PRE-DAYTON HYPE Thread!

[WA6MHZ]

This thread will be for the Month leading up to Dayton, and to get Hams around the world thinking about the most exciting and enthralling EVENT of the Year: The Dayton Hamvention!

What? You haven't gone to Dayton? Maybe U are a New Ham and never HEARD of Dayton. Or maybe it has always just been passed on as being too long or expensive a trip. All valid reasons. And Prudent.

Dayton doesn't come cheap. It is 2200 miles from San Diego, and probably even further from Seattle. Certainly 1000 or more from many of the other population areas of the US. Unless U are in the close midwest, it is quite a ROAD TRIP there, often taking several days driving. Is it WORTH IT?????

YES! YES INDEED!!!!!!!!

Why? Because Dayton is as much HAM RADIO as you can fathom. A swapmeet the size of many towns. More sellers and exhibits than all the rest of the conventions and hamfests COMBINED! And a high percentage of all the US hams will be there!

Dayton is the place DX come to as well! Hams from all over the WORLD fly in for the event. We know of one great ham from Australia coming here on QRZed. Lots of EU, SA, Asia and maybe even some Africa too.

Since the size of this small midwest town probably DOUBLES over these few days in May (oh yes, time to give out the WEBSITE: http://www.hamvention.org/index.php)
Most of the local Motel and Hotel rooms will already be booked. I booked my Motel 6 DIVE back in January. There still might be some rooms available on the outlying areas, but if U decide, it is time to ACT NOW to score a Room. But if you don't find one in close, there are plenty of motels in distant towns, even down towards Cincinatti or Indianapolis which aren't that far away. Just get up an hour earlier to drive in to the Hamvention. Or U can always RV in if you have one of those Behemoth gas hogs!

Back in the late 70s, I built the SMALLEST RV out of a Mazda GLC hatchback economy car. The passenger seat was replaced with a Deck that went from the Dash to the rear seat allowing for me to sleep fully stretched out comfortably along the way. That worked very well.

So it is time to CLEAR the calendar for Dayton 2012 and take vacation time to come to the EVENT of the Year! May 18-2012!

Have an event conflict? U can ALWAYS do that another weekend. Dayton is only ONCE a year!

[NN3W]

For those considering coming from DC....you can fly non-stop on US Airways to DAY for $200 round trip (if you book today). A pretty good deal for a non-stop flight (and 1 hour, 40 minutes flying time).

[PE1RDW]

Back in the late 70s, I built the SMALLEST RV out of a Mazda GLC hatchback economy car. The passenger seat was replaced with a Deck that went from the Dash to the rear seat allowing for me to sleep fully stretched out comfortably along the way. That worked very well.

not sure you can get much smaller then this:
piaggio-ape-moca-camper_5SbTm_3868.jpg

offcourse that one does not go much faster then 30 mph so probably not much good to drive across the USA

[K9ASE]

I won't be making the trip this year although it's only a few hundred miles. But, once again I'm looking forward to Pat's Dxpedition thread and radio adventure.

[WA6MHZ]

not sure you can get much smaller then this:
piaggio-ape-moca-camper_5SbTm_3868.jpg

offcourse that one does not go much faster then 30 mph so probably not much good to drive across the USA

I would LOVE one of those, but at 30MPH!!!! WOW, it would take over a WEEK to get to Dayton and another WEEK to get back! But, probably pretty good gas mileage! THIRTY Miles an Hour???? Think a HORSE would be faster than that!

[N4SOK]

I would like to see a pic of that rv

[PE1RDW]

I would LOVE one of those, but at 30MPH!!!! WOW, it would take over a WEEK to get to Dayton and another WEEK to get back! But, probably pretty good gas mileage! THIRTY Miles an Hour???? Think a HORSE would be faster than that!

can't expect much more from a 2stroke 50 cc engine but they can be driven without a licence in most european countries, or at least a very easy to get licence, simular to light scooters. without the camper part they are very poppular in congested inner cities as delivery vans, they also make a slightly bigger version of the car that can do 50 mph, that is mostly used as transport verhicle by small farmers and as basis of city work verhicles like roadside cleaners.
I think you might be able to get both the small and less small version from mexico, they are made there under the name of bajaj but then you will have to make the camper section yourself.

[WG7X]

Hype is the right statement.

For those who live and die by for horse trading, something like the Dayton event probably is the holy grail.

For the rest of us, it's just another swap fest, remarkable only by the size and yes, the hype attached.

Speaking only for myself, this particular aspect of our shared avocation has never interested me. I might visit a ham fest if it is local or if there is some special reason for going; such as a meeting with friends or club sponsorship of an event at the swap meet. That sort of thing.

Otherwise, I doubt that I would be interested.

But I still enjoy Pat's stories about the events and the travels and travails of getting there and back.

Pat: Have fun, and keep an eye on those RB's for us OK?

73 and travel safe.

Gary

[KA9VQF]

I would LOVE one of those, but at 30MPH!!!! WOW, it would take over a WEEK to get to Dayton and another WEEK to get back! But, probably pretty good gas mileage! THIRTY Miles an Hour???? Think a HORSE would be faster than that!

I have ridden a horse at 30 mph but not for a very far distance. My wife was in the car along side me and the horse and clocked us right at 30 for just over a mile.

The horse was one of our younger horses and it was knackerd after that run. I was pretty well beat too. He was blowing pretty hard so I got off and walked him back better than half the way. When we got back I only gave him a little water, about a quart maybe, I think he wanted to drink the whole trough but I didn't think that would be good for him.

I had to fight him a bit to keep him away from the water. After I had him brushed and cooled down I gave him more water and some oats, he seemed to appreciate it more that way.

On other occasions {trail rides} I have ridden a horse 30 miles in one day. Again both me and the horse were totally tuckered at the end of the day.

I really wouldn't want to ride a horse from your house to Dayton. I wouldn't want to ride one from my house to Dayton either and that's a lot less miles.

[WA6MHZ]

30 miles a day??

That would take 147 days to get there and back!

WOW! Just like in the 1800s, covered wagons and all that!