page started 4/15/11
=======================================================================
Jim - W5JCS was the first to submit a photo for this year's
HamVention - he scanned his ticket!
Here are a couple of the tickets that Keith - WA8ZWJ
received.
This is what the Flea Market pass looks like!
===========================================================
Attention IOOK!
The 30th Annual "Gathering Of The Faithful" is rapidly approaching! It will occur on Friday, May 20th starting at 6:30 PM at the Farley Flophouse Estate (N 39 54.611’ W 084 20.432’) – the address is 11312 Haber Road. Y’all plan to attend!!!
Our Flea market spaces (N 39 49.373’ W 084 15.451) are the same as the last few years: 3347, 3348, and 3349 (Now with a proceeding FW for Flea Market West) and as far as I know, Tom, W5KUB, and the rest of the Tennessee/Arkansas gang will be at FE3407, 3408 and 3409! Tom plans to have live streaming video during their travels Wednesday and during the flea market through HamVention! If you can’t make the hamfest, at least you can say hi to the gang and maybe you can win one of the prizes Tom has made arrangements for! http://w5kub.com
For prize listing see
http://tmedlin.com/dayton2011prizes.htmlWe have reservations for the all-you-can-eat buffet at Rob’s in Brookville scheduled for Saturday evening at 6:00 PM. You can also order off the menu if you prefer. Separate checks will be set up, so, no need to R.S.V.P. Just plan on being there!
The Order Form for acquiring IOOK wear was sent out a few weeks ago. I have attached an additional form. If you forgot to get your order in by the date indicated, please send me an e-mail indicating your needs and print out the form and snail mail it along with your check. Please understand, however, that I cannot guarantee delivery at HamVention. We shall cross our fingers.
You will also find a copy of the HamVention Week Planner attached to this note so you can plan your weekend. Please print this out as well so you can refer to it during the weekend!
We hope to B C N U soon! Many thanks!
Best 73, Zed W. Jay and the IOOK.
================================================================
IOOK HamVention Week 2011
8:00 AM Breakfast at California Garden
9:00 AM – WA8ZWJ and N8KXM meet W5KUB and the
Tennessee/Arkansas gang in the flea market
to set the floors and the van storage unit
5:30 PM - 7:30 PM Dinner at Toll House Tavern
Rt 48 in Union (N 39 54.013' W 084 18.389')
7:30 PM Trip to flea market to set up booth and dump
stuff into the van
6:15 AM - 7:00 AM - Breakfast at California Garden
Shiloh Springs Rd. across from the
Salem Mall near Hara Arena
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM - Flea Market open
9:00 AM – 6:00 PM – Indoor Exhibits open
6:30 PM - 9:30 PM - "30th Gathering of the Faithful"
6:15 AM - 7:00 AM - Breakfast at California Garden
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM - Flea Market Open
8:00 AM – 5:00 PM – Indoor Exhibits open
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM - Dinner at Rob's Restaurant
Banquet Room - 705 Arlington Road,
Brookville See ZWJ 4 maps (N 39 50.588' W 084 25.499')
7:00 AM - 7:45 AM - Breakfast at California Garden
8:00 AM - 1:00 PM - Flea Market Open
8:00 AM – 1:00 PM – Indoor Exhibits open
5:30 PM Pizza Dinner at Marion's Piazza - Englewood
Rt 40 in the K-Mart Shopping Center (N 39 52.531' W 084 18.607')
======================================================================
HamVention preparations laid out on the pool table.
Cigar bands cut out and ready to be put on the cigars...
Cigars are ready for the 30th Annual Gathering Of The
Faithful!
============================================================================
Today, a little after noon, Ti-Michelle - NJ6T arrived and parked her motor home at Lou - N8KXM's.
John - N5AAA and Jan - KA9VQS arrived a couple of hours later and parked their motor home at Keith - WA8ZWJ and Marian - WD8CJD's.
Yep! More rain....
The seven of us went to dinner at Tony's Italian. Here are a couple shots by Ti-Michelle from the dinner.
As you can see, no fun was had at all!
Not pictured was N8KXM.
After dinner the gang came back to ZWJ's and Keith finally delivered Ti-Michelle's shirt that Ron - W6KJ had purchased for her that was supposed to be presented at the Yuma Hamfest. Yeah, ZWJ forgot to take it along for the trip.
