Sussex!

[KD1SH]

   The year really flew by; Sussex is only five days away! They're predicting occasional thunderstorms, but what else is new for Sussex in July? It's still early, though, to take the forecasts too seriously. It couldn't be worse, in any event, than 2023's Sussex hamfest, where torrential downpours knocked the attendance down to probably 20% of usual.
   Hope to see some AM'ers there!

[W3SLK]

I'll be there! Last year was my first time and I was pleasantly surprised that it reminded me of the hamfests I was accustomed to attending like Timonium and Gaithersburg! Definitely worth the ride!

[KD1SH]

   I've been attending since 2018, minus the covid years, of course, and it's always been a fine show. Even 2023, the year of the downpours, wasn't a total waste of drive time. Little to no tree cover, and typically hot, so a broad-brimmed hat and sunscreen are the order of the day. The building is enormous, with ample space for numerous vendors.
   It's usually well attended by AM'ers; every time I go there I'm reminded of Andy, WA2CDL, and Howie WF2Q, both very sadly SK and both regulars at Sussex. Representatives of the alive-and-kicking crowd whom I've met down there are too numerous to list, but it's a very fine show for meet-and-greet activity.

I'll be there! Last year was my first time and I was pleasantly surprised that it reminded me of the hamfests I was accustomed to attending like Timonium and Gaithersburg! Definitely worth the ride!

[Pete, WA2CWA]

I'll be there as always inside the building in the far right corner as you walk in from the outside flea market doors. IT's MY 40th YEAR OF ATTENDANCE. I had my 1st booth at 2 years of age. I sold make-believe radios and antennas.

How many remember sharing the fairgrounds with the large Naive American Festival (started on Saturday) and the Hamfest? That was wide and crazy times 

[Sam KS2AM]

... sharing the fairgrounds with the large Naive American Festival .....

Don't think there would be room on the fairgrounds for all of them.     You mean the Native American Festival?

[Pete, WA2CWA]

Sorry, I forgot to include Local Group or Local Chapter, or Local Tribes, etc. Some came with beautiful rides. It was an interesting event. Hamfest also wasn't as big and sprawling as it is today.

[KD1SH]

"the large Naive American Festival"
You mean N8FVJ was there?

[Pete, WA2CWA]

Tooooooooo much manual stuff going on here. I missed the typo multiple times. Must be going blind.

"Native" is what I was trying to say.

[KD1SH]

   We all make typos, but they can be fun when they lead to a bit of unintended humor. We all knew what you meant, Pete. It's all good.

Tooooooooo much manual stuff going on here. I missed the typo multiple times. Must be going blind.

"Native" is what I was trying to say.

[Jim/WA2MER]

How many remember sharing the fairgrounds with the large Naive American Festival (started on Saturday) and the Hamfest? That was wide and crazy times  

I do. One of my friends' sons was part NA and would participate each year. Not only were those times "wide," they were wild, too!

[KD1SH]

   Another fine Sussex 'fest in the log! No rain, other than the occasional fine mist early, and no sun, other than the occasional very brief peek. Those very brief peeks of sun, though, were sufficient for me to foolishly put a little pink blush on my completely shaven head. My own dumb fault, there; I should have seen that coming. I brought sunscreen, as always, and it would have taken only a minute to rub some onto the bare dome, but I was enjoying what I thought would be a great opportunity to enjoy some hat-free time.
   Visited a bit with Pete, in his traditional corner of the building, and Rob, W1WOR, who was set up not far from us, and Bear, from whom I picked a handful of his outlets and boxes.
   Otherwise, no huge purchases: a nice empty cabinet and chassis for some future project; a pair of "lightly used" 3-500Z's; an oil-filled cap; a big ceramic transmitting cap; and a couple of nice transmitting band-pass filers, one for 75 meters and one for 40 meters.
   What I was looking intently for, but never found, was a Multi-Elmac PS-2V power supply to power the very nice-looking AF-68 that I picked up for free at the last Nearfest. Well, "Moxboro" is coming up, as well as the October Nearfest and the Nutmeg 'fest, and although I've got plenty of parts with which to build myself a suitable power supply for that AF-68, doing so will virtually guarantee that I'll find a PS-2V at one of those events.
   I was tempted by that very nice-looking Viking 500, and didn't think the price was bad at all, but really, that's a rabbit-hole I don't want to go down right now, with all the other projects I've got going on. I did notice that it was gone before we left; did anyone we know buy it?

