In reply to KA2BKG's comments about the Timonium hamfest, you mentioned that you we're there in the afternoon, and of course I can't comment on any time restraints you may have had, but as a seller in the AM, I thought the amount of sellers, and buyers was excellent...
   Possibly in the afternoon, many fold up their tents, and call it a day....and yes amateur radio is changing, but then again, aren't we all!!!!
   For those of you who may have noticed my enthusiasm for this hamfest, NO I am not a shill, or involved in any way with the organizers, I just like to give credit where credit is due, for the extraordinarily complicated task of putting on a hamfest in this day.
   Many years ago, when I suggested a hamfest for our repeater group, and older member gave me what I might call a knowing look, suggesting that I had no idea of what goes into a hamfest, and the amount of cash, and participation needed....

   I could only attend the Hamfest on Saturday (as a seller) but once again the BARC group pulled off a great hamfest...A bit cold in the AM setting up, but as the sun came up, it became very comfortable..
   The amount of tailgate sellers I thought was outstanding, and of course the important large population of buyers.
   In the last five years that I've attended it always amazes me at just how hospitable and helpful the organizers are.
   I do believe one barometer of a hamfest is the amount of commercial vendors, since they often have to make a considerable expenditure of time, and the Cow Palace was loaded with them, big names and small.
   One small negative was the men's room, which in the early afternoon we're somewhat of a mess, with the floors wet from what looked like some sort of overflow.
   
 

Great hamfest, nice people running it...Its my favorite...

May I assume that you have already eliminated the mic connector as a possible trouble spot...Many times a wire comes loose in the connector, causing you that kind of grief...Just a suggestion....BOB/K2LGO

 :-XMy path to amateur radio started about 1948-1954 when I was exposed to it as a very young lad, through my neighbor W2LUC (SK) when we lived on the fifth floor of a apartment building in the lower east side of Manhattan...He had all kind of fascinating gear, and an open wire fed doublet antenna on the roof (boy you could never get away with that today). His wife and my mom we're best friends, so I spent a lot of time in his apartment, and heard many QSO's, AM & CW...Well time marched on and our family moved in 1954 to a house in an outer borough of NYC, and I never gave amateur radio much thought, until 1957 when I purchased an HQ-100, started listening around, and got my novice license KN2LGO...never changed the call.  I know for sure that it was my exposure to him that planted the seed of amateur radio, which sprouted some years later...

   Reference Alinco components, my problem had to do with the mic cords on my DR 605-s...I have two of them, and the first one I bought the mic cord was fine, and never gave me a problem..The second one had a mic cord so UV sensitive, that a day or two in the mobile with a little sunshine actually shredded the cord...It was replaced at shipping cost (way above what shipping would cost) and it too shredded....even in the home shack, with a little sunshine from a window..
   To me the worst part is the I don't care attitude of Alinco...Of course they are out of warranty, but you would think that after notifying there distributor in Texas that they would at least politely answer me, and say "SO SORRY" but not even that...
   Simple solution....I just don't buy Alinco any longer, be it VHF/UHF gear, or HF gear..
   BOB....
 

I purchased my IC-706 many years ago, and I never got the 13 pin plug for the rear that is needed to connect the 706 to my linear via my AmpKeyer..
   Is that plug proprietary, or available without going to ICOM...  I  realize that there are several cables available that will do the trick, but I prefer to roll my own...BOB 

Of course many of us needed those grommets, and that's where ham ingenuity comes in...Try some fiber washers from various sources, or try some rubber feed through grommets as I did on many of the S-38 I re-worked...And if you look carefully there are some firer shoulder washers floating around which could be perfect for the job....IMPROVISE.....

Would love to hear opinions on the best hamfest withing 100 miles of NYC...BOB/K2LGO

Its odd that not one French amateur chimed in here with some advice???
I just hope that French amateurs show more friendship toward an American amateur, than the general French population showed my XYL and myself doing our trip to Paris...
Look forward to hearing of your results...

I attended the TIMONIUM hamfest on Saturday, and I would like to give my impression...This is my fourth year in a row, and as a rule hams don't return to a hamfest that is not worthwhile.
  To start with the organizers and members of the BARC are just nice people.  Special thanks to ROBIN who helped me iron out a small glitch, in the most professional way on the day of the hamfest, and also to DOUG, who previously had helped me out online with a ticket glitch.
  I could only be there on Saturday, but the weather gods we're kind, and the attendance was excellent.
I attended many hamfests in the last 30 years, and this is one of the best.  
  An awful lot of work must go into a large hamfest like this, and I would like to say THANKS...and no I am not affiliated with club in any way, I just recognize a job well done....BOB/K2LGO

Steve & all
 Thanks for the reply, and for enlightening me as to who CODI was...but once again no one has addressed my question as to why diodes strings are still used to obtain the HV capacity needed, when diodes are available that can do it with only two diodes..The diodes I mentioned the CODI C5631 I believe are the CR7 CR8 in the NCL-2000 amp.  The NCL 2000 is at least 25 years old, and they we're using the single diodes, so why have other mfgs stuck with the strings...COST???  
  Would you experts please expand upon this...
  I am aware of SILICON ALLEY, in fact I could drive to his house here on LI in about 45 minutes...surprised to hear they are still in operation...
                                   BOB
P.S. Steve just noticed the great new pic on your QRZ bio...

In a batch of parts from a ham friend, I came across two diodes marked for NCL-2000..They are marked C5631  CODI(can't find any info about them)..They are about 3/8 dia and slightly over an inch long...There we're two of them.... we're they the kind actually used in the NCL-2000 power supply circuit(just two)..and if so can these type diodes be used to replace diodes strings, making the rebuilding of power supplies in other amps so much easier..any pro and cons..BOB

W5ZIP...Well the users manual makes no mention of adjusting the deviation, or mic gain so you would probably need a service manual, but on my schematic, I notice I have R-89 a 100k pot circled on my schematic, so it is either the dev control, or the mic gain control...Of course I bought my 28A in 1987, so I don't even remember when I circled that pot on the schematic, but it must have been to enhance the audio, as in all those years the rig has never given me a lick of trouble...
   Hope that helps..if not pray for someone with a service manual...73/BOB

Thank you Lindy WW5AA for you comment on the INRAD filters...I do believe they have great filters, but I was trying to get someone who felt the same shortcomings of the 746 SSB reception, and what filters they bought that helped, and which they thought we're a waste of money...I believe there are quite a few configurations that can be configured in the 746...
   Comments and advice anyone???