We had a dandy visit Tuesday evening.
============================================================================
John - N5AAA laying on the hands to my neighbor, Ted's
laptop that was quite sick. I am happy to say that it is making fine
progress and ought to be well soon!
Here is John working on Bill - KA8ZBW's Ubuntu/Xastir APRS
machine.
This afternoon WA8ZWJ went up to Lou - N8KXM's to load
floors and while there he took a snap shot of Ti-Michelle - NJ6T's motor home.
Here's Lou's pickup truck with the floors loaded.
This afternoon ZWJ and AAA went to the airport to pick up Hoss
- WA5ZAI.
The good news is Hoss's flight was on time and all was
OK! Our pick up went without difficulty!
John was exhausted from a full day playing Mr.
Computer! So, he took a short nap before dinner.
After dinner we came back to the Farley Flophouse and
checked into the IOOK Wednesday night 40 Meter sked.
Here's John talking to the guys on the net.
Here's Hoss chatting with the guys on the net!
Here's John working on ZWJ's Ubuntu/Xastir APRS
machine! He is the Xastir Master!
============================================================================
We got started off with a dandy breakfast at the California
Garden
L to R - N8DRM, WA8ZWJ, NJ6T, N8KXM, WB8WIQ, WA5ZAI, N5AAA, K1MAX
Then we met up with Tom, W5KUB and his gang!
Then we went about unloading our flea market floors
Then it was time to line up the van and set up the antenna
support
Here Lou checks for the level with his I-Phone app
After going to the store to purchase vittles for lunches,
we returned to the Farley Flophouse and it wasn't long before Ted - KD8BXJ and
Dottie - KD8BXK arrived!
While Ted and Dottie were setting up out front, Bob - N0BIX
arrived!
Some visiting at the Farley Flophouse prior to dinner.
Here are our Toll House Tavern waitresses!
The IOOK has a welcoming committee at the Toll House.
JoAnne - N6YLO, Bob - N0BIX, Ron - W6KJ
Here! Have another beer! OK! I think I
will!
WA5FLT, W8TVC, KB8FJB (back), AE5CJ
Big Al - KB8FJB (back) meets Little Al - AE5CJ
KA8SFL, Sandi, Jane, N8KXM
Stan - N5JFQ (green) and Aaron - AD5JK (brown?)
Dinner in progress.
Hoss is asking Stan, "Where the hell is Mike Salem?"
Max - K1MAX, Big Al, KB8FJB
Charlie is all smiles at the Toll House.
Once things broke up at the Toll House, a bunch of the guys headed to the flea market to finish setting up the booth.
Ted - KD8BXJ, John - N5AAA, Lou - N8KXM
Joe - N8BYT on left
Charlie - NN3V, Ron, NA6RS
While the guys worked on the booth, some more visiting went on back at the Farley Flophouse.
Jack the cat Farley....
============================================================================
The early gang met at the California Garden for breakfast.
L to R - WA5ZAI, NA6RS, NN3V, N5AAA, KA5UPM
L to R - N8BYT, KD8OEA, N8KXM, NJ6T, WA8ZWJ
Our waitress, Nancy!
K1MAX
N8DRM
After breakfast the gang headed to the flea market.
Here's Charlie - NN3V with the BOCE Phone.
Here's the link to the YouTube video for the BOCE Phone:
We begin setting things out on the sales tables.
Tad - KC5DPT
WB8NSL & KE8NK
N8KXM & WA8MSD
KB3QLS
N8ADN
KA8ZBW
AE5CJ & WA5FLT
KK8O
WB8VSU
Man! Do you believe how blue the sky was?
Friday: the 2011 Hamvention opens with a little surprise from Yaesu.
KA9VQS & WD8CJD
Wow! A really OLD radio! Truly
"Yesterday's Technology!"
N7LMJ & KF8KK
Flex Radio Systems shows off their SDR (software defined radio), the Flex-5000.
KI8MET
A new DV Dongle is released for DStar.
WN5TL
Our lunch chefs - L to R - KB8FJB, W8TVC & NN3V
It's great to see Charlie making sandwiches.
Enjoying an after lunch cigar.
AD5JK
Only at Dayton. (By the way, it's a crank-up tower on the hard hat)
WA5ZAI
Keith is thinking a little Jim Beam would be nice right now.