[W3SLK]

KD1SH said:

  Another fine Sussex 'fest in the log! No rain, other than the occasional fine mist early, and no sun, other than the occasional very brief peek. Those very brief peeks of sun, though, were sufficient for me to foolishly put a little pink blush on my completely shaven head. My own dumb fault, there; I should have seen that coming. I brought sunscreen, as always, and it would have taken only a minute to rub some onto the bare dome, but I was enjoying what I thought would be a great opportunity to enjoy some hat-free time.
   Visited a bit with Pete, in his traditional corner of the building, and Rob, W1WOR, who was set up not far from us, and Bear, from whom I picked a handful of his outlets and boxes.
   Otherwise, no huge purchases: a nice empty cabinet and chassis for some future project; a pair of "lightly used" 3-500Z's; an oil-filled cap; a big ceramic transmitting cap; and a couple of nice transmitting band-pass filers, one for 75 meters and one for 40 meters.
   What I was looking intently for, but never found, was a Multi-Elmac PS-2V power supply to power the very nice-looking AF-68 that I picked up for free at the last Nearfest. Well, "Moxboro" is coming up, as well as the October Nearfest and the Nutmeg 'fest, and although I've got plenty of parts with which to build myself a suitable power supply for that AF-68, doing so will virtually guarantee that I'll find a PS-2V at one of those events.
   I was tempted by that very nice-looking Viking 500, and didn't think the price was bad at all, but really, that's a rabbit-hole I don't want to go down right now, with all the other projects I've got going on. I did notice that it was gone before we left; did anyone we know buy it?

I heard a person say that Sussex yesterday was the best day! The sun stayed behind the clouds, and I think the overall temperature was about 75?F which made it very pleasant! I wish I would have seen you, (maybe I did but didn't recognize you), I was wondering about and wore a hat with my callsign, (usually the only time I wear it). I scored some outlets from Bear. I only went inside twice. There was a fellow who wanted to give me a pair of UV-854's that were brand new. I didn't have any use for them. I didn't see Pete although I wasn't actively looking for him. I did run into Ron, WA3WBC, Doug, W3DBB, Kevin, K2XAM, Steve, N3NNG and Bear. I still enjoyed it none the less!

[Pete, WA2CWA]

I've attended a lot of Sussex hamfests but by far this one was the busiest and the people crowd seem to be constantly flowing through the building.

Lots of familiar faces stopped by to say hello; some I haven't seen in a number of years. One of the ARRL attendees i hadn't seen or talked to in over 13 years.
Even Joe, W3GMS, stopped by. I forgot to ask if this was his first time there. Over the morning I got to pet three cute dogs and a baby in a stroller and I made faces at each other and waved. I remember looking at the time early on and it was 8:20AM and the next time I looked at the time and it was 11:30. Couldn't believe how quickly the time went by.
I was up a little before 4AM and didn't get home until around 4PM. A long 12 hour day but a lot of fun, except probably for the driving and the packing the car, unpacking the car, repacking the car, and final unpacking when I got home.

[KA3EKH]

As Joe would say, "come on man" nobody has any pictures of the show? No end to problems right now at home and unfortunately expect to be hear at the the house for at least the next month or so but would have liked to attended myself. Maybe next year?

[KD1SH]

I often think of bringing my camera to a 'fest, but with all the running around I do, I figure I probably wouldn't have time to use it.
There is this, though: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2hz_fk3am8
And this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hvMk_DxKx0&t=3s

As Joe would say, "come on man" nobody has any pictures of the show? No end to problems right now at home and unfortunately expect to be hear at the the house for at least the next month or so but would have liked to attended myself. Maybe next year?

[W3SLK]

KA3EKH said:

As Joe would say, "come on man" nobody has any pictures of the show? No end to problems right now at home and unfortunately expect to be hear at the the house for at least the next month or so but would have liked to attended myself. Maybe next year?

I took a photo and sent it to my wife to show that I wasn't 'knoodling' somewhere that I shouldn't! Last year I got a photo of Ed, W2XAM's 5KW antenna tuner that was worthy of posting.

[Joe Connor]

I've attended a lot of Sussex hamfests but by far this one was the busiest and the people crowd seem to be constantly flowing through the building.

I noticed the same thing, Pete. When I got there before 8 a.m., the parking area was much fuller than it usually is at that time. There also seemed to be more vendors than last year.