[Boatanchors] New Ham vs Old Ham/Hamfests

[K0DAN]

Great story! The plumber's buttcracks and body odor has nothing on this!

Ham Radio: Live long and prosper!

73
K0DAN

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <oldradio at comcast.net>
To: <W9RAN at oneradio.net>
Cc: <boatanchors at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Monday, December 06, 2010 6:13 PM
Subject: Re: [Boatanchors] New Ham vs Old Ham/Hamfests


> True Story, and it only happened once.  (you'll see why)
>
> I had a nice 1990's full size Ford van with seats which folded down to a 
> full size double bed, up off the floor about a foot.  It sure looked 
> comfortable and I wanted to try it out.
>
> Now since I have the sweetest, nicest wife in the world, I suggested we 
> save the motel fee since we only intended to stay overnight, and sleep in 
> the van at the Gaithersburg hamfest.  She reluctantly agreed.
>
> When we left home we had a couple of blankets and pillows, so we were all 
> set.
>
> Getting there early in the evening before the hamfest, we picked a nice 
> spot under the trees, not far from one of the buildings with bathrooms. 
> We walked around, visited the AM Corral guys and gals, did some looking at 
> items from those who were already set up.  We jumped the fence (I was 
> younger then) and visited the Golden Bull (?) restaurant just past the 
> fence and later returned.
>
> By now it was getting late and returning to the van I noticed someone had 
> set up a bunch of aluminum tables near my van and had them all tied 
> together with clothesline. He was not around.  So we went to bed.
>
> The first problem we noticed was the street lighting the fairgrounds had 
> about every 50 feet, and they were brightly shining into the windows.  So 
> here I am trying to tape up one blanket to cover a window area that needed 
> more blankets.  But I got the brightest of them blocked out after a while.
>
> Now, at last, we could settle down and get some sleep.  Then the first 
> freight train went past.  It was a very long one with at least 100 coal 
> cars attached, going slowly enough to set up a wave motion in the ground, 
> as the van was rocking back and forth. (Now I know what you're thinking, 
> but you would be wrong. I - we - weren't the ones rocking it, besides I 
> was way past being a teenager by then.  I found out the next morning the 
> tracks were quite a ways away.)  The trains went by every one hour it 
> seemed, enough anyway to wake us up each time.
>
> 4 AM arrived along with several cars and vans without mufflers, with 
> vendors setting up early. (You have to sleep over at a hamfest to fully 
> realize how many hams have defective or missing mufflers on their 
> vehicles.)
>
> I grabbed my flashlight and told my wife I was going out shopping and that 
> I'd be back about 6 AM with coffee for her; for her to get a few more 
> moments of sleep until then.
>
> OK, I was out of the van and started shopping. The Gaithersburg hamfest 
> used to be huge and was always well attended. This day would be the same. 
> I noticed the AM Corral gang was still 100% modulating the either with a 
> t-386 or some other very big rig, and also noted the big pile of used 
> green 807's lying near by.
>
> Down the road I went and played unofficial greeter to anyone setting up 
> with Boatanchors and the like.  All over, like a flock of crows, there was 
> the unmistakable background caw-ing of, "Do you have any Collins gear." as 
> cars were pulling to a stop. and the flock moved around car to car.
>
> I found a few things and caught up with a couple friends and finally 
> noticed the sun breaking through the morning clouds.  It was time to find 
> the coffee booth and head back.  I didn't know it yet, but my wife was 
> having a fun time in the van.
>
> As I arrived, my wife jumped out and started talking so fast, saying 
> several times, "where were you?"  I tried to calm her down with coffee and 
> get her to slow down.
>
> It seems as I left to shop some vendor pulled in and took all the aluminum 
> tables down and threw them into a big pile about 50 feet away, and then 
> the vendor set up his display. He wasn't careful nor quiet as he set up I 
> was later told.
>
> The next thing that happened was the first vendor arrived to set up on his 
> aluminum tables, and was more than a little upset with what he saw. He 
> pulled in his car or truck? and knocked over the tables which had just 
> been set up by the other guy. Then a shoving match started along with a 
> 4-letter word shouting match, and by the time one said something about the 
> other's mother a real fist fight broke out, up, down, on the ground, with 
> kicking and gouging.
>
> All of this action attracted a bunch of hams who were watching, one of 
> whom called the police.  The  police arrived and gave both of the fighters 
> a nice ride in the back of the police car.
>
> Meanwhile my wife is peeking through the window of the van, past the 
> blanket I had hung the night before, watching all of this.
>
> It was obvious there was quite a scuffle in the center of the stuff which 
> was to be for sale. Rigs were upside down on the ground and parts 
> scattered all around.
>
> I took my wife away from there, down to the food stand where we had egg 
> sandwiches and coffee while we waited for the returning vendors to clean 
> up their belongings and were either relocated or told to leave by the 
> hamfest committee.  I didn't see either one the rest of the day.
>
> By the time I got set up, the day was half over and sales were not good 
> that trip. But the conversation was great, everyone must have heard about 
> it and came to see and ask what happened.
>
> Last, it was an interesting ride home that I bet none of you would have 
> traded places with me.  And it was the last time I suggested to her we 
> camp out in our van.  She's a 100% motel'er now.  She'll still go with me 
> once in a while, but not to hamfests anymore.  She will attend a radio 
> swap meet once in a while, if other wives also attend.
>
> 73, John Dilks, K2TQN
>
>
> -.-
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Robert Nickels" <ranickel at comcast.net>
>   Later, as dark approached, I watched with amazement as he shoved both
> trays into the back of his full-size van, one on top of the other, then
> spread an old tarp over all and crawled on top with a blanket to spend
> the night.  I don't know if he felt he had to protect his inventory or
> what - like they say, you can't make this stuff up!
>
> 73, Bob W9RAN
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