- 2024
- Oct
- 7
Photos from The Scioto Valley Amateur Radio Club Hamfest 2024
This was a show I’d never been to. It’s certainly a local thing, with a few rows of vendors and a good, but light crowd. Regardless, there was some of that cool stuff you get at shows like this, and I picked up a few books and a boat anchor for my collection of things that hold the floor on the ground. It’s close enough that I’ll probably go next year as well.
Here’s what I saw at the show:
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On the way home, we stopped at a place I didn’t know still existed - one of the few remaining Rax Restaurants.
Next show is the MARC show at the MAPS hanger near North Canton. See you there!
- 2024
- Oct
- 5
Some notes from The Scioto Valley Amateur Radio Club Hamfest
I grabbed a friend and headed down to this show earlier today. It was a pretty small event, but that’s the kind of thing I like to go to - you never know what you’re going to find. We even stopped at (the last?) Rax on the way home.
I didn’t pick up much - some books, some parts, and this Heathkit Audio generator with a parts donor unit.
I’m asking it for 60Hz, and getting 59.7. That’s pretty good for a piece of 50 year old equipment. It’s a simple capacitive oscillator, so there’s not much to go wrong - exactly what you need for your bench. It’s certainly in need of service, but what do you expect?
Pictures from the event are on the way, so stay tuned!
- 2024
- Sep
- 24
Pictures from the 2024 Cleveland Hamfest.
As stated earlier, this was my first time attending this show, and I didn’t leave unhappy. It consisted of about 4 rows of vendors in the parking lot, and a small building mostly full of vendors. There was certainly plenty to look at, and prices were generally very reasonable. Everyone was willing to deal, so I’ll blame that for my haul.
The fairgrounds are tucked behind some houses, so we had to make a go-round and get back to the entrance, having turned the wrong direction the first time. But no big deal, we arrived at 8:15 and spent about three hours browsing the warm, sunlit aisles of stuff.
The trip home warranted a stop in Coshocton for lunch and a brew at Wooly Pig, a place I highly suggest you check out if you are in to that sort of thing
Here’s what you’re waiting for, all of the things I saw at the show.
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Next show may be Piketon, that’s a “If I feel like it” thing. You can check out directions to that show by clicking this link.
Regardless, there’s also MARCS and Fort Wayne, as well as the Antique Show at the state fairgrounds to come. See you there!
- 2024
- Sep
- 24
The Scioto Valley Amateur Radio Club Hamfest
I’ve attended a lot of shows this year, mostly because I’m unsure as to what’s going to happen later - if some sort of unrest begins, that may cancel shows for a while. So … git while the getting’s good, I guess!
I’m not sure if I’ve been to this one, I seem to remember a small show in Southern Ohio that I went to back in the 90s, my first small “Not Dayton” hamfest. It had some decent things, but was a really small show - I still have the big NIXIE counter purchased from that event.
Regardless, “If I Feel Like It,” I’m going to head down there and check it out.
The Scioto Valley Amateur Radio Club Hamfest
Saturday October 5th 2024
8A - 12P
Admission $5
Pike County Fairgrounds
311 Mill Street
Piketon, OH 45661
https://www.arrl.org … radio-club-hamfest-2
There’s not really a lot of information on this one beyond the date and location, if you need to know more please email the club’s officers.
- 2024
- Sep
- 24
Pictures from the Cleveland Hamfest are on the way.
I was pleasantly pleased by the Cleveland Hamfest. There were quite a few vendors there, and some good things to see.
I’m processing pictures, but life got in the way last night and I couldn’t finish them…stay tuned!
- 2024
- Sep
- 19
The 50th Annual Cleveland Hamfest is happening this weekend.
The 50th Annual Cleveland Hamfest (And Computer Show) is happening this weekend.
I’ve never been to this one, so I’m not sure what to expect - but 50 years worth seems to indicate that it’s well attended enough to keep going.
I decided to check it out because prices this year have been incredibly cheap due to the bad economy, and it’s giving me a chance to pick up some things I’ve wanted but couldn’t afford in the past. I’m also looking towards things getting really strange later - who knows what’s going to happen and how it’s going to affect this stuff. Get it in now while it’s available!
