NEARFest Reports

[W1UJR]

Ok, what did I miss?
Who has the photos?

-Bruce W1UJR

[Pete, WA2CWA]

You should be happy you're not going to Dayton as an outside vendor. Twelve days to go, and as far as I know, not one outside vendor has received their vendor packet with tickets and what spaces you got. One of the biggest screwups I've ever seen in hamfest planning and organization.

[W1DAN]

Hi all:

This is my second try at posting. All my photos are too large. Rats!

Arrived Friday at 10AM and found the place packed!

Helped Steve WA1QIX finish putting up his dipole for the Class E station.

Saw many AM'ers and enjoyed many very goof QSO's. Wish there was time for more and for me to visit more AM'ers.

Brought up a Singer sewing machine that George W1GAC's YL Mary used for many years. Gave it to Bob K1REC. On the way home I listen to N1ZZN's station WHTR on 103.1 FM "Hosstraders Radio". Jeff played good music with jingles and even had a hosstraders news upodate at the top of the hour. Very nicely done!

Could not visit Saturday.

Thanks to Mike W1RC and the gang who did an EXCELLENT job!

73,
dan
W1DAN

[WA1GFZ]

Anybody ever deal with the battery guy in the commerical building?
I paid big bucks for a pack of NMH AAs for my camera and they don't want to take a charge. Does he sell junk? 

[W1UJR]

But how was the fester Frank? 

[WA1GFZ]

Hung out with my First grade buddy. We had 3 jars of pickled egg plant
and a tarp to keep us dry. Bought some stuff. Nice to see all my friends and hang out. An expensive day off but worth it.

[W1UJR]

No good finds, just dead NiCads?
Much boat anchor stuff?
I stayed in Maine, had to work Friday, and Saturday was raining here. 

[W1AEX]

Ok, what did I miss?
Who has the photos?

-Bruce W1UJR

In spite of the weather, which was damp, cold, and rainy, it was a good time! I ran into quite a few people from here and enjoyed comparing notes about getting old with those I had not seen for over 20 years. I sold almost all my stuff and ate lots of donuts and drank lots of coffee. Got all the parts I need to get the big rig back up and running (speech amp is crapped out and needs to be re-capped) so it was worth the trip. Nobody was seen running around shirtless with CQ painted on their chests while screaming their callsign in morse code at midnight, so it wasn't quite like the old days...

Rob W1AEX

[Carl WA1KPD]

Ok, what did I miss?
Who has the photos?

-Bruce W1UJR

More importantly Bruce, WE MISSED YOU!

Unfortunately I did not have time to put anything together to sell. but Ron K1VYU had a lot of stuff. Sold most of it including his HQ-170 just as we were packing up to leave on Sat.

Friday was overcast and cool, Sat was overcast with occasional drizzle Pretty good turn out and some nice stuff. Someone had 2 ART 13 mod xfrmrs I was looking at under the table but nature was propelling me to a stop. Got distracted and forgot about them and did not see him on Sat
 
Picked up a Lafayette 6 mtr transceiver for a very fair price as well as a T-60. I know I know neither of them are technical marvels but as a small kid I wanted them so bad. Who says any of this has to be rational?
The Lafayette is on the bench now for modulation (or lack of) issues.

Larry NE1S joined us for awhile and he choked down an 807. We had to restrain him in order to get it down
Saw Todd, Bill, K1BF. W1JZ had some nice stuff including his Viking 1.75. Passed Frank GFZ in the drizzle to say hi.

I also picked up some nice odds and ends.

We thought it was a good one and pretty fair attendance considering.

Thanks to MR MIKE for another great effort.

[AF9J]

Carl,

What's a Viking 1.75?

From a curious Viking II owner & restorer,
Ellen - AF9J

[W1UJR]

Carl,

What's a Viking 1.75?

From a curious Viking II owner & restorer,
Ellen - AF9J

Its a Viking 1, that feels it should have been born a Viking II. 
Actually, I think its a rig that somebody modified from a Viking I.

Didn't know was your type Carl, seems a bit too new for your taste. 
I do hope that you're not backsliding, next thing you know you'll have one of fancy Japanese rigs.

[Carl WA1KPD]

Carl,

What's a Viking 1.75?

From a curious Viking II owner & restorer,
Ellen - AF9J

Mike, W1JZ, had a Viking 1 or 2 that had a very trashed panel. He did an very nice job of putting it into a faux black wrinkle panel - He used black hammertone and it looked great. Put two reular panel meters on the front left and right top and labeled all the knobs with the nice rub on labels. Put Viking 1.75 on front
Whole thing looks sharp

[Carl WA1KPD]

Didn't know was your type Carl, seems a bit too new for your taste. 
I do hope that you're not backsliding, next thing you know you'll have one of fancy Japanese rigs.

