[ARC5] Dayton Report

Wed May 25 12:11:34 EDT 2016

Don, how about a book: "Confessions of a Hamfest Junkie"? I'd buy it.
What did your car look like on the ride home? I'm envisioning a scene from the "Grapes of Wrath" where the Joad family leaves Oklahoma with their Model T loaded down with all their worldly possessions.
Joe Connor 

    On Wednesday, May 25, 2016 11:41 AM, Mike Everette via ARC5 <arc5 at mailman.qth.net> wrote:

 I take great comfort in the fact that there are those in this world who have less self-discipline than myself.
Great report!
73
Mike
WA4DLF (I didn't go to Dayton; Shelby is more than enough)

      From: Don Merz via ARC5 <arc5 at mailman.qth.net>
 To: ARC-5 List <arc5 at mailman.qth.net>; MilSurplus QSLNet <milsurplus at mailman.qth.net>; Boatanchors Mail List <boatanchors at mailman.qth.net>; Forsale-Swap Net <forsale-swap at mailman.qth.net> 
 Sent: Wednesday, May 25, 2016 9:30 AM
 Subject: [ARC5] Dayton Report

I haven;t seen any other Dayton reports, so I'll throw mine out there. 
I went to Dayton for the first and what was probably the last time specifically looking for BA military gear. The local (Pittsburgh) mil gear market is totally, dead dry--nothing and I mean NOTHING shows up at hamfests. So for once my work schedule allowed me to go and I figured I'd find what I was looking for there. Lucky guess, as it turned out.
The reason it was probably my last trip to Dayton is that a spendthrift like me jut can't be trusted there. I cannot allow myself to go again since apparently my self-discipline is below standard. Herewith the tale....
Friday morning 7:25AM. Nobody guarding the gate so I just casually saunter into the flea. 
Immediately in front of me--the first psace I pass, a guy is uncovering his tables and what to my wondering eyes should appear but a Signal One CX-7A in pretty decent looking condition. $180 later, it is in my cart and headed back to the car. As I am leaving with it and the original manual and power cable, the guy says "oh, if you want it, I also have the original box and packing..." Yes, I want it.
Back to the car, then back to the flea which is now officially open. My initial impression, walking around, is that they could have handed out a piece of Drake gear and an oscilloscope to every attendee and had a big pile left over. But I digress. 
Halfway down the dogleg in the flea I find what I came for--a neat GRC-9 with lots of accessories and a BC-611, both in very fine shape, USA-tagged. $475 later they are both in the cart. This was the only GRC-9 and BC-611 that I saw for sale in the entire hamfest. Some guys had them on display. But not for sale.
Much walking....walk walk walk walk walk. Have I mentioned how much I (don't) love walking? Meanwhile, they are renting those scooter-wheelchairs out to any damn fool with money so perfectly healthy, (not even fat) guys are zipping around the flea market like drunken Shriners in a Memorial Day parade. Must be alert to dodge the Shriners....
One guy has a big stack of Heath gear--SB-401, SB-303, SB-610, SB-600 and EV 638 mic. $200. Nope says I with great self discipline of which I am so proud. Another guy has an immaculately restored Johnson ranger, pix of the insides, his call sign taped to the top in case you are unhappy with it. $335. Nope, says I, with even greater self-discipline.
Past the dogleg bend in the aisles, I run into Perry Ballinger (call sign mumble mumble....etc) of Massillon Ohio. Perry and I have a long history. He has a neat RT-67 WITH the rare AC supply, both in the rack, with lots of accessories, all the cables, etc--and working says Perry. $175 and it's in the cart. Another $25 and a big box of military manuals joins it. Cool beans. Perry also has a neatly-restored AK radio in the cabinet with the legs and speaker and I am lusting after that one but no room in the car....grrrrrrr...
The random purchases start to pile up--BC-342N for $40, two immaculate National PW dials for $40, A Swan 80M mono-bander said to be working for $50 (I'm sure I will live to regret that one...), extremely rare RME VHF cabinet with preamp and converters to match the RME 8400 for $20, Heath sideband adapter for the Apache for $20, two great old mini-computer power line filter/surge/circuit breaker boxes that probably cost $300 a piece when new for $5 each, a 8 inch stack of ham literature in immaculate condition for $10 and finally an Atlas 210 in the console for $140 (just could'nt let it sit there).
SATURDAY--DAY 2. It has rained most of the night and continues to spit and spray all morning. Conversation overheard: "How much is that?""Is it raining?""Nope""Then it's $100. It would be $90 if it was raining."PAUSE...."How much for hail?"
I am out of steam. My bad ankle hurts like hell and my favorite opiate seems to have no effect. Nonetheless, the only slightly damp SX-28 in rough shape goes in the cart. A neat Philmore receiver also rough seems worth $10. And lo--what....doubletake...there is a stack of WWII ASB RADAR units sitting on that table, racks and all. Not sure why, but into the cart they go.
Back to the car to unload. Then one last loop in the rain and I am out of here. I decided that if the guy still has the Ranger, I want it. Sure enough he does and he takes $300 for it. Passing along, I see the same stack of Heath gear sitting there. I pretend I wasn't here yesterday. Today in the rain, the same stack of gear is $100..Ok, you twisted my arm. 
Now, I am truly leaving, headed toward the gate, limping like a cripple. WHAT? Whoa...sheesh-oh-man if there is not an RBC, RBA, two power supplies and all the cables sitting outside in the drizzle. MAKE AN OFFER says the sign. I stop. The guy comes running over, practically breathless to unload it. The tag on one radio says USS BOYLE. He says "Are you really interested?" Sure says I--how about $250? And what does he say? "Oh that's too much--you can have them for $200." Damnitall, you have to LOVE Ham radio operators!
We get the golf cart guys to carry the stuff to the loading zone. I bring the car and have to repack it top to bottom--but doggone if it doesn't all fit. It is amazing what you can get into a Toyota Corolla.
Yes, it rained. But mission accomplished. I am broke but happy. Which is more important?
73 de Don Merz, N3RHT
Sent from the radio room of DD-600, USS BOYLE

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