Dayton 2016
How can I ignore Dayton? Yes, that is the biggest event in my ham radio life since we visited here last. Dayton was its usual mix of fascinating talks, new products, old friends and curiosities. And yes, it rained!
My routine has been to go to the QRP event – Four Days in May at the Holiday Inn in Fairborn on Thursday. They had an overflow crowd of more than 300 people. We jammed into the main ballroom to listen to some interesting talks. Right off, Elecraft introduced their newest HF radio, the KX2. This is a sweet little radio that is half the size of the KX3, which is already a small radio. No one explained why the KX3 came first! But why quibble with success. The KX2 is virtually a hand-held HF radio. They had 50 to sell at the show and they were gone within two hours. Our buddy Bill “New York Nine Hotel” Steffey stood in line and was able to grab one of the last ones. It looks like it will be a terrific mobile rig or adventure radio. I was not in the market for yet another HF radio, so it was more of a curiosity for me. There didn’t appear to be many new radio offerings…rumors about the new Kenwood HT echoed through the halls, but most vendors were showing last year’s models. I did get a show special on the Icom D-Star radio, the ID51 anniversary edition. Now this is a great fun radio and has truly made D-Star more accessible. They have many repeaters already stored in the radio and software that makes adding reflectors and other stations relatively easy to do (meaning, you can do it without having to program the radio with a computer.) I moved away from D-Star a couple of years back because it was too taxing to program the radio…this actually makes it fun! This was a panic buy…I was not going to buy any radios, but that is what happens at Dayton. There is something in the water or earth that makes you buy stuff! I have Greg Karlove to thank for that purchase. This was Greg’s first Dayton and I felt obliged to show him around. We stopped at the Icom booth and…the rest is history! Next year, I hope to sell….as I now have too many HT’s.
It was fun running into all of the North Shore folk, although I often find myself spending time with hams I don’t regularly see anymore. Since I was showing Greg around, I was all too aware of the “image” we project. We are an interesting crowd…all shapes, sizes and dress. There are the slightly touched – people with far too many radios or antenna hats or WW2 radio sets on their backs. Not sure they would ever get away with these antics at home, but here at Dayton they feel right at home. I suspect many people have given up on using radios to communicate. I saw many more people using cell phones. The RF in that area is just too intense. I saw many more club booths this year. Gathering areas for socializing. Ham radio tailgating! There were almost no computer vendors…not sure why that was the case…and so the flea market area was busy but not quite as full as it had been in past years.
Friday was glorious. I watched Bill NY9H sell much of his gear in the first hour. He was a sight to behold. I have never seen a selling machine like Bill work the crowd. He asked me to hold the fort down while he went to buy his KX2…well, sales plummeted to $0 under my watch (To be fair, I didn’t know all of the product features of his gear. Last year, I sold everything I brought…and actually brought money home. Imagine that!)
Ron K9IKZ was there working out the kinks with his brand new knees. By Sunday he had given up on the rental cart and worked the flea market upright! Way to go Ron!!
Inside Hara, it was the usual hot, sweaty pile up of vendors. The Saturday rains brought even more inside and so it goes. Rumors continue to spread about the disposition of Hamvention for future years. To be honest, it is a crumbling, nasty facility. I can tell you this…once you see pictures of the Dayton Amateur radio club house, with their new 4000 Sq foot addition and their massive mobile operation truck, I can assure you that they have a vested interest in making Hamvention work for them. Dayton, would be hard pressed to find another event that fills so many restaurant and hotels. So, yes, Virginia, I’d bet Hamvention will be back one way or another next year in Dayton.
This will be my 12th year in a row going to Dayton. I am glad to get away…learn new things and enjoy the ritual.
73, Rob K9RST