Dayton

[Sam KS2AM]

I thought it was interesting that some of the boatanchors were not moving even after being marked down in price over the weekend.  I came away with a couple of good deals.

Although attendance seemed like it was down over last year, during the awards on Sunday the organizers said that their indications were that the final numbers may actually be up.

I thought that the talk by Richard Garriott, W5KWQ who operated from the ISS was great.  His father also operated from space.

I also went to the FCC forum and I thought it was simply a repeat of previous years, i.e. short duration, packed house, prepared speeches, couple of jokes thrown in, little time for questions at the very end and the questions that were asked were generally blown off.  I came away with the impression that Ms Laura either has a very quirky sense of humor or doesn't really care for hams in general - hard to tell but I'll give her the benefit of the doubt.


Hamvention 2009 video (and others) from K0NEB: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8AiPHsd6xc

W5KWQ: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tg6TRbtlrhE

[k4kyv]

I also went to the FCC forum and I thought it was simply a repeat of previous years, i.e. short duration, packed house, prepared speeches, couple of jokes thrown in, little time for questions at the very end and the questions that were asked were generally blown off. 

That's the way the FCC forums have always been.  If you thought the questions were blown off at this one, you ought to have attended the ones when Johnny Johnston was the speaker/moderator, particularly when questions were asked about Docket 20777 and  a few years later, the pending AM power issue. 

Actually, the house wasn't packed for the FCC forum.  There were plenty of vacant seats in the front rows, but people coming in at the last minute couldn't see them from rear entrance.  I think curiosity about Laura attracted a lot of people. The  house was packed for Bob Heil's forum on voice quality.

As for the  hamfest, if attendance was up, it certainly didn't  look that way at the flea market.  Many spaces were vacant, and some of the hamfest people said there were a lot of no-shows this year.  You could easily walk up and down the lanes between the vendor rows, and actually see the merchandise through the crowd of people.  I have seen years when every space was filled, you had to elbow your way down the rows, and it took an effort to see anything.  The indoor area was easily navigable, even when the rain started and people vacated the flea market.

Even though the quantity was down, I thought there was more good stuff and less junk at the flea market this year.  My biggest disappointment was the lack of an AM forum, and I never got to meet up with some of the people who I know attended the hamfest.  John, KN4ME was very disappointed that he was never able to connect with Robert, W0VMC.

[Sam KS2AM]

Actually, the house wasn't packed for the FCC forum.  There were plenty of vacant seats in the front rows, but people coming in at the last minute couldn't see them from rear entrance.

Hmmm, I was in the second row on the right-hand side of center, there were very few empty seats around me and when I checked people were standing at the back and in the doorway.  Maybe I was at a different FCC Forum?  :-)   Regardless, my point was as usual there were many people there and not much to be heard .

I did see you Don but you were busy chatting with a vendor about getting Heil mic and IHY box for your rice box.  ;-)

[K5UJ]

I also went to the FCC forum and I thought it was simply a repeat of previous years, i.e. short duration, packed house, prepared speeches, couple of jokes thrown in, little time for questions at the very end and the questions that were asked were generally blown off. 

Even though the quantity was down, I thought there was more good stuff and less junk at the flea market this year.  My biggest disappointment was the lack of an AM forum, and I never got to meet up with some of the people who I know attended the hamfest.  John, KN4ME was very disappointed that he was never able to connect with Robert, W0VMC.

I forgot to mention this earlier but one of the coolest things I saw in the flea market was a rare and in very good condx Lakeshore Industries Bandhopper VFO.   First time I ever saw one. 

Rob / K5UJ

[Pete, WA2CWA]

As far as rare equipment sights, I spotted a good condition Johnson 6N2 Thunderbolt, Sonar CFC VFO/exciter, Gross CW-25 and CW-50 RF sections, Li'l Lulu transmitter, Gonset 500W linear amplifier, and 2 beautiful all chrome case Utica 650's and matching chrome VFO's. Actually, one of the 650's was the one I sold the seller several years ago. He was now moving to a retirement village and needed to downsize his equipment. I also remember seeing some Eldico items but don't remember what they were. I also remember seeing one vendor with several vintage General Radio test equipment in those beautiful wood cabinets. Based on the quickness that they were sold, I guess even I had some sought after equipment.

