[Milsurplus] Dayton day two

[Ray Fantini]

The weather today was much improved over the expected forecast.
Yesterday everyone talk about rain all day today, we did not have one
drop. Perhaps the forecast keep people away because we did not have the
crowds that we did in the past. I did not notice any new sellers with
the exception of someone selling a Harris 350 system and asking $1,000
for the transceiver and $800 for the 500 watt amplifier. Lots of PRT-4
transmitters around ranging in price from $5 to $25, also saw a couple
more BC-348 receivers in fair condition in the $50 to $100 range. The
big activity of the day is the two radio nets. The 3885 AM net at noon
and the 51.0 net at two. The 3885 net was once again controlled by Joe,
W4VAG and had a total of 29 stations check in, of that total their were
11 BC-611 in operation. The following stations were logged along with
equipment type. W1NZB was using a PRC-7, KW1I on a PRC-108, KK1K on a
Racal, KB2AVJ using a BC-611, KB3CI on a DAV, KB3OMB on a FT-817, myself
KA3EKH using the same radio I used up at MRCA a DAV, and getting a long
life from all those nine volt batteries. JA3FTU on a BC-611, NX4IT on a
BC-611, W7KV on a FT-817, WB8CDX using a BC-611, KA8TNR with a BC-1308
and AB8OP operating from his GRC-19 shelter, he had issues with a
vendors generator running two spaces away but looks like he resolved
them. KB8ELG operated his BC-474 complete with crank generator from a
space equipped with the 474, a PRC-77 base unit and a very strange Swiss
copy of the BC-611. WD8AXC with a IC-7000, WD8AYA with a Chinese type 81
set, N8NOR with a IC-7000, KB8DNS with a FT-817, K9WT with a BC-611 good
to see a real radio again!, W9RAN with a FT-817, spoke too soon. WD9GHK
was using a BC-611, and KB9PZC running a BC-746/SCR-511 pogo stick
neatly attired in uniform. KY4JD and NM4A were using a BC-611, K4RWN
with a FT-817, AA4RM and N8HYB, N3TPM all using BC-611 hand held
transceivers. Perhaps this is the signal largest concentration of
working BC-611 radios in the world? At two this afternoon the 51.0 “Cold
War “net was held. K9NT acted as net control and had a total of 27 check
ins. won’t go thru the whole list but just a couple highlights. KA8TUR
operated a BC-1000, along with being dressed in period uniform, KA8NTR
and KB9PZC along with a couple others operated the PRC-10 backpacks.
AB8ZQ, N8HQY and KB8CRT all operated PRT and PRR 4 radios, a number of
PRC-6 transceivers were in operation along with the usual PRC-77, 25 and
one PRC-126 and I used my trusty PRC-68. Marty AA4RM deserves honorable
mention for trying with his new Chinese field set, but the radio gods
did not smile on him and he had no modulation. But don’t feel too bad
for him, he did pick up some strange transmitter; a BC-1158 that has
something to do with an AZON Bomb and for some strange reason everyone
was trying to buy it from him. I will be posting a couple final thoughts
later tonight or tomorrow. If you are interested in seeing some of the
pictures from Dayton I have posted them on a web page at
www.dxham.com/Dayton2008 be warned that they are not labeled and some
are very large.
Ray Fantini KA3EKH