Icom's IC-7700.
L to R - KD8BXJ, KD8BXK & WA8MSD
N8TQ
Hoss is relaxing after lunch and telling tall stories.
W8RKO
Tom, W5KUB, is at the computer ensuring the Live Streaming is working properly.
W6KJ
W6RBM
Back at the Live Streaming booth Tom (W5KUB) is interviewing Astronaut Doug
Wheelock.
KC4US
KD8AIZ
KB0HH
W9KD & KC9EJB
One great T Shirt!
NJ6T
W8AK
KJ6RA
Our Flow Chairman, W8ED
KA8ZSB & KC9EKU
Another great T shirt!
Here's Bob - N0BIX with his camcorder. Holy smokes! Is that a
squirrel on his camera?
Here are some of the gals visiting prior to dinner.
W8ED had special IOOK M&M's made to commemorate the
30th Gathering!
He said he had a devil of a time getting them to feed through his printer!
Here's the line for folks to get all fed up!
Aaron has that "ET phone home" finger going!
Dinner on the patio
After dinner stories
Keith calling the meeting to order.
Hmm...I didn't think we had any meetings!
N0BIX has the camera rolling
Chuck - N8ADN took a couple of minutes to tell a bit about
the first Gathering of the Faithful back 30 years ago and then some of the
highlights that have brought us to present day. Nicely done Chuck!
Thanks!
Chuck starts off noting this is the 30th Anniversary of The
Gathering and gives a brief history. (I have no clue what Al is looking at
up in the air)
==============
The following group of shots and the comments within are from Dave - K3CRF
Candle lighting ceremony is begun...
(many of the captions for these photos come from Stan - N5JFQ)
Charlie passes out cigars to celebrate the 30th Anniversary
After a moment of silence and the lighting of cigars, Keith
gets the Awards Program started. Flat KBob is monitoring the festivities in
the corner.
The group anxiously awaits the first award presentation.
It's Alaska Rich
Rich is now working in Red Dog Alaska!
Joe Garland - WA5FLT
...7 foot tall rack in a 6 foot tall building!
Joe Garland again with one from Hoss.
Joe Garland shows off his Bunkhouse BBQ hat that Hoss just presented to him
Chuck - N8ADN is award the Publish Or Perish Award...
Stan being awarded the "Curses, Foiled Again"
award.
Lew - KC4US gets the "Cold Solder Joint" Award
John - N5AAA gets the "Recognized At Ft. Wayne"
and "Xastir Master" Awards.
Randy - KD8OEA (ex - AB8CO) gets the "My License
Expired When?" Award
John - KF8KK gets the "Retail Johnny" Award
Dave - W8TVC gets the "Mr. Reliable" Award
Chas - KA8UPM gets the "So Sue Me" Award
Thanks to Fast Eddie - W8ED for being the "Flow
Master"! Cheers!
Mike - N7LMJ is being awarded the "Oops, My Bad!"
Award.
A very special thanks to Mike for sponsoring the IOOK web site.
Lou - N8KXM is awarded the "Sump Pump Master"
award.
Hoss - WA5ZAI is awarded the "I don't want no stinking
award!" award!
Charlie - NN3V is being awarded the "New
Technology" award for his contributions to the IOOK Technology Center.
Now that's a ground strap!
John - KF8KK explains how he managed to find the
Retroincabulator Tuning Tool to Charlie - NN3V and the IOOK.
Reading the inscription...
Charlie proudly poses with his new Retroincabulator Tuning
Tool!
N0BIX to Keith, have you ever heard of the "Hall of Fame?"
N0BIX to Keith, well you the man!
As KBob peers over his shoulder, Keith poses with his award.
Suitable for framing.
I'm not sure what Keith is saying here. Maybe its, "I'm a Hall
of Fame'er person so you go fetch me a drink."
(ed. note - I thought N0BIX would get the award...)
Many thanks to the IOOK for honoring me with the first IOOK Hall Of Fame Award. You are all too generous!
Meeting adjourned, Good Night everybody, go have some cake.
Here are a couple of IOOK Badges that were handed out Friday evening to those who ordered them as well as the IOOK wear that had been ordered.
This is a shot of the tuning tool for the Retroincabulator
that John - KF8KK found and presented to Charlie - NN3V.
