‘Twas the night before Dayton…
Well, in just a few hours we’ll mark the “official” start of the festivities at Hamvention 2012 in Dayton, Ohio. To celebrate, I thought I’d call on our readers to share some special memories of past Hamventions.
So let’s hear them! Tell us about a great (or not-so-great) deal you got. The friends you’ve made. The food you’ve eaten (and the Bratwurst you wish you hadn’t). The portable toilets. And possibly all of those — in that order.
Who wants to start?
Well I’ll be there tomorrow. I think this is my tenth year in a row. Got my shopping list ready and my route mapped out. I’ll have a yellow W9OU tee shirt and my old Dayton only hat on. If you see me stop me and we’ll chat a few.
Ron
N9XEQ
I have paid only twice in 20 years ending in 1983 to get in the Hamvention. I was usually a speaker for the Army MARS forum. The last time I was there, my employer paid. On the way home we were rear-ended getting on I75. My boss was driving and ended the day in jail. He had a speeding ticket he did not pay and his license was pulled on line. I drove his van home and they let him out to get room for a drug bust. He had to get a bus ticket to get home and then he had to be back in Dayton the next Wednesday for court. Couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy.;-)
I have been to Hamvention only once and that was back in 1977. I went with W9ARV and had a great time! We got to meet some really nice operators with lots of wisdom and information. I bought my Hammarlund HQ150, 4:1 Balun, and a doublet antenna kit there and still have it today! We took it home, went completely through it and brought it up to as new specs and added a SO239 connector to it. I have spent many long hours of fun on that radio and wished I could talk to some of those people. The “bug” bit me. Thirty plus years later I’m doing just that and having fun doing it! Hope I can go again sometime!
73
I have been 2 or was it 3 times, I can not remember,to much rf to the brain,
but I will never forget the gentleman that came came by my TUNE-A-TENNA display and was so impressed he could only exclaim over and over again, there is a God, there is a God thank you Jesus, thank you Jesus, finally, finally, hallelujah.
I had a great time and came home loaded up with goodies,and all the time my friend kept telling me if you think this is big you should have seen it 20 years ago, I can only imagine.
Wish I could be there this year,if you are going, stop by Dishtronix booth and tell mike Dishop I said hi, and check out the cool amp that he builds.
73’s
Frank