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Author Topic: Dayton Hamvention 2012  (Read 37329 times)

AB1PJ

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Dayton Hamvention 2012
« on: February 13, 2012, 10:34:45 AM »

Although the hamvention is 3 days, i wonder how many days should i plan on visiting?
Do i need all 3 days or is 2 days enough or is it just 1 day. I would like to cover the flea market as well.
Any suggestions?
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KR4BD

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RE: Dayton Hamvention 2012
« Reply #1 on: February 13, 2012, 11:49:23 AM »

If you are physically able, I think a full day with the inside exhibits and another full day outside at the flea market should do it.  The best day for the flea market is Friday.  By mid-day Saturday, the flea market is often "depleated" or wiped out.  If you like attending the many outstanding seminars, you might need all three days and still not see it all!  I've been attending since 1975 and fortunately, most of the vendors are usually located at the same places each year, so pre-planning your visit can help if you know the layout. 

Also, there are many seminars that I always try to attend so I work my activities around them.   

Final Note:  Wear comfortable shoes!
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AB1PJ

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RE: Dayton Hamvention 2012
« Reply #2 on: February 13, 2012, 12:01:24 PM »

Ok,
Fri> Flea Mkt
Sat> Seminars (weekend will be packed)
Sun> Floor

Where may i find a list of seminars?
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KR4BD

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RE: Dayton Hamvention 2012
« Reply #3 on: February 13, 2012, 07:01:36 PM »

You should keep an eye on the Dayton Hamvention website.  Not all the information is posted yet, but it will be frequently updated as we get closer.  The forums run all three days, so you will have to work around them, but as noted, the best day for the flea market is Friday.

Their website:

http://www.hamvention.org/

You should also book your hotel/motel early as the best places may already be filled.  Fortunately, one of my sons lives in suburban Dayton, so I have my lodging taken care of! 

The Hamvention is the largest event that regularly comes to Dayton each year, so it will be a busy place all weekend. 

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KS2G

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RE: Dayton Hamvention 2012
« Reply #4 on: February 13, 2012, 07:52:51 PM »

If you can spare the time, take an extra day and tour the Air Force Museum at Wright-Patterson AFB"

http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/

Worth a trip to Dayton just for that!

73,
Mel - KS2G


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W8JX

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RE: Dayton Hamvention 2012
« Reply #5 on: February 14, 2012, 05:18:43 AM »

Sunday is kinda a wasted day unless you want to stay for drawing. I live near by so I go all three days but would not travel far to do 3 days. A lot of vendors pack up after Saturday inside and outside. I would say if you pick two days, Friday and Saturday. Drop off tickets for drawing and flea market friday and inside and flea market saturday
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Ham since 1969....  Old School 20wpm REAL Extra Class..

K3GM

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RE: Dayton Hamvention 2012
« Reply #6 on: February 14, 2012, 09:55:09 AM »

This is the way I do it:

Friday I spend outside.  First a fast pass, then a more thorough pass.  I also sell, so when my feet begin to hurt, I go back and sell for a little while. Late Friday afternoon I might go inside to see specific vendors; the ones I want to ask questions of and/or purchase from.  It's sometimes really quiet, and the guys you want to talk to are just standing around.

Saturday: I go inside and carefully peruse the aisles, talk with the vendors.  A long lunch and maybe an afternoon siesta in the beach chair back at our selling spaces.

Sunday: We go back and haggle for a couple hours with the diehard tailgaters before heading home. "You really don't want to take that 200' spool of seven eights Heliax back home, do you?  Let me take it off your hands.  I'll give you a hundred bucks for it....."  You can get some remarkable bargains on Sunday morning.  

Keep in mind, there are some excellent lectures available, so you have to plan to fit them in as well.  It's a busy 3 days!
« Last Edit: February 15, 2012, 04:49:59 AM by K3GM »
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N3JJT

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RE: Dayton Hamvention 2012
« Reply #7 on: February 14, 2012, 04:54:57 PM »

Well, think about this.  The flea market opens at 8 am, and the building opens at 9 am.  I do the first hour in the flea market, and if I am planning to buy anything new I do it first thing at 9, when the building opens.  Most of the time(not all the time) there are less people around on Friday, and a little easier to get around inside.  Buy new on Friday, especially if you are looking for specifics.  Not all vendors bring allot of stock with them.  Go with a plan in mind.  Then after that, I spend the rest of the day in the flea market.  Saturday I will do both.  Sunday I do not go.  This is a good plan as long as it does not rain.  Then everyone will try to get inside.  The Xyl has a cousin just outside of town, so that is where we stay.  I buy the bus pass and park at the mall, and take the bus back and forth from the gate to my car.