============================================================================
As usual, the early guys met at the California Garden at 6:15 AM.
Nancy was dressed in her IOOK T shirt!
L to R - KA9VQS, N5AAA, N8KXM, NJ6T, NN3V, WA8ZWJ, KA8PBB,
WA5ZAI, NA6RS, N8BYT, N0BIX
Our late comers - N8DRM and K1MAX
N8KXM helping Nancy with coffee serving...
After breakfast we are off to the flea market...
Setting up the sales items...
Here Charlie - NN3V displays his tuning tool for the
Retroincabulator that was found and presented by KF8KK at the Gathering.
Charlie shipped it home as he didn't want to have to explain it when he went
through the check points for his flight home.
Hmm - not sure who N5AAA is talking with...
K9XA
Alinco's new handie-talkie that covers only the 900 MHz and
220 MHz bands.
One of the interesting things for Dayton 2011 are the 100 dollar, Chinese made, dual-band handie-talkies.
This one is $105.00 from
Wouxun.
N5MS was interested in this new product from Elecraft, a new
low power 160 - 6 meter hand-held HF transceiver. It weighs 1.5 pounds.
Well this vendor's photo is self-explanatory.
W8TVT
N2FOE
N9AYD
N8KXM has some fun patting down one of his police buddies
as they patrol the flea market!
Bengal Kitty...
Kitty Cart...
KA0AZS
The talk of the day was the plumbing problem which overflowed into the flea market - thank goodness we were not downwind!
de N5JFQ - "Flea Market disaster is looming. As Hara Arena personnel block the aisles, vendors quickly move their tables out of the watery substance which turned out to be RAW SEWAGE! All inside restrooms in the arena were closed to reduce the back-up."
That's not "water" on the blacktop!
Crews found the "clean-out" pipe that was releasing the ugly
mess and started the clean-up that took all afternoon.
The blockage was way out at the main line located in the golf
course, so some heavy equipment was required.
Just be happy these photos are not more graphic than they are and this is not
smell me Internet!
de N5JFQ "I was surprised at the number of people that would walk
through the mess or stayed in their booths sitting in chairs. Hence this sign from someone with a sense of humor.
W8CRM
Luis - XE1L gives that "What, me worry?"
expression as he visits with the IOOK at the booth!
Brennon and Bev
WB8VSU
"Sheesh! I was sitting with my microphone tucked in my belt and
did not realize I was transmitting on 442.850 simplex until my battery ran
down!"
Charlie and Da Bear set their internal GPS for which way to
head to the car. It seems they missed breakfast with the gang because the
turned the wrong way and got lost on their way to breakfast.
Which one is wrong way Carrigan? They both are!
Astronaut Doug Wheelock stopped by Tom's Live Streaming booth
twice during the Hamvention. Here they are watching the chat room on the laptop and answering questions.
On Saturday after a second live interview he autographed several pics and I thought this one was rather interesting.
The youngster,
KJ4SLS, was out of school for several days to make the trip to Dayton from Florida.
He got an autographed note from the Astronaut to his teacher to be excused from class.
Pretty cool! I wonder if it worked?
N8KXM while Flat KBob watches over flea market activities!
The flea market is winding down....
Boarding the bus and heading for the KOA...
This car caught N0BIXie's attention on his way back to the
Farley Flophouse from the flea market.
"Hmm, it is working OK now. I wonder why it
didn't work earlier? Is a puzzlement!"
We are off to dinner at Rob's!
A long view of the IOOK dining at Rob's on Saturday night.
Our waitresses at Rob's!
KB0HH & KC5DPT
KD5EKX & K5TDN
If you didn't get "All Fed Up" it wasn't Rob's
fault!
Keith is discussing plans for Sunday morning.
Hmm - the check out line is a long one - I think I will
visit a while longer!
Fast Eddie took a couple of shots back at the Farley Flophouse after dinner...
Eddie admires his handiwork!
Eddie's special M&M's are disappearing...
============================================================================
Guess what? We had breakfast at the California Garden Sunday morning! Yee haw!
Anyone for some Tabasco Sauce?
Somebody wake Tad up!
It is a darned shame there ain't no fun being had here!
Hmm - how does the coffee stay in the cup at that angle?
