[Milsurplus] Cold War Net At Dayton

[Ray Fantini]

Pictures of the 51.0 Cold War Net at Dayton including the Net Control radios and the group picture right after the net. . If anyone wants higher resolution or additional images contact me off list.

Ray F/KA3EKH

Danger: Commentary and opinions are expressed after this!

Much has been said about the demise of Dayton, the poor conditions of the Hara complex and the general state of the hobby. Maybe Dayton is not what it was at some  time in the past, and it's true that the crowds that were there at one time back in the "Old Days" may not be there today but I will still stand by my statement that there is no other event that equals it, and it's still worth the cost and time for me to be attending.
There are items available at Dayton that are seen in quantities that no other Ham fest or event equals, and I know from firsthand knowledge from attending many Ham fest, Military Vehicle Shows, surplus dealers and auctions that none of them equal Dayton for both buying and selling. Fair Radio or Murphy may have more inventories and EBay will bring it to you on line but at Dayton you can touch, look at and haggle over price. I went to Fair on Thursday before Dayton and was told "this is the price in the catalog and it's the price we are selling it for" they did not care that I had cash and was standing right there. I have owned a couple businesses before and was always willing to make a deal with "Cash and Carry "customers, but that's was not happening that day.
 In addition to this how many events are there where you can bring out your field radio and operate them in a net with others?, not just one or two but over thirty stations are regularly in operation on the Military Radio HF, Pack Set and Cold War Net at Dayton, the ability for me to take out radios and operate them in a net is one of the highlights of the event, similar events such as Gilbert or the Aberdeen MVPA shows are also big events on my calendar. And over the last decade I have witnessed the evolution of dynamic individuals like Nick England K4NYW and what he has done to promote the hobby, or groups like the Amish Chapter of the MRCA that had there banner and table there not to mention the old times now with years of participation at Dayton like Dennis Starks KB0SFP or Joe Munson WA4VAG who helped founded an entire community of likeminded collectors.
Now that I am back home I would speculate that this has been one of my best years at the Hamvention, and I have been going for just about twenty years now. Yes, the venue sucks. Maybe there are less Hams today that build or deal in obsolete technology then ten years ago? So what, that's more for me. Where else would I have come back from with a truck load of military radio equipment and have the opportunity to get together and associate with the like-minded?

Remember that this is opinion, and opinion is defined as "a view or judgment formed about something, not necessarily based on fact or knowledge." Or in my mind the third definition of the word "an estimation of the quality or worth of someone or something" and not intended to detract or add to others experiences.

RF

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