This year seems to have flown by already. No doubt it’s because it’s been one of the busiest years of my life so far (and I kind of hope it doesn’t get any busier!).
It feels like I was just wishing everyone a Happy New Year, and now—poof!—we’re only a week away from Four Days In May and Hamvention!
I’ll be leaving the QTH next Tuesday morning, doing an overnight at the QTH of my buddy Eric (WD8RIF) and his wife Vickie (KC8MAJ), then (hopefully) fitting in a day of POTA en route to our hotel in Dayton, Ohio.
We’ll spend all day Thursday at Four Days In May—always my favorite part of the Hamvention weekend.
On Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, we’ll be at Hamvention, held at the Greene County Fairgrounds in Xenia, Ohio.
When I’m not out and about checking out vendor booths and catching up with friends, I’ll be hanging out at the Ham Radio Workbench / Packtenna / Halibut Electronics / Sierra booth in Building 3—booths 3011 and 3012.
Hamvention Lists
I remember when I first started attending Hamvention regularly (back in 2008 or 2009), I’d go with an extensive list of items to hunt down. Often you can find things at Hamvention that are hard to source elsewhere—especially items that aren’t easy to ship. I’d typically come home with a couple of boxes full of gear.
These days, though, my shack is pretty well stocked—and lately, I’ve been more focused on paring down than accumulating. So it’s rare for me to have more than one or two items on my Hamvention list.
This year, it’s pretty simple: I’ll be looking for another Alpha Delta 4-position antenna switch and possibly a few other components. Truthfully, I mostly keep an eye out for cool innovations from smaller mom-and-pop companies. I always leave a little room in my pack for those kinds of purchases!
How About You?
If you’re attending Hamvention, what’s on your list?
If you’re not attending Hamvention but plan to go to Ham Radio Friedrichshafen, the Tokyo Ham Fair, the National Hamfest, or a national or regional hamfest where you live—what are you planning to buy?
What’s on your list?
Good morning,
This year looking for a 49:1 for a SOTA antenna build. I am sure there will be something else I cannot live with out.
Jeff AD8NQ and I WV8T are heading up Wednesday morning. We plan to POTA along the way of course. I am working on building a mesh network here in WV. I’ll focus on that type gear mostly. I’m sure they will be plenty of other items I “just” have to get as well. This will be my 3rd year of Hamvention in my 25 years licensed. I’m only 400 away from a Kilo at US-1940. Not sure if I’ll focus on that or explore for new parks.
Hope to see you there.
Porker
WV8T
Ah, Bruna and Piero! Two wonderful people with a wonderful product!
I’m going to FDIM & Hamvention. Nothing particular that I want, but I’m sure to find something. Looking forward to the competition Friday evening at FDIM.
Thomas- I’m so looking forward to Hamvention as it’s been two whole years. On Friday at noon I’ll be at Creator’s Corner booth 4211 for a meet’n’greet and the rest of the time I’ll be hanging with you and the rest of the HRWB crew as you’ve outlined above.
I’m sad to report that Hamvention was really dragging the bottom of the barrel this year for a presenter on Sunday morning at 1030h in Forum room 1, as they picked me to spread my style of putting people to sleep *in person* while giving a presentation. I hope that many people who stayed up late the night before are given a good rest during my talk about “A fresh approach to Go-Kit design”
72, 73 and see y’all at Hamvention and the FDIM Vendor night!
I’m hoping the crew I’m traveling with will be up for that Sunday morning time slot! I haven’t attended the Sunday Hamvention festivities in ages. It’s a much quieter day, which is not a bad thing.
I’m sure you’ll still have a lot of attendees since you’re headlining it! 
Always try to go to vendors night at FDIM if I can.
I’ll be behind the AMSAT Education tables showing off the CubeSAT Simulators, but will visit some at ECARS and MARCO tables.
I usually try to make a couple sweeps of the main vendors and the flea market just to say I did. Nothing big on the list. Hoping to find one of the V/U auto tilt over mounts for the Forester.
Going to Friedrichshafen to join the Ham Radio. Visit Dayton in 2007 when still at the Arena.
Johan, PA3ANG.
I hope to go to Friedrichshafen soon. It won’t be this year, because it conflicts with other family travels. My hope is I can make it next year, though.
Thomas,
I have no lists. I just turned 80 and have been a Ham Radio operator since 1960 and you should see the stuff that I’ve got piled up in my shack. I can’t get in some days. Ha ha. So I am going with a group of others and as usual will explain to them what a lot of the stuff is that is sitting on the tables and underneath in boxes. If I find some little trinket, like you are interested in by a Mom and Pop store, it might show up in my backpack, but I am just happy to be alive, be able to make the trip, and fellowship. My son, Matthew, KC8TVI, will drive down from St. Louis and make it a father and son weekend. That will be the special part of it.
I will see you there at Four Days In May.
Dave, K8WPE
See you there, Dave!
I’ll be there, both events. Looking for those elusive, hard to get Packtennas. Maybe they will be stocked at the booth.
I’m almost positive George will have some at both Hamvention and FDIM. Find him early in the game!
I think I’m gonna wait to see what Thomas’s review is of the new Yaesu radio. I’m gonna have to have a persuasive reason for yet another radio arriving at the house.
Mike, AD8EV
I’ll be going to the RVRN Spring Rally on the 10th of May, then moving my 5th wheel over to the Dayton KOA on the 14th. All set for FDIM and Hamvention. Been going to Hamvention since I was in high school, and I just had my 71st birthday.
RVRN is the RV Radio Network, which is Hamvention’s Club of the Year, this year.
Excellent!
KO6BTY and I are going to miss it again this year! Darn it! We wound up with a really busy weekend. We’re presenting the F2 maps at the San Francisco Radio Club monthly meeting, I’m trying to go to my niece’s PhD graduation, and we’re seeing an OK Go concert here in San Francisco on Sunday.
We’re hoping to make it next year, and maybe we’ll even have something to sell at that point…
Wow! Hey…you’ve got some great things happening there preventing you from attending FDIM and Hamvention! Hope you can make it next year. I think KO6BTY will love it.
See you at FDIM & Hamvention next week, Tom! I’ll be set up in the fleamarket at spaces 8223 – 8225 with Dave, KX3DX and Scott, KN3A flanking each side of my space (southern row along the horse track). We’ll have a cooler of cold H2O and maybe some 807s. I’m mostly looking to unload some things, downsizing after a few moves, but may re-invest the dollars into something newer, too. There is always something interesting to get!
Noted! When I’m out there in the flea market, I’ll try to look you up. That said, be on the lookout for a confused-looking fellow wandering aimlessly sporting a K4SWL badge.
See you next week!
See you at FDIM & Hamvention next week, Tom! I’ll be set up in the fleamarket at spaces 8223 – 8225 with Dave, KX3DX and Scott, KN3A flanking each side of my space (southern row along the horse track). We’ll have a cooler of cold H2O and maybe some 807s. I’m mostly looking to unload some things, downsizing after a few moves, but may re-invest the dollars into something newer, too. There is always something interesting to get!
Going to Contest U, and then Hamvention. I hope to get my first POTA activation in during the week.
I am not looking for anything in particular. Just a sightseeing trip this time… Ha!
On my list is to go to the Hamvention at least once)
This must happen, my friend!