Top Left - Lou helps Nancy with the coffee serving!
Thanks Lou!
Here's a shot of KC4US's camper that he took Sunday morning
before heading to the hamfest.
OK! Once we were all "Fed Up" it was time to head to the flea market....again! :-)
Sessil B. Da Pauly checking out some very old technology.
Another funny T shirt...
I wonder how Rich managed to get that in his suitcase?
Tom - W5KUB checks out a technology radio while Freddie
backs him up.
Lou demonstrates the Snaggletooth Technology for the BOCE
Phone.
Our lunch chef crew hard at work...again!
Randy - KD8OEA's granddaughter, Sasha, having fun at the
IOOK Booth.
Time to load up the leftovers...
The antenna is down.
Interesting design the peanut shells left on the ground
once the floors were loaded on Lou's truck...
Here's the clean up, load up and pack up crew!
Back at the Farley Flophouse for some quality visit time
before dinner.
Marion's Piazza - here we come!
David, KC8UAW makes his appearance for the weekend!
OK! The IOOK is all "Fed Up" again! Now we head back to the Farley Flophouse!
Here's one to add to our license plate collection...
Enjoying the suds and visiting some more...
Yep! It's a daggone shame no fun was had this weekend! Har!
=============
After we got back from dinner we got this e-mail from Stan - N5JFQ about their trip towards home:
"Tornado on the ground in Joplin, MO. We got off of the highway just in time and went to the north side of Joplin.
We were probably within less than a mile of the tornado as it crossed I-44 in front of us.
This pic is some of the damage off of 32nd street on the west side of Joplin.
We had to drive west into Kansas before we could get around the damage trail.
We then went south back into Oklahoma. There are live reports on the Weather Channel right now.
If you see reports of damage on Range Line Rd. that's where we went north to avoid it.
And luckily we didn't get any hail damage as far we can tell. It's 7:20 pm and we are safely back on the highway.
Stan"
This is the bridge in Joplin that we stopped under to get away
from the hail. At this point we had cleared the tornado path. Joe and Al
were right behind us. By the way, never hide under a bridge like this to get
away from a tornado. With 200+ mph winds there is no protection between the
steel beams.
Some misc. damage we saw in Joplin. I read where several
people were killed on the Interstate as they drove into the blinding
rainstorm unaware the tornado was in the middle of it.
Man! What a trip home!
===========================================================================
Monday morning N5AAA and WA8ZWJ took WA5ZAI to the airport so he could check in by 6:30 AM.
Then we picked up the gang and headed back to Rob's for breakfast.
N0BIXie drove to breakfast because he was heading west after he got Fed Up!
After breakfast, KC4US stopped by so we could save his pictures and then N5AAA and WA8ZWJ headed to N8KXM's for John to look at Lou's Ubuntu/Xastir machine. While N5AAA worked, N8KXM and NJ6T visited with him and ZWJ took a nap on Lou's spare couch upstairs. Because ZWJ was in a fog and AAA and KXM would not pose for a re-enactment, no photos were taken. :-)
=============================================================================
Post HamVention Note 2011:
Hello IOOK!
Yep, another HamVention has come and gone. This note is a bit later getting out than usual because Hoss and Keith had to get up early Monday morning to get Hoss to the airport in time to catch his flight back home. Thanks to John – N5AAA for riding along and keeping Hoss company while he got checked in.
Wow! Three fantastic, wonderful, amazing, incredible days of delightful weather and fun and fellowship! Considering what we have had here recently, those three days were anything but the normal weather! Of course, now that HamVention is over, we had rain this morning and there are a number of tornado warnings and more rain going on this evening.
The
It was great to see Charlie – NN3V
after missing three years due to his illness!
His contributions to the
Probably most notable amongst all the new toys acquired by IOOK’ers was the new repeater system purchased by the BARF (Benzie Amateur Radio Friends). Wow! A full sized 8 cavity duplexer for two meters and a new repeater as well! Fantastic!
A special thanks to all who attended HamVention 2011.
For those of you who were unable to attend, please begin your planning now so you can join the gang next year! Next year’s dates are May 18, 19 and 20, 2012.
We certainly had a fun time at the 30th annual “Gathering Of The Faithful!” I hope to get the HamVention pictures posted to the web site later this week.
