[Milsurplus] Hamvention

Mon May 22 15:15:20 EDT 2023

Ray,

I take great umbrage at you running down Phil Sellati and Fair Radio in your
comments.

Had you had the visual acuity to read the note on the COUNTER, indicating
that reasonable offers and proposals were accepted, then, you and all others
you have misguided might have had a better experience in visiting a Supply
House that has been around for a Very LONG time, and has parts still New In
Wrapper from WWII forward.  All the things that you think should be thrown
away contains those little parts that have long disappeared from any other
source of supply, and with a telephone call will normally result in someone
at Fair going out, looking for the part, removing same and selling it for
very much less than just the cost of storage for some 60 years.  

Apparently you have never actually run a business, much less a supply
business.  I am sure you haven't any clear thought or idea of what it costs
to just open the doors to Fair Radio every morning.  Those costs are
constant, and don't go away unless the place is shut down and all those
treasures sent to the scrap yard.

If it were my business, when I decided to shut it down, that is exactly what
I would do, with the stipulation that every piece be completely destroyed to
keep the various vultures from picking at it for a "good deal'

I do think that you owe a very well written Apology to Phillip Sellati and
his staff for your nasty comments concerning reasonable offers, as it is not
only on the Sales Counter, but on the Fair Radio web site.

Further, quit whining about the cost of goods.  All prices are much lower
than the simple rate of inflation.

Having purchased from Fair Radio since about 1956 or so, I have always seen
good and proper service at a fair and reasonable price.  As well, visiting
the facility, one knows to bring lights as the cost to maintain lighting is
far greater than the value received.  The dark areas you were in are not
normally open to any but staff.  And, yet you complain about the special
access granted for folks who are attending the "Dayton" actually Xenia
event.

Robert 

W4RRD

From: milsurplus-bounces at mailman.qth.net
<milsurplus-bounces at mailman.qth.net> On Behalf Of Ray Fantini
Sent: Monday, May 22, 2023 1:50 PM
To: MMRCG <MMRCG at groups.io>; mrca at mailman.qth.net;
milsurplus at mailman.qth.net
Cc: HarrisRadio at groups.io
Subject: [Milsurplus] Hamvention

First thought about the Hamvention and other things.

Thursday:

On Thursday unlike all the hard pack that do Wednesday at Fair Bernie and I
went up 75 to Fair Radio. It's not what it once was. Still had some cool
items for sale but also a lot of junk and stuff that needs to be disposed of
and a serious lack of lighting. Only a small fraction of original lighting
works in that building and in a couple places in the back the roof is
starting to go.

Still think it was worth the trip but next year will be at the Hamvention
only, it cost around $30 worth of gas to go from Dayton to Lima and Phil
makes it clear that although you may be there in person there is no cash
discount or bundling and you are going to pay the exact same amount as
what's in the catalog.

After returning to Dayton did go to Midwest Electronics and bought a bunch
of stake on connectors, heat shrink and capacitors.

Friday at the Hamvention:

We got on site early, worked for a little with the MMRCG crew in putting up
the there big tent and camo cover and started looking around. Bernie picked
up a couple R-392 receivers and a GSB-900 from our next door neighbors and
we set a bunch of stuff out for sale and did well with that. One of the
things I sold was the Harris RF-5022 that has been giving me fits with its
failed A21 card but now that problem is solved! Used the money for that to
purchase a AN/PRC-74 with the battery box, antenna and all the other
accessories for $375.00 Lots of other radios were present including
numerable BC-348 receivers from $75 to $300, tons of R-390/A receivers in
the $350 to $700 range and more Collins S line stuff then you can imagine.
There were a couple but not as many of the ARC-5 sets as has been in the
past.

Somehow unloved items like High Band Motorola radios always turn up at my
space and this year I was gifted three Spectras, I love that stuff so wont
complain.

At three that afternoon we had the first AA-83 Net on 5357 with W3A as the
net control station, had seven stations that checked in.

In addition to all the Harris stuff I had for sale also dragged out my
AN/PRC-77 and had that on the table and that was a big hit with everyone
wanting to look at it and tell about how they used that radio. One of the
reasons I wanted the PRC-74 is that when I do all the different military
shows with the mutt I always include the PRC-77 and now have the HF portable
to go along with the VHF set.

Saturday at the Hamvention:

It rained overnight so we drug our feet on getting to the site. Everything
was wet but no rain when we got on site around eight. Set up, walked around
and all that sort of stuff. Oddly I did not buy anything Saturday but did
sell a lot of small stuff. Well did buy a Motorola Spectra base station for
$3 and also a couple low band Mitreks were thrown in for free!

Did not notice any more sellers and thought the crowd was a bit smaller then
Friday.

At noon we had the annual 3885 WW2 Pack net and this year we had Joe WA4VAG
as the net control station. We did have some issues with the microphone
button sticking on the transmitter, it is a old T-17 microphone and has a
bad habit of sticking on if your not careful so that's my fault and do
apologies for that and we also had some issues with a couple of the pack
stations having extremely low modulation and others who mysteriously went
away, maybe dead batteries and now know in retrospect that I should have
provided headphones for Joe so once again that's my fault so I will attempt
to do better for next year. We had a total of around seventeen stations
check in. Between running back and forth between my space where I had my
PRC-103 set up and the MMRCG tent missed my second round participation
entirely.

At two that afternoon the 51.0 FM Cold War Net was a lot less hectic, had a
total of around forty check ins for that net with PRC-25/77, PRC-68, PRR
PTT-9 sets and a good assortment of other sets including brought back Iraqi
war trophies and old Soviet sets.

I used the PRC-77 that was on display at my table.

Around three that afternoon everyone started packing up and by five most
departed. Saw maybe three or four people that were staying for Sunday but
not many. We were on the road Saturday night and wanted Sunday as a travel
day.

Well that's what I saw, lots of us were there and as always will say that if
you were not there you missed out.

Nicks pictures tell a better story then anything I can say:

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipNIFTgUqiSTFyaPeZjt7-Whll5ZfxZkGc-sC4EV
G5cIm6POmOBBppF67sC_4Fe9UA?key=QVhYZUNxNGI4UDdYdkRfd3kwY0RxZVpOaFhtcFhR

<https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipNIFTgUqiSTFyaPeZjt7-Whll5ZfxZkGc-sC4E
VG5cIm6POmOBBppF67sC_4Fe9UA?key=QVhYZUNxNGI4UDdYdkRfd3kwY0RxZVpOaFhtcFhR> 

<https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipNIFTgUqiSTFyaPeZjt7-Whll5ZfxZkGc-sC4E
VG5cIm6POmOBBppF67sC_4Fe9UA?key=QVhYZUNxNGI4UDdYdkRfd3kwY0RxZVpOaFhtcFhR>
Fair Radio, USAF Museum, Dayton Hamfest 2023

536 new items . Album by Nick England

photos.google.com

Ray F/KA3EKH

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