Well, another Huntsville has come and gone. It was a good one. Better than last year? I believe the XYL and I had a better time than even last year, at least. Random observations. This trip affirmed my feeling I might not get back to Dayton. The drive to Huntsville or Orlando (from Mobile) is about enough for me now. Embassy Suites really is the way for me to go. I don't want to go outside during the hamfest, and if you stay at the Embassy Suites adjoining the Von Braun Center, you don't have to. The food in their restaurant is quite good--surprisingly good, actually. Yes, it is "hotel restaurant priced," but with Mickey D's and Burger King costing as much as they do now, it seems modest. Lotsa happy OMs and YLs lined up for the nightly free drinks Friday evening. Heavy traffic all the way up I-65. Not sure what that was about but I didn't like it. Numbers? They'll be out after a while, but to me it looked like there were at least as many happy hams on the Von Braun floor as last year. I was much encouraged to see plenty of young folk sprinkled among us OTs. The Youth Lounge appeared to be doing a good business. The biggies were there: Icom, Yaesu, Flex, and Elecraft. As last year, Kenwood was MIA in Huntsville (they had a booth in Orlando last February). Only new thing? Icom's ID-52 Anniversary Edition. Big vendors? Gigaparts (local) had their usual huge setup. HRO had a big booth, too. Strange to not have MFJ on the floor. No DX Engineering this time... but their booth the last couple of years has just been handling out catalogs and DXE swag. With no MFJ, what to do for a bag to carry your stuff? Diamond antennas was giving away free cloth carry bags. Food? The concession stands are OK. Edible hamburgs and fries. Prices? About like McDonald's--high, that is. Only credit card payment accepted. Gigaparts was selling "mystery" boxes. I was for some reason intrigued. Maybe it took me back to my youth and hamfest grab-bags. I bought the 50-dollar box and got about 80 dollars of stuff--and stuff I'll use. New player Radioddity was there for the second year. Quite a bit of interest in them and especially their new 10-12-15 meter mobile. The angry, bitter old ham oft' heard about on the Zed was missing this year. Nothing but very friendly hams as far as the eye could see. Prize winners/unclaimed prizes were posted on video screens. I like that much better than PA announcements. Flea market looked bigger than ever. Didn't find anything...but didn't expect to, having moved away from boat anchors. And the one older item I'd been after--a new (old) bug--I got at the Milton Hamfest in July. The Huntsville organizers did a superb job with THE WORLD'S FRIENDLIEST HAMFEST (and that is not just brag). Already looking forward to 25.
Thanks for the report - liked the See Rock City birdhouse I'll go to Huntsville Hamfest someday - it's on my list. And the rocket museum.
Hope to see you there soon, OM. The XYL and I used to do both the Rocket Center and Hamfest in one weekend...at our ages these days it is a little too much. We tend to do the Rocket Center in the fall when it's cooler as a separate trip. That way we can enjoy strolling around the rocket park.
"Heavy traffic all the way up I-65" is a regular occurrence now. Population growth (Huntsville), increased shipping between B'ham and Nashville, etc. and limited alternatives for crossing the Tennessee River in the area. The corridor has reached its capacity. If there's a wreck or construction, it becomes a very long parking lot. The I-565 offshoot is as bad or worse during the week.
A great review, and sounds like you had an excellent experience. The XYL and I want to get back to Huntsville, it was just before the pandemic the last time we were there. Thanks for your overview. 73 from, The K0UO " Rhombic Antenna Farm" miles of wire in the Air & On the AIR daily
We missed the first year after the pandemic. Just didn't seem like the thing to do. But after that, we haven't missed it. Better than ever IMHO, but still the same nice, friendly bunch.
There was a concurrent POTA activation at Monte Sano State Park in the evenings. I caught a tidbit on 20m. The initial operator would make a contact and say “hold on please” for eleven more guys. He’d then key up and a cacophony of guys would all yell their call signs simultaneously. Made me laugh. I suspect beer may have been involved.
Thanks for the report. This was the first big hamfest I've attended, and it was a blast. The forums were particularly good. I made it to the ones on solar activity, lightning protection, quantum entanglement, and the youtuber discussion panel. Well-informed, you could even say cutting edge speakers at all of these. Didn't buy much, just some books on digital modes and (yet more) powerpole connectors. I'll be back. The only downside was the local pollen tripped off my allergies, making for a rough couple of days. Let me amend the above to "I'll be back – with sinus meds!" Here's a pano of the youtuber forum panel:
Glad you had a good time! And that your only problem was allergies. Guess I picked up some kinda stinkin' bug there and didn't shake the flu-like whatever it was for a couple of weeks. But it didn't hit till we got home had a great hamfest!
