Dayton hamfest photos 2026 Lots of interesting vintage gear and vintage friends https://photos.app.goo.gl/MRyPWeYgT6LMgXZw5
Wow, wow and wow! I thought this fantastic photographic journal would never end. Amazing. It would take me 9+ hours of driving. Unfortunately, too long for me. And I would become financially destitute!
I don't know that I'd have been able to leave one of the PDP-11s behind. Taking one home would be a decision that I would regret - not immediately, but deeply. The other stuff, though... that's what we used to call a "target-rich environment".
Great photos! Like most hamfests, the majority of all that equipment will remain unsold and keep coming back year after year until the owner is no longer able to move them. Then, unfortunately, their heirs will send everything off to the scrap yard. I see the same thing at all of the hamfests that I am able to attend. Tons of old equipment that is overpriced ( in many cases) and the younger generation have no interest in. It's too bad there's not many ways to generate more interest in the older equipment in younger generation. James WD5GWY
Even some of the new equipment was over priced. I was looking at the FTM- 500 and FTM-510s the FTM-500 was priced at 500$ and the FTM-510s were priced at 550$ and 525 and the owners not willing to budge on the price. HRO was selling The FTM-510 new at 539$. I guess some people either don't want to sell or unaware of the current prices. That said I did acquire. a few pieces of that were of interest in the flea market. Graham VE3GCX\VE2NTC
Just like the Hajj, its the duty of all devout Hams to make at least one pilgrimage to Hamvention. I spend all my time in the flee market in the world of junk, yes some stuff is over priced, its all old and all the other complaints are true but not applicable to everything there. There are bargains, deals for both buyers and sellers and more of everything then at any other place. Its also the opportunity to get together with friend and play radio. our group of military radio collectors has at least two and often more radio nets that we have been doing at Hamvention for years now. The buildings house all the manufactures of Ham radio stuff along with all the organizations, If it has anything to do with the world of Ham radio its there. People can piss and moan about how things are not what they used to be or what the prices are or what ever but at the end of the day I have to say that if you were not there you missed out, and I was there.
I was able to find a UK-made transceiver, the KW Atlanta, that I've never even seen for sale before after nearly 40 years of hamfesting. I also was able to deliver a load of estate purchases to a friend, and passed a couple of excess boatanchors that I'd rescued from another estate on to someone who will enjoy using them. Hamvention is much more to me than what's in the buildings (although I did make a quick walk through at least some of them) - it's the fun of walking 5+ miles each day, searching the flea market for the odd, unusual, and often humorous, enjoying good food and comradery with my my Midwest Military Radio Collectors Group buddies, and seeing friends that I only get to see once a year. It's the highlight of the ham radio year, without a doubt!
