added September 9, 2013
This was the 71st anniversary of the Findlay Hamfest!
Keith - WA8ZWJ and Marian - WD8CJD left the Dayton area Saturday afternoon and headed towards Findlay for a weekend get away. After checking into our room we stopped by the hamfest site and purchased our flea market spaces and personal admission tickets. Then we did some stops that Marian likes to do when we are in Findlay.
When we got back to the hotel Marian went up to the room and Keith decided to finish a cigar he had started while we were running around. There were a couple of guys sitting in lawn chairs on the sidewalk a short distance from where Keith parked the van and he decided to visit with them and talk cigars a bit. He noticed that both vehicles in front of them had antennas on them as well. What a surprise he was to have!
When Keith introduced himself, the guys said "That guy going up the sidewalk is KG8CO." Then they introduced themselves. Keith said "Hey! I know Mike - KG8CW and that call - KG8CO sounds mighty familiar!" It turns out that while Keith was in Michigan during August he had overheard Mike - KG8CW and Bryan - KG8CO talking on the local repeaters while Bryan was visiting up there. Mike and Bryan are friends from way back! Keith knew that Mike and Bryan had met for dinner in Frankfort and had done the Buckley Steam show as well from the conversations overheard on the repeater!
L to R - Don - N8AMM, Brian - KG8CO and Ted
- K8AQM
What a small world! We had a great visit!
Here's a shot of Keith - WA8ZWJ that Brian - KG8CO took and
sent to Mike - KG8CW.
This is Jeff - N8CC who was along with the
guys for the hamfest trip!
Very early Sunday morning Keith and Marian headed to the hamfest. During "boat anchor hour" while it was still dark and we were trying to set things up, Keith made his first sale. It was Lynn - WB9TSC's TS-520s that had been to at least 3 HamVentions and 2 trips to Yuma! Yee haw! That is one more rather heavy item that won't be toted to more hamfests!
It is daylight and the booth is now ready
for the day's activities! Of course, Flat KBob is watching over the
proceedings!
L to R - Flat KBob, Keith WA8ZWJ and Marian - WD8CJD!
Happy birthday Marian!
Stoney (Jim) - WB8JIM had set up his booth
right behind us!
Before too long Glenn - W8AK and Audrey - KC8DTM had arrived!
Audrey - KC8DTM
Glenn - W8AK
Here's Bill - N8TQ! Keith caught him with his eyes
closed and mouth open!
This is George - WD8NHI
Then Lou - N8KXM arrived!
Keith had purchased spaces for Glenn and Lou and was holding them for them. Lou had not been parked in his space very long before he sold the tower he had brought to sell! Such a deal!
This is Joe - KD8GIL. He rode with
Glenn and Audrey.
Here's a look of our group all of set up together.
Here's Rick - KK8O! The O stand for
Observer!
Here's an action shot of Keith working the
table. Thanks to Lou for taking this shot.
Here's Mary Anne - W8VWY and Jay - WB8TKL! Mary Anne's father, Marion, was the key person who got
the Benzie machine operational in Michigan and he was the original leader of the
BARF (Benzie Amateur Radio Friends) group! Mary Anne adopted his call sign
after Marion passed away.
Wynn - W6CDR
Here's a parting look at Bill - N8TQ and Rick - KK8O as
they make their last pass through the flea market on their way back to the car
to head towards home.
The overcast skies do not make for great photos but they certainly kept us from being nearly as hot as we had expected to be! We did have one of Hoss's 6 inch rains as we were packing things up. Hoss's 6 inch rain means there are 6 inches between the rain drops on the windshield! As you can see by the photos, we were right across from one of the restrooms in the fairgrounds and that undoubtedly contributed to our successful selling day! Lots of items were sold off the table that day!
We had a really fun day getting to see a lot of folks that we don't normally get to see very often!
Keith and Marian finished their Findlay Hamfest trip up with a trip to Stevi B's Pizza Buffet! Glenn and Audrey left the hamfest a bit earlier and their entourage had just left Stevi B's when Keith and Marian were leaving the Fairgrounds.
Happy Birthday Marian!
Thanks to all who made this a fun weekend get away!
Respectfully submitted, Keith - WA8ZWJ
