updated 3/6/15
Keith - WA8ZWJ left home near Dayton after lunch Sunday.
He spent the night near Brownsville, Tennessee.
Monday morning he headed towards Memphis and met Max -K1MAX for breakfast!
Max - K1MAX
We had a dandy visit! It was great to see Max!
After breakfast Keith headed towards Tyler, Texas.
The weather is warming up! It got up to 76 today!
Keith arrived in Tyler in the late afternoon. Once he checked into the motel he went over to Tom - WN5TL's. The guys adjourned to the patio and had a couple of beers!
Here's Gordon - WA5GM!
Here's Tom - WN5TL!
Keith - WA8ZWJ!
After a nice visit Keith and Tom headed out to dinner. It was a great restaurant and the food was quite tasty! After dinner they returned to Tom's to continue the visit!
Keith and Tom met at the Mercado in Tyler for breakfast this morning! Delicious!
After breakfast Keith headed to Valley Mills, Texas!
After Keith got the van unloaded he and Hoss went out in
the BEAUTIFUL weather for a walk!
Trooper joined the guys for the walk.
This is Hoss and Margareth's place!
When Hoss had enough walking Keith went down the road for a
longer walk. Here's an entry to one of the driveway's here on Tweedy Road.
Here's Keith after he finished his walk! It got up
into the mid 70's today! DELIGHTFUL!
Tonight's dinner was at the Bunkhouse BBQ! Yee haw!
Here's Ricky! He's the owner at the Bunkhouse
BBQ! Great stuff!
After dinner this evening Keith went outside to smoke a
cigar and was pleased at how bright the stars were tonight!
Too bad the camera isn't better suited for night shots!
Here are a couple of deer Keith saw on his morning walk
this morning!
Another look at some of the critters seen on the walk...
Sure you have seen this in photos from previous trips but
the fish catch the eye as you walk by...
Here's something you don't see in Ohio!
Here are a couple of goats...
A small donkey...
Here's a sign on the wall at Hoss and Margareth's
It is unusual for this early in the year but those 5 bladed
leaves belong to Blue Bonnets!
We made it up into the 70's again today! Delightful!
Margareth and Joanne headed towards the casino early this
morning. Ron - AA5RT, Hoss - WA5ZAI and Keith - WA8ZWJ headed into Clifton
for breakfast!
Hoss - WA5ZAI and Ron - AA5RT
Hoss - WA5ZAI and Keith - WA8ZWJ
While we were in Clifton we made a stop at the Bunkhouse
BBQ. Here's Ricky below his special sign!
Back at the Lazy K Ranch Ron and Trooper spent some time
together!
A bit later Keith and Ron worked on installing an HF rig
that Tom - WN5TL loaned Keith.
As you can see the bracket is larger than the radio but by
using a few washers it seems to be quite secure!
We don't have the necessary stuff to key the amplifier but the radio seems to
work fine and the antenna tuned up! So, Keith is back on the air from his
mobile station!
After a while Ron headed towards home to take care of some things there. Trooper and Keith went out for a walk around the property.
Here Trooper is visiting with some of the cattle that were
in the pasture on the other side of the fence.
Hoss and Keith met Ron in McGregor this evening for dinner
at the Coffee Shop Cafe! Delightful!
When we got back Margareth and Joanne had just returned from their day at the casino. The girls did not break the bank but had a great time!
Here are Joanne and Ron!
During Keith's walk this morning he saw these two Emu.
Keith is wearing a sweatshirt that Marian gave him for
Christmas! Welcome to Farley's Bait & Tackle!
Close up of the sweatshirt...
After lunch today Keith headed towards Lorena, Texas to see Ron - AA5RT.
Here's a shot of Ron and Joanne's place.
Here's a look at Ron's antenna farm.
The guys headed towards Troy, Texas to Troy Radio to visit with Tobi.
Tobi, of Troy Radio, fixed up a cable to key the amplifier. The catch is, even though the relay in the amplifier keyed properly, the amplifier did not have any RF output.
Keith removed the amplifier and Tobi will work on it and see if he can get it back on the air!
Ron provided Keith with an adapter to connect the coax cables together so the radio is back on the air.
Many thanks to Ron - AA5RT for all his assistance!
Here's Annie in a new bed spot! I think she likes it!
This evening Keith noticed one of the long horn steers in
the pasture next to Hoss and Margareth's!
Happy Valentine's Day!
Here it is moments before sunrise here in Tweedy Road
during Keith's morning walk. It was 35 when he headed out.
The sun is up and behind that tree!