[k4kyv]

I saw a General Electric sideband slicer.  Apparently a commercially built version of the one described in a 50's or 60's G-E Ham News. It had 4 positions: USB, LSB, "carrier lock" and normal AM.  If it is the same circuit, USB/LSB use the phasing method of sideband selection. The carrier lock mode uses the same product detector with a PLL designed to lock the BFO onto the AM carrier - a synchronous detector, while the normal AM is a diode detector.

I would have bought it but he was asking way too much - for that kind of money it would be better to throw in some more bux and purchase a Sherwood sync detector.  He said I was the only person all day who had asked anything about it.  In retrospect I should have made him a more reasonable offer and he might have taken it.

[K5UJ]

You saw a Lil' LuLu?  wow, I missed that one.  I remember seeing the Gonset HF amp.  I missed the other things you saw.  I might be selling some things next year though, and then perhaps I'll get to see more.

[K5UJ]

He said I was the only person all day who had asked anything about it.  In retrospect I should have made him a more reasonable offer and he might have taken it.

I had an experience a bit like that with a guy who may not have even been a ham, who was selling a stack of audio gear.  he had a couple of FM Optimods and an Orban paragraph eq.  I asked him why he wasn't selling AM Optimods at a hamfest and if anyone had expressed any interest in the paragraph eq.  (the rest of his stuff was so so.)   He said something like I was the only one who had even recognized the Orban eq. and he was hoping some broadcasters who were hams would buy the Optimods.  I wished him good luck but the joke was on me when I stopped by the next day and the Optimods were sold.  Turned out there were a couple of guys from radio stations there and they bought them.

[w3jn]

I saw a General Electric sideband slicer.  Apparently a commercially built version of the one described in a 50's or 60's G-E Ham News. It had 4 positions: USB, LSB, "carrier lock" and normal AM.  If it is the same circuit, USB/LSB use the phasing method of sideband selection. The carrier lock mode uses the same product detector with a PLL designed to lock the BFO onto the AM carrier - a synchronous detector, while the normal AM is a diode detector.

I would have bought it but he was asking way too much - for that kind of money it would be better to throw in some more bux and purchase a Sherwood sync detector.  He said I was the only person all day who had asked anything about it.  In retrospect I should have made him a more reasonable offer and he might have taken it.

That would be the YRS-1.  Very rare.  I have one and know of only one other - in the Pavek Wireless Museum in Minneapolis.  After a few slight mods it does very well.  Not quite as fast a lock as the Sherwood, and the audio not as wide, but has the advantage of selectable sideband or, if you replace the 6C4 audio pre with a 6J6 and do a few slight wiring mods, you can do "stereo" - USB in the left speaker, LSB in the right.

[KA1ZGC]

As far as rare equipment sights, I spotted a good condition Johnson 6N2 Thunderbolt, Sonar CFC VFO/exciter, Gross CW-25 and CW-50 RF sections, Li'l Lulu transmitter, Gonset 500W linear amplifier, and 2 beautiful all chrome case Utica 650's and matching chrome VFO's.

Gonset 500W linear = GSB-101? Just curious.

[Pete, WA2CWA]

As far as rare equipment sights, I spotted a good condition Johnson 6N2 Thunderbolt, Sonar CFC VFO/exciter, Gross CW-25 and CW-50 RF sections, Li'l Lulu transmitter, Gonset 500W linear amplifier, and 2 beautiful all chrome case Utica 650's and matching chrome VFO's.

Gonset 500W linear = GSB-101? Just curious.

There was the Gonset 500W (1954-1955), Po 250 W PEP, and there was the Gonset GSB-101 (1958-1961), Po 800 W PEP.

[W1UJR]

CQ is presently preparing my book Reflections 3 for publication, which wil be released around the end of Summer.
Walt, W2DU

Best news I've had all week Walt!
I'm glad that got into production, was waiting on WorldRadio, but see the CQ fellows moved it along!
I look forward to it later this year, should make some good reading on the cold Maine fall nights.

Now if they could only bring "Kurt Sterba" and "Lil Paddle" back, they made me laugh like no others.


73 my friend,
Bruce W1UJR

[W2DU]

I nearly fell out of my chair, Bruce, when Dick Ross instantly said 'yes' when I asked him in February if he'd be interested in publishing the 3rd edition.

