[MRCA] Additional thought on Dayton Hamvention

Fri Feb 15 20:51:15 EST 2019

I don't know about ARRL "versus" military radio guys - but the West Coast
MRCG did week-long joint Ops with the MVPA at their 2016 National
Convention in Pleasanton CA.  A good time was had by all...  Some pix here:

http://www.n6cc.com/military-vehicles-and-radios-mvccmrcg

We also usually do joint Ops with the Military Vehicle Collectors of
California at their Spring and Fall rallies out here.  Good synergy, like
minded people.

Tim
N6CC

On Fri, Feb 15, 2019 at 2:16 PM Mkdorney via MRCA <mrca at mailman.qth.net>
wrote:

> There are 4 letters I would recommend all Hams with an interest in
> military Radio technology  memorize:  MVPA.  It stands for the Military
> Vehicle Preservation Association. Their International convention this year
> is in August in York, PA. Those in the Northeast know that the MRCA joins
> the local chapter of the MVPA in Gilbert PA every year for their show. That
> could be replicated across the country if Hams who have Military radio gear
> got together with local MVPA organizations. There are even some recruiting
> possibilities at these shows as many of these vehicle owners have old,
> working and non working radios and really don’t know where to turn to in
> order to get licensed and get there stuff fixed. And you don’t need to
> worry so much about your “old stuff” being pushed into a corner, because
> their stuff is also the old stuff.
>
> As far as the ARRL is concerned, Military radio collectors and operators
> have been the bastard stepchildren for some time now, and that really
> doesn’t look to be changing any time soon. The ARRL has become way too
> involved with companies like Yaesu and the like, especially monetarily, to
> hope for any change on their part. In that respect, the ARRL has become
> nothing more than a trade group for these manufacturers. The only possible
> way that will ever change as far as events like Dayton are concerned is if
> Military radio collectors demand that change. And the big money
> manufacturers will fight tooth and nail before they allow that to happen.
>
> Mark
> WW2RDO
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> On Feb 15, 2019, at 10:26 AM, Ray Fantini <RAFANTINI at salisbury.edu> wrote:
>
> If you look at the amount of promotion that’s been going on  in QST and
> how packed the dealer and sales pavilions are I have to wonder if maybe the
> flea market aspect of the Hamvention is being pushed off to the side and
> being left to wither and die? Or is it that the entire concept of used
> equipment, homebuilt and playing around with old radios is itself died out?
>
> Pure speculation on my part but is there a effort to make the Hamvention
> into a convention where they just talk and show the newest and latest
> technology and the hell with all that old junk and the people who want to
> mess with it? Looking at the ARRL it appears that’s their main interest is
> in pushing you to go out and buy the newest whatever and that if you’re not
> on the cutting edge or using the newest digital mode you not a complete
> Ham.
>
> I work in a technical field and have to deal with installing the latest
> software, operating systems and hardware every day and the last thing I
> want to do when I am not at work is have to download stuff and resolve set
> up issues, so I prefer to work with the technology of the past where you
> can get in, make changes and work with things at a slower pace. After all
> it is a hobby and not a business. So that’s the question is Hamvention
> evolving into something more along the lines of a boat show, where
> everything is about the newest and most expensive or will it still reflect
> whatever the general state of the hobby is?
>
> And what is the general state of the hobby? Maybe this is the future and
> people like me that are getting older and prefer to waste time on
> technology from our past just need to get out of the way for the Hams of
> the future? Although most of the people I know, see at the fest and have
> talked with are just as old if not older then I am so where are all these
> Hams of the future? Maybe by getting rid of us old buzzard Hams that will
> entice theses young Hams out to the events? Yet another reason to kill off
> the flea market.
>
>
>
> Have to remember your Bell “When one door closes, another opens; but we
> often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not
> see the one which has opened for us” Somehow always thought that was a
> bible quote but apparently not. Maybe if Hamvention is failing in my
> expatiations or costing too much it is time to make this the last trip, but
> other regional sales like Frostfest are doing great and maybe look to a
> future of more online and local stuff.
>
>
>
> Collecting and using military technology in some ways is a smaller subset
> then the larger Vintage Ham radio community is, but it’s what I want to do
> and once you get into the military collectors community you soon discover
> the weapon, vehicle and many other collectors that have a thriving
> community that somehow survives without having a national organization
> that’s beating the drum for everyone to go out and buy or constantly move
> forward. Perhaps the nearest analog would be the reenactors and what they
> are doing although I don’t consider myself a reenactor, but they are from
> what I see a growing group and would assume they have some sort of
> organization and publications and would assume that a large part of it
> involves advertising and trying to get there members to go out and buy
> things.
>
>
>
> It all circles back to Dayton and what the future is there. Perhaps it’s
> my expectations that have changed and not the Hamvention at all? Or maybe
> it’s a combination of the two? Or maybe it’s just that it’s a Friday and
> Friday morning are somewhat slow here at work and it’s an opportunity to
> take time out and write about these things and try to get an idea what
> others think.
>
>
>
>
>
> Ray F/KA3EKH
>
>
>
>
>
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