The Cleveland Hamfest and Computer Show
Berea Fairgrounds, Eastland Entrance
160 Eastland Rd
Berea, OH 44107
September 22 2024
8A - 12P
https://www.hac.org/
- 2024
- Sep
- 11
A couple more Ohio shows that I may get to…
There’s a couple of smaller shows I’ve been considering checking out - and with the prices on stuff being good this year, it may be worth the time.
The first is the Cleveland Hamfest. This is the 50th show, according to the promotional material. It also claims to be a computer show, but I expect the only things you’ll see now are vintage machines and used devices.
The 50th Annual Cleveland Hamfest and Computer Show
Sunday, September 22nd, 2024
8AM - 12PM
Admission is $10
Berea Fairgrounds - Eastland Road Entrance
160 Eastland Road
Berea OH 44107
https://www.hac.org/
The other show is the MARC Hamfest in Green, Ohio (Near North Canton.) This one is held in the main hanger / event hall of a local air museum, so it may be worth the go just to see the museum grounds as well. Pictures suggest it’s pretty well attended, but we’ll see with the economy being crap:
MARC Hamfest
Sunday, October 27th, 2024
8AM - 1PM
Admission is $10 (I think!)
Military Air Preservation Hangar
2260 International Parkway
Green OH 44232
http://w8np.net
MARC has some cool merch for the show, you can check that out here: https://praise-servi … printify.me/products
I’ve never been to either of these shows, so I have no idea what to expect. I’ll have pictures of both events to post (assuming I can go) and I’ll see you there!
- 2024
- Sep
- 9
The Findlay Radio Club 2024 Hamfest
The day couldn’t have been any more perfect for this show - it barely got above mid 70s.
However, the show was substantially smaller this year, which is something I’ve noticed about the regional shows as we get further into 2024. There’s just not as many vendors showing up. That could be because the economy is turning to crap - some of these guys just come to see friends and BS with people, the sales being a “hey I made some cash, nice!” side effect. The crashing economy also seems to have reduced prices - I picked up some things that would have been a lot more expensive just a few years ago (and still are being sold on eBay for outrageous sums!)
Regardless, there were still some things to be seen and had, and this show rarely disappoints. This is some of the good stuff I looked at this year.
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Next show is either the Massillon show - if I can get to it, or the Fort Wayne show, which always rounds out the year for my fest-goings.
See you there!
- 2024
- Sep
- 2
The 2024 Findlay Radio Club Hamfest is this weekend.
The Findlay Hamfest is probably the second largest one I attend throughout the year, and (if not raining) covers a decent portion of the Hancock County Fairgrounds. There’s always some good stuff to see at this one, and usually some really good prices.
Findlay Radio Club Hamfest
Where:
Hancock County Fairgrounds
1017 E. Sandusky St.
Findlay, Ohio 45839
When:
Sunday, September 8 2024
8A - 1PM-ish
How Much:
Admission is $10, you can buy print-it-yourself tickets ahead of time.
Club Website
Buy tickets or table space here
See you there!
- 2024
- Aug
- 31
Pictures from the 2024 Johnstown Swappers Day
Saturday threatened rain all morning, and that seemed to keep the crowds down this year - the roads were relatively clear on the way home. In contrast, last year was backed up for miles in every direction with people trying to get in.
We arrived fairly early, and some of the vendors hadn’t opened yet, but we wandered the aisles, had some Bourbon Chicken and Fried stuff, and managed to see it all. Most was just flea market stuff, but there was some cool things on site.
This Admiral console radio was in pretty good shape for it’s age.
For your 1812 Overture re-enactments.
An adorable miniature bulldozer. It’s low, maybe this was for use in a mine? (No, these were sold to the general consumer as a small piece of equipment. There were other attachments for it as well.)
A nice looking Edison Home unit with crane and witch hat horn. Did not pull the top off to look at it.
A clear Aladdin Beehive, and a pink and clear Aladdin Corinthian lamp. They were priced appropriately.
A Ford Model T. Price: 29k
A Sears Silvertone Trans-Oceanic clone. It was in ok shape, didn’t see the inside.
A nice Silvertone console radio. The eye tube was inside, but was laying on the chassis.
Standard of Ohio vanished in 1984 when purchased by BP.
A couple of old phones. The spotlight in the box beside them went home with me.
A real spinning wheel.
I suspect this was from a mine, but it was amusing regardless. (It’s from an oilfield, from what I’ve seen.)
It looked like it was going to rain about 11AM, so we finished up and headed home.