Dayton 2000 Wrap-Up From RAIN

Newsline report number 1189 to follow.

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            The following is a QST

The Dayton Hamvention ushers in a new era in ham
radio.  The entire story of Hamvention 2000 and
lots more on an expanded edition of Newsline coming
your way right now:

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DAYTON:  2000 IN REVIEW

If you were to find one thought to describe the
outcome of the 2000 combined Dayton Hamvention and
ARRL National Convention, it would be that the two
were good for one another.  Good in attendance.
Good in content.  Good in entertainment value and
very good for ham radio.

While the final attendance has yet to be announced,
Hamvention planners peg it at a bit over 28,000.
If the number holds, it's a solid 10% increase over
1999.  And for those manned the numerous product
display booths, it was very gratifying.  Doug Wynn,
WY6NN is Alinco's former national sales manager who
still works some major conventions for the company:

"Overall there were a lot more people spending
money and a lot more people looking at new products
and trying to make a decision of what they are
going to be doing in the future."  Doug Wynn, WY6NN

Agreeing with Wynn is CQ Editor Rich Moseson, W2VU.
Moseson tells Newsline the recent changes to the
Amateur Service rules already appear to be having a
positive impact:

"I think restructuring probably has a great deal to
do with what we saw this past weekend.  Just the
sheer numbers of people who have gone out and
upgraded their licenses would suggest that they are
planning to do something with those upgraded
licenses.  To do that, they need equipment,
peripherals and antennas.  There was a whole bunch
of them out there and from the view I got of people
carrying things, they were finding them too."  Rich
Moseson, W2VU

And if you think that upgrading and learning the
Morse code are dead issues you had better guess
again.  According to manufacturers representative
Evelyn Garrison, WS7A there was a definite interest
in upgrading and learning Morse Code among the new
hams:

"I think they are more interested in finding out
how they do upgrade and how to get that coded
license.  I think that is really important [to
many] because we sold a lot of code tapes."
Evelyn Garrison, WS7A

But the Dayton Hamvention is a lot more than
displays of new gear and super bargains.  The show
is really about people and the very basis and
purpose of Amateur Radio.  The RAIN Report's Hap
Holly, KC9RP, has that part of the story:

Dayton's famous rain clouds threatened again this
year, but after a short downpour and brilliant
lightening display and windstorm Thursday night,
the rest of the weekend was essentially rain free
though cloudy.  One of the pleasant surprises this
year were the forums, and the number of forum
attendees.  Jim Ebner. N8JE, was this years forums
chairman:

"We had 31 total forums -- not including the ARRL
and the attendance went very well.  Each room was
filled to capacity."  Jim Ebner, N8JE 

Hollywood Producer Dave Bell, W6AQ, spoke glowingly
of the Saturday night banquet and its award winners:

"The Technical Excellence went to Paul Shuch, N6TX,
who have a terrific acceptance speech about his ham
radio life and about SETI.

The Special Achievement Award went to A. Prose
Walker, W4BW, whom most of us had forgotten was the
person who was behind the WARC bands.  He is in his
90's now and he gave a very touching acceptance
speech.

Amateur of the Year went to Martti Laine, OH2BH,
who, off the cuff, gave an absolutely terrific
acceptance speech, and was obviously very pleased
to be the first international recipient.

New awards this year were the DARA Silent Key
Awards.  The first two Silent Key awards went to
King Hussein, JY1, and Barry Goldwater, K7UGA, who
were two of the greatest hams of all time.

They were two men who probably influenced ham radio
as much as any two people, ever!

The Silent Key Award will not be given every year,
but only as appropriate."  Dave Bell, W6AQ

And the best speech of the night was:  Envelope
please...

"Riley Hollingsworth's speech which was
absolutely superb!!

It was the most emotional and intellectual speech
that Riley Hollingsworth has even given, at least
given where I have heard one.  And I have listened
to at least a half dozen of them." Dave Bell, W6AQ

Dave.  What happened after dinner?

"Then came the Smothers Brothers who were both
nostalgic, appropriate and funny. 

Dick Smothers was selling CD's of "The Best of the
Smothers Brothers" at the entrance, so I asked him
if he and his brother knew anything about ham radio.
He said "no, they didn't but that their road
manager of many years was a ham.  So that a bit of
that had washed over on them and the road manager
had actually prompted Tom Smothers about ham radio
but Dick allowed as how his brother would probably
forget it all."  Dave Bell, W6AQ

OK, we have heard about the older set at Dayton,
but what about the kids?

"There were a lot of younger kids at the Dayton
Hamvention this year.  I was very surprised to se a
lot of young people going through the swap-meet and
inside the show.  It was really refreshing to see
more and more young people at the Dayton Hamvention"
Doug Wynn, WY6NN

The highlight for me personally was the honor of
interviewing two of the four distinguished
representatives of the National Institute of
Amateur Radio of India.

Dave Bell, W6AQ, sums up Hamvention 2000 this way:

"Hamvention 2000 was the best one ever as far as I
am concerned.  Also, it was the first time that the
ARRL had its national convention at the Dayton
Hamvention.  I think that everyone considered it a
huge success."  Dave Bell, W6AQ

Next year the Dayton Hamvention will celebrate its
50 year golden anniversary.  Will that Hamvention
top this years?  You all come back a year from now
and we can compare notes.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Hap Holly, KC9RP.

Perhaps Hamvention 2000 is best summed up in these
words from Evelyn Garrison, WS7A:

"There was a lot happening.  A lot of fun things
happening.

Everyone was really upbeat and complaints were just
not happening.  People were not complaining about
radios breaking or anything.

It was simply a really good convention and everyone
was very positive."  Evelyn Garrison, WS7A

And being positive is a good sign for the future of
the Dayton Hamvention and for all of Amateur Radio.

(Newsline)

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