The T-60 or the HA 460?

I've got the 460 working. Actually I am sonewhat impressed with it so far. Needs new front dials-

Not back sliding at all, just a trip down memory lane when all I could do was look at the pictures.

[Pete, WA2CWA]

The T-60 or the HA 460?

I've got the 460 working. Actually I am sonewhat impressed with it so far. Needs new front dials-

Hey, that 460 was made by Kenwood. It's got to be good. Input coupling cap to the grid of the modulator/audio output tubes known problem for audio distortion.

[WA1GFZ]

Carl, I don't remember seeing you. sorry if I appeared a rock.....heck I wasn't even in the party mode.
Rob, Wish I ran into you as we have not talked in years.
The Batts I bought are 2700 mah NMH. I paid $10 for a pack and still trying to charge them. It will run 30 seconds and shut down. I has been on the charger since yesterday. 

[Carl WA1KPD]

Hey, that 460 was made by Kenwood. It's got to be good. Input coupling cap to the grid of the modulator/audio output tubes known problem for audio distortion.

Hi Pete,
Do you mean it goes bad with time or was a bad choice to begin with?
I've not had an on air report but the audio looks a little funky on the scope. Plenty of it, but looks like more positive peaks then negative
Thanks

[Pete, WA2CWA]

Hi Pete,
Do you mean it goes bad with time or was a bad choice to begin with?
I've not had an on air report but the audio looks a little funky on the scope. Plenty of it, but looks like more positive peaks then negative
Thanks

The leaky caps cause more positive voltage (less negative, unless they totally short) to appear on the grids of the modulator/audio output tubes causing distortion. Look for red glow on the plates of the audio tubes. Time and heat kills many of the caps in the HA-460 and HA-410. With the amount of heat generated under the chassis, they needed rubber feet that were at least .75 inches high or more. I think my 410 and 460 sit on rubber feet that are 1 inch high.

[Carl WA1KPD]

Carl, I don't remember seeing you. sorry if I appeared a rock.....heck I wasn't even in the party mode.

No problem Frank but the RT was sort of put out.....

We will make up for it in the fall

[Carl WA1KPD]

Hi Pete,
Do you mean it goes bad with time or was a bad choice to begin with?
I've not had an on air report but the audio looks a little funky on the scope. Plenty of it, but looks like more positive peaks then negative
Thanks

The leaky caps cause more positive voltage (less negative, unless they totally short) to appear on the grids of the modulator/audio output tubes causing distortion. Look for red glow on the plates of the audio tubes. Time and heat kills many of the caps in the HA-460 and HA-410. With the amount of heat generated under the chassis, they needed rubber feet that were at least .75 inches high or more. I think my 410 and 460 sit on rubber feet that are 1 inch high.

Thanks Pete,
Maybe I will add feet and a muffin fan.....

[KC2DGS]

Anybody ever deal with the battery guy in the commerical building?
I paid big bucks for a pack of NMH AAs for my camera and they don't want to take a charge. Does he sell junk? 

Is the guy from NJ? Several years ago I bought a NMH battery pack for an FT-50 from a battery guy at the Dunellen hamfest - it didn't charge either. $40 shot in the @$$. If it's the same guy, in my opinion yes, he sells junk. I forget his address, but he was based in Monmouth County NJ at the time.

Ray

[W1UJR]

K1TP has updated his "As The World Turns" site with NEARFest photos, along with trademark humorous commentary. 
As a bonus, photos of Sandra Bullock in Rockport are included at no additional charge.

See -->> http://myrockport.com/world.htm

Wonder if anyone here attended the R390A forum, that was the one thing I really wanted to see/hear.
Oh well, guess there is the fall.

[WA1GFZ]

Second pair of big bucks batts also useless guess this guy is a rip off.

[W1UJR]

Frank, can the organizers of the fest help you?
If he was a registered vendor, then perhaps they have his contact info.

Had a similar problem with batteries for the workshop's Sony laptop.
We went through 3 or 4 sets of batteries before we got a good one.
The vendor issued a call tag for the first set, but did not even bother to do so with the second one.
All were made in.....you guessed it, China.

[WA1GFZ]

These were GE/Sanyo with no date code. The guys running the fest have no control of vendor quality so the next best thing is spread the word.

[WA1QHQ]

Frank,

Did the battery vendor(s) have a XYL in the booth if so I have run into these folks before and they are legit and reputable, if not then buyer be ware.