It was near 50 when he finished his walk!
Today we ventured to Salado, Texas to have lunch at the Stagecoach Inn.
Here are Margareth and Hoss outside the restaurant.
Here's what the Stagecoach Inn looks like from the street.
Here's across the street from the inn.
After lunch Margareth took a snap shot of Don and
Keith. We are high school friends so we have enjoyed a LONG friendship!
It was sunny and warm as we headed back towards Valley
Mills, Texas. Here's Margareth resting her eyes. :-)
Hoss taking in the road ahead!
Yep! 80 degrees! INCREDIBLE!
We took a walk around the driveway in the nice weather
after we got back to the Lazy K Ranch!
Poor Trooper! He is so neglected! Margareth is
enduring the extra weight on her legs! Some sacrifices must be made!
Here are some shots from yesterday's HamCation that Lew - KC4US has shared with us!
Lew has shared some comments as well.
This is the main street between the main building and the
next one.
This side of the main building and access to the rest of
the field. I wanted to show "Hamcation".
A large indoor flea market.
RV parking by the lake, more crowded than when N5AAA parked
there.
The street that is flanked by more fleas.
More fleas along the above mentioned road.
It looks like it was a good hamfest! Thanks Lew!
This morning Hoss and Keith checked into the IOOK 20 Meter net.
Here's Hoss as he is making some comments.
Hoss's ham shack as we are operating...
As we listen to others make comments during the net here is
a shot of Hoss - WA5ZAI and Keith - WA8ZWJ.
We tried to check into the IOOK 40 Meter Net but were
unsuccessful. Obviously we just did not have proper propagation this
morning.
We got into the mid 60's today but they are saying tomorrow will be MUCH cooler!
We started off at 37 degrees this morning! It rained and drizzled on and off for a large part of the day.
Bob - N0BIX and Jean are on their way!
I heard this ring earlier and it reminded me that a lot of
folks, especially younger folks, have never seen one of these! Just FYI it
works just fine! I used it to call Marian Saturday on Valentine's Day!
Margareth and Trooper having some fun on the sofa!
Come on Trooper! Settle down!
Ah. that's better...
A little bit of love going both ways!
Hey Momma! Rub me belly please!
Bob and Jean have arrived!
Here's a shot from their breakfast this morning!
Here are some shots Jean took yesterday during their trip this direction.
Here are some shots Jean took today!
Coming through Dallas...
Along the way...
Here's a shot of the gang Bob took.
L-R Jean, Keith, Hoss, Margareth
Here's Bob - N0BIX!
This evening we headed towards Waco for the all you can eat
Chinese buffet!
Here's the gang! We all managed to leave ALL
FED UP! After all, the IOOK does travel on it's stomach!
L-R Hoss - WA5ZAI, Joanne, Ron - AA5RT, Jean, Bob - N0BIX, Keith - WA8ZWJ,
Margareth
Here's a couple shot of Jean and Bob back at the Lazy K Ranch after
dinner!
Here are Callie and Bob!
Here are a couple of shots that Jean took...
This morning Bob and Jean headed into Waco to visit the Texas Ranger Hall Of Fame!
Here are Waylon and Willy...
And a couple of horses...
Bob and Jean got back to the Lazy K Ranch a bit later...
Here's a shot of Waylon and Willy that Bob took!
Enjoying the sunshine! It got up into the low 50's
today!
Los tres amigos!
Tonight we headed to the Clifton Antique Mall before dinner.
This is one of Margareth's display areas!
The we headed to the Bunkhouse BBQ!
This is Jean and Bob's first time to the Bunkhouse!
As soon as we got inside we met up with Wil - WB5YFX and
his XYL, Gail!
Bob doing his thing!
L-R Jean, Margareth, Hoss, Wil, Gail, Keith
Jean's turn!
Bob was the only one to have some cheese cake for desert!
We left Valley Mills around 6AM.
This was the scene that Bob and Jean saw as we started the
early morning drive.
Ah, the sun in coming up!
(Not sure what those arched lines are in the photo...it wasn't an amusement
park!
We have arrived at the Country Kitchen in Lampasas!
Yep, those two guys are STILL playing poker!
Jean and Keith getting ready to order breakfast...
Keith and Bob - our order has been placed!
How?
Some neat stuff on display...
This is an antique bread slicer that still works!
While Jean and Keith finished their breakfast, Bob went
across the street to top off his gas tank. He wanted y'all to know he
bought TEXaco in TEXAS!
Parting shot of the Country Kitchen
Sights along the way...
Courthouse in Brady...
