[MRCA] Dayton / Xenia AAR

[Ray Fantini]

Dayton/Xenia Hamvention AAR

May 17th, 18th and 19th although I do not attend on Sunday the 19th. Green County Fairgrounds, Xenia Ohio.
Operational Goals for the event include visiting Midwest Electronic Surplus, Fair Radio Sales, and the Hamvention for two days along with visiting the Air Force Museum on Sunday before departing for home.
Primary goals are buying and selling military radio equipment along with operating in the two radio nets on Saturday.
This year included the new Memphis Bell exhibit at the Museum.

Arrived late Wednesday night at Springfield and checked into the hotel. The next morning went to Midwest Surplus and bought some heat shrink and some assorted stake on connectors and then traveled out to Fair Radio. Did not find anything that I had to have at Fair although Bernie who was traveling with me did find a remote control for a SCR-669 radio and being he has the radio, generator and just about every other item this remote control with that includes the generator start and stop now makes it a complete set, and it was only $35.00
Friday morning was overcast, we arrived at the Hamvention around seven that morning and spent around an hour setting up the tables, tent and radios. Had a couple R-390A receivers and an antenna tuner to sell.
Did do a quick walk around and as in previous reports saw a lot of radio equipment, not much in the way of WW2 equipment but Bernie bought a stack of BC-191 plug ins and antenna tuners and I did buy a ww2 British PCR2 entertainment receiver that's about the size and shape of a WS set that is somewhat interesting. Speaking of the R-390A receivers I saw at least four or five other for sale and one table just selling gutted assemblies for R-390A receivers, also have to mention that I saw a R-274/FRR with a spare face plate and this is the first time I have ever seen one in real life. Have already posted about things like the $400.00 PRC-47 sets with all accessories and the PRC-25/77 sets all in the $300 to $400 price range and may have mentioned the AN/URC-110 with amplifier and mount for $1,200, I did get it wrong about the PRC-515 being it was only $875.00 although there may have been two more for $2,200.00
In between the interment rain all day cycled between covering up and sheltering and going out and buying. Did sell both R-390 receivers.
Saturday was once again clear in the morning but around nine that morning the rain returned. Looked to be all the same sellers as the day before with maybe a couple that had left overnight. The highlight of the day, at least for me is the WW2 AM radio net on 3885 at noon and the 51.0 Cold War Net at two thirty. Used the DAV-2 that I had recently replaced the audio output transformer in to check into the noon net but somehow net control Joe had dropped my call from the list but was able to check in at the back of the net just before conclusion. There were around sixteen or so portable stations that participated in the net with net control going thru at least two or three radios with technical difficulties. The Australian set and the TCS sets both failed at one point or the other. With the 51.0 Cold War Net I activated my Russian R-107 transceiver and once again net control recognized me and then dropped me from there list. Net control progressed thru calls by call zone numbers and me being a three was surprised when they progressed thru all the threes, fours and fives and then the local Hamvention people came around and shut down all operations due to an approaching storm.
The storm never materialized, or not at least at the predicted level but as near as I can tell we had around thirty to thirty five stations mostly running PRC-68, with some PRC-6 and PRR/PRT-9 sets thrown in too. No BC-1000 this year and the majority of non US sets were German SEM-35 radios.
Before the end of the event did have someone come and buy my Collins antenna tuner so I did sell just about everything that I brought with me, although I did reduce my prices for fast sale.
Over all the improvements they did this year resolved the mud problems, and although it sometimes appears that they have more volunteers or Ham employees driving around on their golf carts have to say the people that I had to work with were very helpful and wanted to see the event be a success.
The buyers were there and despite the weather things did get sold, if you can't sell something at Dayton there is a possibility that you just can't sell.

In conclusion I have to say that in my opinion the event was a success. Attendance of buyer and sellers may have been down from last year but think the threat of weather may have played a part. Still see, buy and sell more military radios at this event than any other that I have experience with and despite the weather will plan on attending next year. Perhaps the nets can be a bit better next year in terms of more reliable equipment and did regret the Cold War net being cut short. And I will need to work out better accommodations in Springfield.

Ray F/KA3EKH


Wanted to also post this over on the MMRCG server but lost their email, they don't appear to have their web page up and running yet so I have not been able to build an account over there but if someone can forward this to that list it would be appreciated.



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