Dayton Hamvention 2011

May 20, 2011

WOW!  That's about all I have to say... ;-)

This was my third year going to Dayton, and it was probably my favorite.  There seemed to be a lot more attendance this year than last (at least on Friday when I was there).  I didn't purchase as many goodies as I have in years past.  I picked up the Heil Traveler w/ HTA-KHT adapter for my Kenwood D7A, and that was about it.  The only thing I regret about the trip was that I did not get many pics.  There was so much going on that the camera took a back seat.  I did manage to get a few good ones. 

 

My dream rotor - the Yaesu G-5500....



Left to right: KD8KSN, KC8JDS, KD8NUQ, KB8TZE.  My Dad (no call) was taking the pic.



AMSAT booth area

 

AMSAT satellite demo area.

It was great meeting up with several guys that I have talked with over the past year and a half on the birds.  It was fun going out with Keith, W5IU, and Mark, N8MH, and helping work/watching them work the birds.  I picked up my equipment later on and got on a low AO27 pass and talked with KB1PVH to get EM79 on the rover VUCC list. 



Me and Col. Doug Wheelock (ISS 25)



On to the highlight of the day...  Col. Doug Wheelock was at the AMSAT booth from 1:30-2:30p giving out autographs AND pictures (with you), so we stood in a 20 MINUTE - yes, a 20 MINUTE - line, and we got our picture taken with him, got a very nice picture of him that he autographed, and he also signed my Arrow boom, the same antenna that I worked him on last July when he was aboard the ISS, expedition 25.  I have a few pics of the antenna and Col. Wheelock below, and then there are a few miscellaneous pics.  I MAY put a video out within the next month.  I have not had a chance to look over the footage yet to see if it justifies a video.  We will see.

  

Photo credit KA2UPW

     

The antenna reads, "NA1SS to Planet Earth"...  [Col. Wheelock's signature] Commander, ISS 25"
   

Me monitoring AO27 while N8MH & W5IU worked it right behind the camera.  Not sure why I was making the face. :oP

Boy Scouts of America Demo

April 30, 2011


On April 30, 2011, a few of the CBFARC (W8CBF) members (including myself) helped out with some radio communication demonstrations for the Boy Scouts of America on Horns Hill in Newark, Ohio.  My two elmers, K8PWL and KD8UT, along with a good friend, Jed, K8QY, headed up the HF/Morse Code demos, and I did some satellite demos.  I had a lot of interference on my uplink signal, which I thought was caused by inteference from the 3 large communication towers on the Hill.  It turned out that is was caused by the fact that I had the volume on the radio turned all the way up (so the audience could hear).  The sound resembled a prop plane flying over my head every time I would transmit.


Other than the bit of interference and obvious lack of satellite QSOs, the demos went well.  About 150 Scouts filtered through during the day, and a few of them expressed serious interest in getting their Amateur Radio licenses.  Many even expressed interest in Morse Code - more than phone! 


Below are a few pictures we took during the day, and there is also a YouTube video produced by Zack Rodichok, KD8NUP.

  

Our setup in one of the shelters.

KD8UT (left) & K8PWL (right)