I am planning on going to the Dayton Hamvention this year. My plan is to go once every 50 years, and I went the last time (and only time) in 1975. Being that it is 2025, that makes 50 years.
I have some stuff to sell. Some of it belongs to the club. I have some other odds and ends that I haven’t used or needed in years, and likely never will use again, so time to let them go. I have 53 years of QST magazines, but I seem to still be attached to them. I did recently refer to an old article for a construction project. I know I could have gotten the article from the ARRL archive, but it was handy to have the thing right here. I have some 73 and CQ magazines from the 1970s as well. I don’t know if anyone buys those anymore at hamfests. I could just give them away I guess.
Not sure what this years hamvention will be like. There will probably be no Canadians there, and I can’t blame them. Who knows what the economy will be doing by then. I’ll be optimistic.
Anyway, it leads me to remember my visit there in 1975. I was attending Monroe Community College at the time. I was in the MCC Amateur Radio Club, WB2GNR, and spent most of my free time there while at school. I had met several friends there, including Joe Adams, WA2YEZ. Another friend Gary, WA2ZJI (now N2HPL) was someone I had known since first grade. He also was attending MCC and in the club. We were all active in the local 2 meter FM scene at the time. Somehow, we decided to go to Dayton.
Somewhere in the house I have my ticket stub, but can’t locate it at the minute. I do have this sticker shown here that has been on a table-top for 50 years. This was my shack desk for many years, which I now use as an electronic workbench in my shack. My Dad and I picked it up at 84 Lumber. It is actually a door that I painted and we mounted legs on it. I put ham related bumper stickers and my callsign on it, plus this Dayton sticker.
Joe, Gary and I headed to Dayton in Joe’s red Chevy Vega in mid-April, 1975. The speed limit was 55 MPH back then, so it was not a quick trip. We knew some other friends going there, and we ended up crossing paths with them at a rest stop along the way. We were either on FM simplex or one of the repeaters along the route. I recall hearing a repeater with a courtesy beep for the first time.
A few months ago I came across a piece of paper where Joe had written down the hotel information. The Crossroads of America Motel. 845 East National Road, Vandalia, OH 45377. Junction of route 75 and US 440. I don’t remember much. We were under age 21, and could not drink in Ohio. Except for something called near beer. Gary and Joe did get some, but I did not partake.
As far as the hamfest, the flea market was huge. Back then the Rochester Hamfest was pretty good, but this flea market was maybe 3 times bigger. Inside the arena, it was crowded and hard to get close to anything. I remember Dentron, Atlas, and Signal One being popular back then. I don’t remember any of us buying anything substantial. At least I didn’t. I think we only went on Saturday. I’m not sure, but it may have just started to expand to Sunday. Not sure if the flea market was open on Friday or not. I’m pretty sure we only stayed one night.
So I am looking forward to going back, kind of. I am not a great traveler, and not looking forward to gathering up all the stuff to sell and researching value, etc. But I am sure once there that I will enjoy the experience, and maybe even buy something this time!