The Vice Presidential Highway!
Bob and Jean are the only vehicle Keith can see.
Jean captures a major traffic jam on the Vice Presidential
Highway!
Windmills!
We got through El Paso in record time today! We are
now in New Mexico!
Here is our shopping stop in Mesilla.
Across the street from the Billy The Kid Gift Shop is La
Posta where we will be eating!
Chas - AI0OK has joined us! He is joined by Keith and
Jean.
Chas, Bob and Jean...
Mardi Gras stuff...
Hmm, I wonder if Bob was trying to tell these two guys
something? Fat Tuesday?
Jean, Chas and Keith have just been seated...
Drinks have arrived! Jean grabbed a shot of the guys!
Jean, her margarita and HUGE serving of nachos. No,
she did not heed the warning that Gail gave her last night about how large the
serving was!
She managed to eat about half of them!
Dinner is winding down. Smart people have to play
with their smart phone!
We had a dandy dinner and managed to get all fed up in true IOOK fashion!
It was good to see Chas! He will join us tomorrow! We are off towards Deming for the night!
Sunset on our way to Deming!
About 14 hours on the road today including stops!
Chas was waiting beside Keith's van this morning when the gang got ready to leave Deming.
He went home to El Paso last night and slept in his own bed and then left early to join us for today's trip to Yuma!
As the sun is coming up behind us, here is a shot of the
distant mountains with the sun starting to light them up.
As is our habit, we made a rest stop at Texas Canyon in
Arizona. Here's Chas!
Bob at Texas Canyon!
Jean and Bob!
Keith, Chas and Bob...
We met Jim - AE8R and Sue - AI8Q at Cracker Barrel in
Tucson!
L-R Jean, Keith Chas, Sue, Jim
Here's a picture of Bob taking a picture...we are at
Cracker Barrel in Tucson.
Sue - AI8Q and Jim - AE8R live near Tucson. They used
to live in the Dayton, Ohio area. Now, when they are not on the road in
their RV, they live near Tucson.
A solar array on I-8 as we continue west towards Yuma.
After checking in at the motel we headed to the
hamfest! Here's BJ - KD7BWH!
Here are some of the other volunteers!
Jan - KA9VQS and John - N5AAA in front of the motor home!
John and Jan's motor home is right beside Tom - W3TOM and
Debbie - KA3VNF's motor home right across from our IOOK booth!
Here are Debbie - KA3VNF and Tom - W3TOM!
It's time to put up our banner!
The banner is up!
Hmm, Looks like Chas could fill in for Flat KBob.
Tom and Debbie are installing their sun shield on the front
of their motor home.
Chas and John visiting...
Tom and Debbie's friends, Sandy - KD0PYS and Bob - KD0PYT
get to park next to Tom and Debbie.
Here they are setting up their solar panels.
Jack - KC7DUU is one very busy guy!
The hamfest chairman, Roger - K7MEX!
A rare shot of Keith on his cell phone calling Charlie -
NN3V to check on his progress!
Jean and Jan
Before dinner visit time in the IOOK booth!
Yep! It got up to 87 this afternoon!
The gang met at the Golden Corral for dinner.
Here's Charlie - NN3V!
Some of the dinner gang!
L-R Bob - KD0PTY, Sandy - KD0PYS, Debbie - KA3VNF, Tom - W3TOM, Chas - AI0OK,
John - KF8KK, Dave - K7DRM, Debbie, Norm - W3IZ
More of the dinner gang!
L-R Jan - KA9VQS, Jean, Bob - N0BIX, John - N5AAA, Charlie - NN3V
Even more of the dinner gang!
L-R Ti-Michelle - NJ6T, Tom - KD7QDF
A great time was had and we all managed to get ALL FED UP!
After dinner social hour is starting back in Keith's room.
After dinner social hour in Keith's room...Chas - AI0OK and
Dave K7DRM!
Keith - WA8ZWJ and Charlie - NN3V! Cheers!
Breakfast this morning was at IHOP.
L-R John - KF8KK, Dave - K7DRM, Charlie - NN3V, Chas - AI0OK, Keith - WA8ZWJ,
John - N5AAA, Jan - KA9VQS, Jean, Ti - NJ6T
Photo of Bob - N0BIX taking a photo...
Breakfast has arrived!
There are many volunteers who keep coming back year after
year helping organize the hamfest. They are a key ingredient to the
success of the Yuma Hamfest! Thank you!
Setting up our booth...
Another volunteer!
Keith is getting some help pricing some of the new
additions to the sales stock.
I don't know what this guy is drinking, but he has plenty
of it!