Worldradio sat on it for a long time, due to being shorthanded in the editorial dept. So about a year ago I approached the ARRL, and they said sure, but a short time later they withdrew the offer, saying it wasn't likely to sell well. Apparently they didn't know that 1st and 2nd edition-copies were going for between $300 and $500 on eBay and Alibris Books.

Anyway, one day in early February I was looking through my library and saw a book that I hadn't noticed for quite some time--a book on antennas written by my close friend Bob Haviland, W4MB, in Daytona Beach. What I found was so surprising is that it was published by CQ. I had totally forgotten that CQ published books, so I called Dick Ross, and he said he'd be proud to have Reflections in his library of CQ published books. So there you have it. And I'm pleased that you have an interest in it. I'll announce it on AMfone, and also on my web page when it's released.

Concerning Kurt Sterba and 'Lil Paddle, I haven't yet seen the 'on line' verson of Worldradio, so I don't know whether that pair are still there or not.

Walt, W2DU

[k4kyv]

It just occurred to me I didn't see the dude wearing the hard hat with the miniature tower and yagi beam mounted on top, at Dayton this year.

Maybe he got tired of people rolling their eyes and sniggering behind his back.

But I could have just missed him.  I stayed out in the flea market most of the time, and I only recall seeing him in the indoor area.

[Sam KS2AM]

It just occurred to me I didn't see the dude wearing the hard hat with the miniature tower and yagi beam mounted on top, at Dayton this year.

Maybe he got tired of people rolling their eyes and sniggering behind his back.

But I could have just missed him.  I stayed out in the flea market most of the time, and I only recall seeing him in the indoor area.

He's one of the (DARA) organizers of the event and he was there with hat and tower Don.

[WB3JOK]

Maybe he got tired of people rolling their eyes and sniggering behind his back.

Speaking of which, has anyone actually seen the ham who drives this car? It was in the Salem Mall parking area as usual... (is it one of the AMfoners)? 

[Steve - WB3HUZ]

No, Ham Sexy for sure.

[k4kyv]

Speaking of which, has anyone actually seen the ham who drives this car? It was in the Salem Mall parking area as usual... (is it one of the AMfoners)?

Nah.  No AMfoner would have ever parked in the Salem Mall and have had to take the shuttle bus to lug the rupture sets from the flea market to the car.

Looks more like HamSexy to me.

[K5UJ]

Nah.  No AMfoner would have ever parked in the Salem Mall and have had to take the shuttle bus to lug the rupture sets from the flea market to the car.

You have to get up around 4, get to Waffle House by 5, then get to Hara Arena around 6 in order to get a good parking space.  Two years ago we did that and had to park on the grass because the car dealer was still in business.  This time we were almost at the traffic light in the $10 ex-car dealer parking lot.  I missed the guy with the hard hat/tower too.

[k4kyv]

That's exactly what I have done in past years.  Even 6 AM is probably too late. I wouldn't waste time with breakfast, but would go right to the hamfest site, just stopping for take-away coffee and pastry along the way.  I have arrived as  late as 5:30 AM and been able to park on the street, right outside the gate at the rear entrance to the flea market (Baysore Rd?).  Sometimes the gate Nazis wouldn't let me inside the flea market before opening time, but other times I walked right in and no-one stopped me.  A few times I was able to grab another hour of sleep in the car when I couldn't get in immediately.  Other years I have paid to park in the mud field across the  road - beats taking the shuttle bus to the mall.  This year I was with someone who had a parking permit for the paved area just outside the Pub.

A trick that has worked more than once when I didn't have a fleamarket ticket or any ticket at all, was to have a friend who had rented a space pass me his ticket through the fence, use it to get past the gate, and then return the borrowed ticket to its owner.  That got me inside the flea market area until it was open to the general public or until I could purchase a ticket.  I have picked up some nice goodies that I would have otherwise missed, that way.

I notice that for the past two years the security guards have been a lot less rude than before (I missed 3 years in a row because of my daughter's graduation followed by a work conflict for a couple of years).  Before my hiatus, the guards all seemed to have an attitude problem and would go out of their way to hassle you any way they could. I think that rudeness drove a  lot of people away, so apparently the hamfest people finally caught on to reality and switched to a different security company.