Hope you have fun!  73 de Scott
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N9NRA

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RE: Dayton Hamvention 2012
« Reply #8 on: February 18, 2012, 01:33:53 PM »

I would also recomend getting your tickets early (and online), i did that this year and the online site for getting tickets is realy good, got mine real fast too :).  Even though tickets probably won`t sell out, it`s a bit cheaper, ticket with a shuttle ticket is only $28 as opposed to somewhat over $30 of you get `em at the door, also better so ya don`t have to wait in line to get into the arena, which is a convienence.  73.  N9NRA  P.S.  As far as lodgings, the Dayton Tall Timbers KOA is really SWEET for a place to stay while you`re doing Hamvention, stayed there last year and it was totally stellar.
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WA2ONH

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RE: Dayton Hamvention 2012
« Reply #9 on: February 18, 2012, 02:11:55 PM »

Here's a write up by KE9V with tips for visiting Dayton

"Dayton Survival Guide" by Jeff Davis, KE9V

LINK: http://ke9v.net/articles/dayton-survival-guide.html

Wish I could join you. Enjoy!
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73 de WA2ONH  <dit dit> ... Charlie
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Never be satisfied with what you know, only with what more you can find out."
   Dr David Fairchild 1869-1954 US Scientist

W8AAZ

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RE: Dayton Hamvention 2012
« Reply #10 on: March 17, 2012, 04:40:23 PM »

Better have some really really comfortable shoes. I mean, really walk miles all day and stand around shoes, or your feet will start to feel like hamburger by closing time.  There are simply not enough places for 20,000(+/-) hams to set down, at the same time.  And have at least a compact umbrella, and a hat/headgear that is protective of long sun exposure. That should cover both possibilities.  And maybe an insulated carrier for cold liquids. Especially if it is hot.  Maybe steel toes on your shoes/boots for inside displays, as people are crowding and walking over each other in a fashion that is usually seen in only in crowded countries in the urban center. ;)   
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W8JX

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RE: Dayton Hamvention 2012
« Reply #11 on: March 18, 2012, 07:07:32 AM »

I would suggest sun screen lotion if you plan to spend a lot of time in flea market and wx is nice as just a hat will not save you. Also in 30+ years of going to hamvention, I have been rained on, snowed on, seen blistering heat and cold biting wind, seen flea market flooded with raw sewage, and even have been pushed or shoved a few times in crowds but never had a foot stepped on.
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Ham since 1969....  Old School 20wpm REAL Extra Class..

K3GM

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RE: Dayton Hamvention 2012
« Reply #12 on: March 18, 2012, 10:05:36 AM »

Yes, seeing the unfortunate fellow being levitated by a geyser of sewage, on the manhole cover that he was trying to hold down was a rare treat indeed.
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W2MV

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RE: Dayton Hamvention 2012
« Reply #13 on: April 18, 2012, 11:10:20 AM »

The past two times at Dayton, I was done by 3 PM on Friday and was a bit surprised by that.  First I do the outside area, then the inside. I remember when just attempting to finish the flea market by 6 PM/closing on Friday was a challenge. Now there are apparently more outside spaces than occupiers of those spaces, as well as parked cars who are there only to park and not sell...somewhat annoying.

In recent years I have never gone back on Saturday because there was no reason to.
It's possible I may "skim" the flea market more than some people do. I know hams who stop and look at every individual nut and bolt and I'm not one of them.

Some will probably tell me to slow down and "smell the roses" (or in this case burnt resistor) and that may be good advice.
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W5KUB

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RE: Dayton Hamvention 2012
« Reply #14 on: April 19, 2012, 07:27:37 PM »

 we are 2 weeks away from our live dayton hamvention broadcast.  For those of you that can not attend you can be there virtually by tuning in to our broadcast.

This will be our 10 th year to broadcast Dayton. Our viewers have grown to about 50,000 in over 150 countries during the last Hamvention broadcast.
Hamvention is May 18-20 but we actually go live at 1300 UTC Wed May 16th as we pull out of our driveway and broadcast the 550 mile drive live.
The video site is http://w5kub.com and we are on 365 days a year when not broadcasting a live ham event. Over the years we have had special guests on the broadcasts. We are looking for any special guests again this year. If you know someone please have them contact me. We would love to get them on the broadcast.
We have over $7000 in prizes to give out again this year to lucky viewers.  Some of our prizes are weather stations, Heil headsets, Comet CAA-500 antenna analyzers, AlphaAmp watt meters, D-star radios, yasue HTs, TenTec desk mics, G5RV antennas, and much more.  After hamvention, we will be broadcasting our 550 mile trip back to Memphis on Sunday afternoon.

 If you are in dayton please drop by and visit our broadcast. spaces are FE3407-3409  also please join our facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/279273778772594/
« Last Edit: May 06, 2012, 03:54:17 PM by W5KUB »
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