John - KF8KK is reading the article in Newsweek magazine
from Charlie - NN3V's interview!
Jan and Jean inside John and Jan's motor home.
Another volunteer!
Ti - NJ6T has arrived and brought her dog, Puppet.
Vice Presidential air cap!
Ti - NJ6T sent this photo to share with us...
More IOOKers! Hall - KC7RAF, John - W7CWK, Brent -
AC7H
Anne - KC7RAG
Here's another shot Ti has shared with us...
Back at John and Jan's place...
Here's AC. He wanted you to see his T shirt.
Things have slowed down a bit...
Vice Presidential air cap!
Dave - W6EVO has arrived!
He had thought he was going to miss the hamfest. His father recently
passed away but because of nasty weather out east, he will head out for his
father's funeral on Monday. Our thoughts and prayers are with Dave and his
family!
Charlie - NN3V presented a seminar on "Antenna
Ordinance Battles". Great job Charlie!
Here's a link to a Youtube video that N0BIX has posted:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJRhmiXtNXM&feature=youtu.be
While the guys were attending the seminar, the gals went out on their own...
Meanwhile, back at the hamfest...
Ti introduces the gang to Jim - AF6AQ!
John is checking his eyelids for leaks!
John and Jan's on the left and Tom and Debbie's on the
right.
John did not bother putting up his mobile antenna farm.
More volunteers!
Another volunteer!
Neil and his parrot are constant companions!
Another look at the inside vendors...
Kristen - K6WX has arrived!
Yes, it really is a dog that looks like a bear!
Nuf sed! Beautiful!
Back at John and Jan's place...
Bob will have to tell us about this shot.
If you look closely, it looks like the canopy is
open. Actually it is an air scoop that sucks air in from above and pushes
it down below so it can hover, much like a harrier.
David and Charlie...
Tom - W3TOM's mobile antenna farm!
Yes, sometimes they come in mighty low!
Dinner is at Village Inn Pizza!
Cheers!
Chas, John and Keith...
Jan and Jean
No fun being had here!
John and Jan...
Ti and Kristen...
Chas, John and Keith
Debbie, Tom and Charlie...
John, Jan and Jean...
The gang is getting all fed up!
Here are a few shots shared by Ti - NJ6T
The IOOK does travel on it's stomach!
L-R - Ti, Kristen, Dave, John, Jan, Jean
L-R Bob, Debbie, Tom, Charlie, Chas, John
Breakfast was a lot earlier this morning than yesterday, so, we didn't have as many participants!
Charlie, Chas, John and Keith...
The sun was just coming up when we got to the fairgrounds.
Things are all set up and ready for our stream of
customers!
After a while Bob and Jean stop for a visit with John and Jan.
Jan has her "Mickey" shirt on!
As you can well understand, we don't have time for photos
when we have customers. No, it is not always this quiet!
More Vice Presidential air cap.
Bruce - W6RBM and his buddy Cameron - KJ6LWH have arrived
from Palm Springs.
Charlie is having a chat with Gordon West.
Ti has arrived on her battery powered buggy!
Bruce - W6RBM
Cameron - KJ6LWH
Doug stops by for his annual shot with Flat KBob!
Notice the suffix is JUK?
Drone overhead! The running the drone covered the
hamfest and plans to post a video to YouTube.
Pink - K7ILA has arrived with her new dog, Felix!
John is checking his eyelids for leaks...
Here are BJ and Jack! Yee haw!
Charlie has made a purchase! New radio for his hew
car!
Kristen - K6WX
Kristen presented a seminar today that was entitled
"Ground Is A Myth!" Way to go Kristen!
Here's a link to a Youtube video that N0BIX has posted:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zD_OD0OlYZQ&feature=youtu.be
Yuma Group Shot
Bob is back at John and Jan's.
Jim - W5JCS's brother John - W0NEV!
Chas won a prize!
More air cap...
Bad picture but it made it up to 90 today!
John and Chas checking for eyelid leaks...
John made a purchase as well! It is the same rig that
Charlie bought. Actually the rig John is holding is Charlie's rig.
John's new rig is being shipped!
Dave is checking for leaks!
Bob ventured up on top of the hill to give us a view of how
many campers and tailgaters there are.
Time for the Old Buzzard's BBQ!
Prizes are being given out...
The IOOK had QUITE a large group at the dinner!
Sadly, none of our group win any prizes during the late drawings.
The good news is we sold well and Keith ought to have better mileage going back home!
One last after dinner social hour!
More to come...See Part 2...(button below)