[K5UJ]

That's exactly what I have done in past years.  Even 6 AM is probably too late. I wouldn't waste time with breakfast, but would go right to the hamfest site, just stopping for take-away coffee and pastry along the way.  I have arrived as  late as 5:30 AM and been able to park on the street, right outside the gate at the rear entrance to the flea market (Baysore Rd?).  Sometimes the gate Nazis wouldn't let me inside the flea market before opening time, but other times I walked right in and no-one stopped me.  A few times I was able to grab another hour of sleep in the car when I couldn't get in immediately.  Other years I have paid to park in the mud field across the  road - beats taking the shuttle bus to the mall.  This year I was with someone who had a parking permit for the paved area just outside the Pub.

A trick that has worked more than once when I didn't have a fleamarket ticket or any ticket at all, was to have a friend who had rented a space pass me his ticket through the fence, use it to get past the gate, and then return the borrowed ticket to its owner.  That got me inside the flea market area until it was open to the general public or until I could purchase a ticket.  I have picked up some nice goodies that I would have otherwise missed, that way.

I notice that for the past two years the security guards have been a lot less rude than before (I missed 3 years in a row because of my daughter's graduation followed by a work conflict for a couple of years).  Before my hiatus, the guards all seemed to have an attitude problem and would go out of their way to hassle you any way they could. I think that rudeness drove a  lot of people away, so apparently the hamfest people finally caught on to reality and switched to a different security company.

Right--we got away with being about 30 minutes later than usual because of the lower turnout. But I'd have to eat something more than a doughnut in order to have enough energy to make it through the flea market and lug things back to the truck.  One of the guys I go there with has done that sharing of the flea market ticket before too.  I never knew about the flea market rear entrance parking--I'll have to keep that in mind, thanks.  I think for anything really big or heavy they'll let you drive in and get it, but then you loose your space.  Next year I may buy a flea market space to sell some things and partly to solve the parking problem

73

rob / k5uj

[k4kyv]

For years people have been known to buy a flea market space but use it only for parking inside the area.  Some time ago the hamfest people have said they were cracking down on unattended spaces, but as sparse as things were this year, I don't think it would be cause for a problem.

Some people have got creative by bringing a bunch of marginal junk they wouldn't really care if it got ripped off, placing it on a table or open trunk of the car, and selling using the "Honor System".  Place some blank envelopes on a clip board with a pen  chained to it, with instructions to put the money in the envelope, seal it, write a list of the item(s) purchased on the outside of the envelope, and drop it through the slot where the car window on the driver side is slightly cracked.

I have never tried to rent a space to sell stuff even though I have enough that I need to get rid of to fill two or three spaces. I never wanted to be tied down minding the store, missing all the goodies other people have for sale.

[Pete, WA2CWA]

It's really very difficult to keep track of sold vendor space as "real" vendors, part-time vendors, or just parked space for a vehicle. Vendors buy the space for three days. They can come in for all 3 or only come in for one or two. So a space could be vacant on Friday and be occupied on Saturday or vice versa. Likewise, single person vendors break to wander, go to forums, hit the john or food tent. Bringing a few items to sell, even for an hour or two, can help supplement any outward expenses or purchases and "verifies" you're truly a vendor even if DARA people chose to wander and try to identify non vendor parking in the flea market area. If you're a boatanchor enthusiast, searching for great ones to bring home, buying a 100 pound rig and then trying to cart it on the shuttle or back to some muddy parking area far away, doesn't sound like great planning.

[w8khk]

Thoroughly enjoyed the fest this year, travelling with brother Bill, W2WM, and Dad, Walt, W2DU.  My first visit to the Hamvention was in 2006, and this was my second.  Spent most of our time in the flea area, even braved the periodic rain showers on Saturday.  Got many items at a bargain price, the only concern was fitting everything in the car for the trip back to Marietta.

The surprise purchase was a DDS VFO kit from Jim Hagerty, WA1FFL.  Very impressive product, clean design, lots of features, immaculate output spectrum.

Had a nice eyeball QSO with Don, K4KYV at Marion's Saturday evening.

I have not personally seen the Tower-Beam Helmet, but brother Bill, W2WM, found this pic he took when in Dayton in 2001.  If you zoom in, you can see it is Andrew, N8VES, from Dayton.

[k4kyv]

I'd bet he has a sore neck at the end of the day.

Regarding the vendors, a legitimate seller could unload all his merchandise the first few hours of the first day, but still has a paid slot for all three.

I would probably just park in the spot for the first day and check out the rest of the vendors.  Then after everybody else's stuff has been picked over, and my feet are dead tired, open up shop as the new kid on the block.