We were not prepared for our first Dayton Hamvention -- as both a small fry exhibitor and a generic walkin' around ham. Maybe it's impossible to be prepared in any buttoned-down sense for something as delightfully surreal as this gathering of the clan, but gosh knows we tried. In the months before the show, we sent a raft of emails full of questions to Scott AC8DE, Chairman of Inside Exhibits, Qs he promptly and patiently answered one after another. Our Nervous Newbie jitters notwithstanding, everything worked out fine logistically and all around we had one terrific time, with help from many, a few of whom are pictured to the left. Special note on Chronicler of Chrononautics and Hyperdimensional Dash!Chum Nils W8IJN: If you enjoy language, graphic art and loose talk as much as us, take a gander at his smartly-appointed Tagalong Press site, featuring Nils' transfomative novel Rising From Karuk.
Speaking of metaphysics, have you ever noticed that all the ham world's a Dinky Toy in the play gas station of a six year old, driven erratically by quantum grease monkeys and quarky synchronicity signifying something at once pretty funny and very grand?
K7RXV vs Spud Gun WB6AWO photo
That's our impression, given that one of our Dayton booth neighbors is a member of the Maple Valley (WA) Amateur Radio Club --and was on the scene the 2009 Field Day we wandered into their encampment on a fluke trip west. Yep, it's the same MVARC spotlighted last summer on this website in Dashtoons' Feedline Department. The recurring gentleman in question is RF Engineering Consultant Roger K7RXV, who was assisting Roy W7EL, creator of the amazing, all-knowing world-famous EZNEC antenna design software and it was a real treat for us to share the Dayton scene and listen to their war stories. In fact, when we first set-up, we were a little concerned the hard science-based Just Give Us the Facts, Ma'am EZNEC Crew might not cotton to all our nextdoor nonsense, but no, we were quickly put at ease, and tried our best to husband whatever sparkling ambient techie cred might have dusted our pile of comic books. Here's a tip o' the phones to our new Dash!Chums from Lucky Seven Land.
Given life's continuing trend to the virtual vs the real world, the Hamvention remains real life, real people, radio as real as it gets. From what we saw, which was far less than we wished to see, the most HiDef booth, so to speak, was Yaesu's, the waiting lines bathed in relfected glitz. Coolest, in our 'umble estimation, was S.Begali's fusion of art and technology and expression of unfettered, nuevo-retro steam punkish glee. Translation: When we grow up we want to be this Sorcerer's apprentice. Until then, we must settle for the Jackson Pollockian Begali T shirt on which we can splatter blueberry yogurt with wild abandon and no one shall be the wiser.
We didn't hit the flea market till Sunday morning and had just enough time to marvel at all the old iron for sale that belonged in our attic in a great big pile atop which we'd cackle like Croesus, clutching babyfood jars jam-packed with unopened, factory-wrapped & sealed stacks of vintage Hallicrafters lockwashers.Yes, in a perfect world our attic would be as accommodating as the Astrodome -- and no vintage Bud code practice oscillator, no Central Electronics 200V, no 1932 Sangamo Silver Mike with clipped leads no longer than silverfish elbows would escape the seething black hole of our nakedly singular amateur radio obsession, next to a rogue quasar at Second Base. But no. Such was not meant to be. Oh, the Hamanity! Maybe next year.