Good luck to the
Best 73,
Keith – WA8ZWJ
John – N5AAA
==============================================================================
Tuesday morning N5AAA and WA8ZWJ headed to KA8ZBW's to set up and organize Bill's new to him Ubuntu/Xastir APRS machine.
John is plugging in wires on the back of Bill's new
machine.
Bill watching from the center of his "Master
Control".
John is making minor adjustments to the Ubuntu/Xastir APRS
machine
John is making minor adjustments to Bill's router and so
on...
A very special thanks to John - N5AAA for all the computer work his did during his stay! It is much appreciated!
=====
Tuesday evening we got this note from Joseph, WA5FLT in Calumet, Oklahoma:
"We are ok here! The tornado passed by four miles South of us. To many idiots out looking right now.
I will get pictures tomorrow after coffee.
It did take out the old hamburger joint (vacant for years) at the 270 / 66 junction, the Calumet "Y", surplus/farm store/grain elevator, even a cell phone tower.
Looks like it missed the refinery just East.
Inflow here at the house was ninety miles per hour or better, medium size hail.
Keep safe, Joseph"
=====
Later that evening we got this note from Jim - W5JCS:
"Missed us in Stillwater. I was coming back from Tulsa. Mom is in a private Rehab Facility that looks like a country club. I just got a call and they were evacuating to their storm shelter.
Two aircraft sustained major damage when one flipped over into the other. I have photos. The storm has moved through here with little damage not even tree limbs down on our street."
============================================================================
John - N5AAA headed out this morning for Indiana to visit with relatives there and, after the holiday, he and Jan will head back to Tennessee.
Wow! What a fun packed week it has been! It has really flown by!
=====
Early Wednesday morning I received this note from Jim - W5JCS:
"Here are a couple of photos of damage at our local airport. I was driving back from Tulsa and parked under a overpass a couple times. Good thing there is not much traffic on the Cimarron Turnpike. There was NO tree damage in Stillwater. No branches down or leaves covering the streets.
Jim"
=============
Later Wednesday morning I received this note from Stan - N5JFQ:
"All is well here. While I was at work the massive tornado was headed due east towards our part of town I called home and said grab the dog and get sheltered. However, it turned northeasterly and took out some other suburban areas. Aaron went out with some friends that are storm chasers. His friend, Chad, was on the local ABC station and Aaron made a video of him on the set which is the link below.
I heard from Joe Garland by phone and they are okay.
After the storm passed I went up into the Piedmont area to search houses and cars. I got home about 10 pm with my uniform covered in mud."
"Here are a couple pics I took from the Piedmont area yesterday evening.
The first one is the Piedmont Fire Chief's house and vehicle. The second one is a safe room made of Kevlar that held up.
By the way, tornado chances this afternoon are high for areas in Arkansas and east, going up into the Ohio area. Be "weather aware!""
"Here is another safe room, made of concrete walls.
More photos and video at the news9.com website and koco.com also NewsOK.com.
Stan"
=========
I sure am glad our Oklahoma friends are OK.
=========
I got this note from Ti-Michelle - NJ6T on her way back to Yuma from HamVention Wednesday evening:
"Between getting lost more times than I have fingers and toes to count on and my duties at the ARRL and all the "talk story" at the flea market, I had a Ball. Many thanks to Lou, N8KXM and his lovely wife for the parking spot and taking care of Loki while I was out. To Keith for his warmth and charm and for hosting the "Gathering". I enjoyed meeting all in attendance. Hope to see you all in Feb in Yuma.
Got slammed by the storms in Oklahoma yesterday and scarred out of my britches near Tulsa (made it to a overpass just as the funnel touched down 500 ft behind me). I am now in Las Cruces, NM for a bit of rest and heading to Yuma later tonight.
73, NJ6T"
===========
Dang! Another close call! Too much of that stuff is going around! Mother Nature can calm down any time!
Our thoughts and prayers go out to all the tornado victims.
===========
I want to thank all who contributed photos for the web page!
They were: AD5JK, K3CRF, KC4US, KF8KK, N0BIX, N5JFQ, NJ6T, W5JCS, W8ED and WA8ZWJ.
===========
OK - I think I am done! I will post this and see if anyone catches any of my mistakes!
Best wishes to all!
73 & 88, Keith, WA8ZWJ
