Nearfest..just days away...

[wb1ead]

Hey all..usually someone posts on Nearfest much sooner..so who's goin'..?..the weather outta NECN does not look promising on Friday but Saturday looks gud..but we all know how weather changes in New England..hope to see ya all there..!!
                                                   73 de DAVE WB1EAD (enjoying 10mtr AM right now)

[w3jn]

I'll be going.  Always the best fester, Mr. Mike and crew do an outstanding job and it's the highlight of my year.

[KD1SH]

   Absolutely going - one of the high points of every year for me. Saturday looks to be a superb day, but Friday, not so much. But, as always with weather, it's an evolving picture. The National Weather Service projections seem to be shifting toward rain lessening after 8:00 AM. It wouldn't be the first time gloomy forecasts for Nearfest have proven to be overblown come 'fester day. In any event, Saturday is a definite for me; we'll see about Friday.

[wa2pjp]

I'm in the que....I missed the fest for the last 2 years......looking forward to it. I got my room at the airport Holiday Inn near the airport diner.

Hey Johnny where are you staying? Looking forward to seeing you.

[w3jn]

Staying at the Residence Inn Manchester Downtown.  Look forward to seeing ya Joe - been a L O N G time.

[KD1SH]

  Well, it's decision day; crunch time. Intently following the weather forecasts for the last few days yields only one conclusion: Friday is a washout. Heavy rain throughout the day - maybe an inch or more - and gusty winds up to 25 mph. Dangerous driving, too: Boston area rush-hour highway traffic in heavy rain, wind, and darkness.
  Sad - wimping out on a Nearfest trip isn't a decision I make lightly. I love Fridays at Nearfest, since the turnout is usually great and the event runs all day long rather than fading away shortly after noon like it does on Saturday.
  But, the weather looks great for Saturday, and I'll be there bright and early. Sausage and Moxie!

[w3jn]

I just drove 550 miles up here - YOU can make it 

[wb1ead]

When I woke this morning and peered out the window I thought it wasn't that bad..no rain & a bit breezy..then 15 mins later down it came but now a lite continuous rainfall and plenty of wind....in short c ya all tomorrow..gud luk !
                                                 73 de DAVE WB1EAD

[KD1SH]

   Looking at the weather radar (11:20 AM), it seems the worst is over up at Deerfield. We're getting some occasional sun down here in CT, making me almost feel like jumping in the truck and making the two hour drive up to Nearfest, but I'll hold off until tomorrow.
   Did anyone go this morning? How was it? (Tell me it was horrible, please, so I don't feel bad)

When I woke this morning and peered out the window I thought it wasn't that bad..no rain & a bit breezy..then 15 mins later down it came but now a lite continuous rainfall and plenty of wind....in short c ya all tomorrow..gud luk !
                                                 73 de DAVE WB1EAD

[w3jn]

Rain stopped, now it’s sunny and 65.  Decent crowd all things considered.

[W1GFH]

Went up Saturday morning for the last hour or so and did a quick sweep. Excellent weather, moderate crowds, lots of variety. Picked up some small parts, cable, etc. but resisted the heavy metal offerings.

[KD1SH]

   Well, yet another fantastic Nearfest is in the log. The weather scared me away on Friday, but from what I hear it wasn't a total loss, the rain clearing out sooner than the forecasts had predicted. Saturday, on the other hand, was flawless - not too cold in the morning and warm enough by noon to lose the sweatshirt.
   My wife had a great time selling her little crocheted critters, and for the first time she actually partook in some Nearfest food, including a steak sandwich from Angelino's Sausage Booth and some chowder from the "Church Ladys" building, both of which she enjoyed.
   I didn't sell this time around, and bought little, aside from a couple of apparently new-in-the-box 4D32's, a vac-variable cap, and a nice steel enclosure for some future project. I passed on a very nice looking Clegg Thor 6, complete with power supply/modulator. I would have loved it, but I've just got too much stuff in a too-small house.
   The best part - as always - was meeting and talking with fellow AM'ers. Met Al, W1VTP and Chet, K1ZRS for the first time, along with many who I'd met before but always enjoy seeing again. Notably missing - at least I never saw him - was Brown, W1NZR, who always has a good spread of stuff for sale. I hope everything's well with him. I know he was at Sussex.
   Thanks once again to Mr. Mike and whole Nearfest crew, for making this great event happen.

[Tom W2ILA]

Another fantastic Nearfest.  Friday’s downpour put more than just a damper on participation.  But a nice clearing in the afternoon and a gorgeous Saturday made it a beauty.   Sold some nice stuff and got to see lots of friends.  W1NZR (just couldn’t make it) and others were conspiculously absent.  Lots of new winter projects were found.  And Angelos served a fantastic Philly steak sandwich.
See you in the spring.

[W6TOM]

   Left my sister's home in Wareham, MA, 2 hours in foul weather to Manchester where I met a few friends from MA for breakfast. Crummy weather until 1 or so when the rain stopped.

   Saturday was really nice, made the whole thing worth while, some pretty good deals. Just like in CA, lots of guys selling their heavy stuff. I've done the same myself, I don't need any 100 lbs radios!! Prices are down, same as in CA, did not see a lot of heavy stuff sell. That R-390A or 75A4 isn't worth what is was if you want to sell it.

[wb1ead]

Hey all..went Saturday..big crowd..lots & lots of "goodies"..some things were priced outta sight..at one table a decent National rcvr..go down a few and same model 2 or 3 Franklins higher..a huge abundance of hand tools too for ur workshop..best deal especially for the tube lovers was Ross W1EKG selling not one but 3 chock full tube caddys for $8 a piece..
                    I was gonna try out the "new" food vendor but decided on sumptin on the return trip..anyone try Donnas Sausage kitchen near the AM corral..?..there was a long line at Angelinos and the church ladies but no one at Donnas although it was open..?....all in all a fantastic fest..best I've seen in a long time..THANK YOU Mr Mike & crew..c ya in the spring..
                                                  73 de DAVE WB1EAD

[W1RC]

Ran into “Johnny Novice” and Sarah from MD and a lot of other familiar faces.  It is reassuring to know that the wx can be really lousy but enough of the faithful will show up so we can pay the bills.

Yeah, the wx sucked but there were some great stuff and super deals as there are when it rains for the brave souls who came regardless …….  Some guy showed up on Friday with an open trailer FULL o’stuff that was in the basement of a house he bought.   Pretty much gabe stuff away.  He was parked by the commercial building at the top,of. “Wheelchair Hill” what a feeding frenzy!

I bought several boxes full of QSL cards for $10.00.  Didn’t think much of them until I got home and started looking at them.  95% DX cards, many really rare ones from the 1970s through the late 90s.  There were even two from P5 (North Korea) and many from the DXpeditions from the 1970s, 80s and 90s.  There were also DXCC and WAS for 50 and 144 MHz which you son ‘t see very often.  Also tons of parts and components.

There was a lot of good stuff at the fester and if you didn’t come you missed a great time.  Friends picked up nice R-390A amd a recapped SP-600 for $200 each.  I bought a nice JRC NRD-525 for that amount and a beautiful Heathkit Mohican for $50.00.  

Sometimes it pays to bring rain gear and get a little wet.

See you all May 5th and 6th, 2023.

 73,

MrMike, W1RC