work that gets done to make this the best Fester that I know of.  

For me, its about seeing the people that I have known for years and meeting new folks along the way.  The weather could have been a lot worse and really did not cause an issue.  We had some good hours on Friday and Saturday was excellent.  Everything I took down I sold and the Grand Cherokee was fully loaded.   

The AM Dinner continues to grow and it was loads of fun.  

Joe-W3GMS    

   I was going to Deerfield - back when it was Hoss-Traders - in the late 70's and throughout most of the 80's.  I was really disappointed when we were exiled to Rochester.  Lost interest in the hobby in the 90's, got rid of most of my gear, and didn't get back into it until a friend encouraged me in 2009.  I was reluctant at first, but when he said "Deerfield is back," I suddenly found myself getting enthusiastic again.  I'd forgotten what a big part of the hobby the Deerfield hamfest was for me.  It's not just a bunch of old radio gear: it's the breeze whispering in the pines, the smell of the sausage booth, and good friends gathering around for a good time whether we buy or sell anything or not.  Now, thanks to Mr. Mike and his crew, the good old days are back, and I look forward to Nearfest as eagerly as a kid to Christmas.
   Under Mr. Mike's leadership, Nearfest is a smooth and professional operation enjoyed by many hundreds (even my wonderful wife), and my thanks to the the entire crew.
   The golf-carts were a nice touch, too - a nice gentleman gave me a much appreciated lift back to my truck from the southern end of the fairgrounds to the northern end with a 40 pound mod transformer in my lap.