Hamfest Time

I intended to publish this before Huntsville. Oh well. Comments are added after the hamfest.

Hamfests are a lot of fun. It is great to look at a lot of the items that people bring to sell. It is sometimes a walk down memory lane. At larger hamfests it is very helpful to be able to see and learn about new equipment. If you have a plan you can sometimes take advantage of better prices. So I have a plan. We’ll be attending the Huntsville Hamfest this month and I am making a list.

Hamsticks are not expensive until you add shipping. I need to replace the old original Lakeview Hamsticks that are becoming intermittent. I’m not sure how many more times I can resolder them. I’ll need one each for 20 and 40 meters and the quick release connectors as well. I am short one. Bought the antennas, found the missing quick release. Probably need more though.

On the list are also items like an 8 pin mic connector, got it, SO-239 threaded barrel, got it, and a 24 hour clock for the vehicle, still looking. The might get list includes a DC power strip, Bridgecom 220 MHz rig and an LNR MTR-5b. Hehe, yeah, we’ll see. Nope didn’t get any of those.

I have been doing a lot of reading and watching videos on D-Star, DMR and Fusion. I plan to get a Fusion 2/440 radio, got it, may get another. Maybe I’ll get a D-Star radio, but will probably wait till or if Kenwood releases a mobile? Didn’t get the D-star.

There is no plan to buy a key. I suppose that if someone was selling a good condition Begali Blade I might have to grab that. N3ZN will be there so I might have to try out the ZN-HK straight key. I tried out several of his really nice keys. At $350 for the straight key it is on the back burner.

I did buy a bunch of 450 ladder line. I need to replace the line on the G5RV. Got a hat with my call sign and we are good with Hamstick antenna mounts for the next few years. I did manage to get all of the little connectors and parts that I had on my list. The wife replaced her old call sign sweat shirt. Saw people we know which is always super.

On the way down I made several SKCC CW contacts. The first guy I talked to met us at the Hamfest. Then on the way back up here I had a contact with a friend of his who knew about our meeting. Pretty cool.

There will be some spare time and we are even planning on some fun at the Von Braun planetarium, that was interesting, and the Space and Rocket Center. The Space museum was good, but I have to say that it was a monument to our past. Other than the space station which is great, we have little going on at the moment.

Tim

About Tim

Amateur Radio operator, television broadcast engineer living in Minnesota.
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