Jim Lux wrote:

[stuff]

I see!

So now, old Rob-boy has not only whamboozled a whole bunch of Phd's and
physics personnel at URI, he how as a "bunch" of hams from arrlri.org to
carve notches on his pistol grips for ... interesting, the only hams
able to see though his sham are here ... or else, the reverse is true!

As my buddy Arnie would say, "Enteresting, veeerrry enteresting ... "

JS

On 20 Jun, 16:32, John Smith I wrote:
Jim Lux wrote:

[stuff]

I see!

So now, old Rob-boy has not only whamboozled a whole bunch of Phd's and
physics personnel at URI, he how as a "bunch" of hams from arrlri.org to
carve notches on his pistol grips for ... interesting, the only hams
able to see though his sham are here ... or else, the reverse is true!

As my buddy Arnie would say, "Enteresting, veeerrry enteresting ... "

JS

I see that Chip of Fractenna stated that he no longer had any
"scientific
interest" in the antenna after talking at length with the inventor.
Chip is open minded so I am inclined to believe that it does not
increase the state of the art with respect to antennas. The point
is well taken that antennas can achieve great heights of achievements
with respect to radiation but it is quite rare to achieve ALL
desirables at the same time. I believe the ARRL optimised antenna
that I compared my antenna with is a typical example of this and
emphasises where my antenna shined. As far as antennas for amateur
radio
I really don't think there is a market for antennas other than the IR
antenna I went to a couple of ham fests last year and they closed
early
because of the lack of buyers. I suppose ham radio reflects the
veterans
of WW2 where many of those who were doers are gradually dying off
leaving former CBers in the majority.
Regards
Art
Regards
Art

art wrote:

[stuff]

Obviously, all he might have done is found a way to use existing
methods, techniques and knowledge to be able to change the loading and
radiation characteristics ...

However, that might just be enough to be usable. I have needed a
stealth antenna more times than I could shake a stick at. And, smaller
mobile antennas with improved characteristics are always desirable ...

It is easier to bend laws than to break 'em ...

JS

art wrote:

I really don't think there is a market for antennas other than the IR
antenna I went to a couple of ham fests last year and they closed
early because of the lack of buyers.

Most Hamfests these days start too early and end too early. That has
been a trend for several years now.

It's short sighted though. If I want to go to say the Butler or Timonium
Hamfests, both around 2.5 hours from Happy Valley, I have to get up at
around 3 a.m. so I can be there when they open.

Now it's getting to the point that unless you're a local, going to a
Hamfest can be a great way to wreck your weekend. Sheer timing is the
big problem IMO. Not Ebay or the actuarial tables.


I suppose ham radio reflects the
veterans of WW2 where many of those who were doers are gradually dying off
leaving former CBers in the majority.

I suppose that some of the Amateurs in that age group may believe such a
thing. I kind of doubt it is the actual case though.

- 73 de Mike KB3EIA -

Michael Coslo wrote:
....

Most Hamfests these days start too early and end too early. That has
been a trend for several years now.

It's short sighted though. If I want to go to say the Butler or Timonium
Hamfests, both around 2.5 hours from Happy Valley, I have to get up at
around 3 a.m. so I can be there when they open.

Now it's getting to the point that unless you're a local, going to a
Hamfest can be a great way to wreck your weekend. Sheer timing is the
big problem IMO. Not Ebay or the actuarial tables.

I have to agree. I'm 4-6 hours from just about any hamfest I'd want to
attend so I have to leave around midnight or get a hotel room. Not
being in my 20's anymore it's a hotel room and that adds quite a bit of
overhead to what would be low hamfest prices, and faced with that I
usually put a search on ebay and wait for the email.

If they started at noon or even 10:00 it would be a whole different
story, I'd much prefer to buy at fests simply for the eyeball contacts.

- Galen, W8LNA

gwatts wrote:
Michael Coslo wrote:
...

Most Hamfests these days start too early and end too early. That
has been a trend for several years now.

It's short sighted though. If I want to go to say the Butler or
Timonium Hamfests, both around 2.5 hours from Happy Valley, I have to
get up at around 3 a.m. so I can be there when they open.

Now it's getting to the point that unless you're a local, going to
a Hamfest can be a great way to wreck your weekend. Sheer timing is
the big problem IMO. Not Ebay or the actuarial tables.

I have to agree. I'm 4-6 hours from just about any hamfest I'd want to
attend so I have to leave around midnight or get a hotel room. Not
being in my 20's anymore it's a hotel room and that adds quite a bit of
overhead to what would be low hamfest prices, and faced with that I
usually put a search on ebay and wait for the email.

If they started at noon or even 10:00 it would be a whole different
story, I'd much prefer to buy at fests simply for the eyeball contacts.


I really enjoy the hamfest at Dayton, where they start at 0800, and
sell all day. I think how this got started was that the sellers agitated
for earlier starts, and earlier begat earlier, until we ended up with
what we have now. One of our semi local fests starts at 0700 and is over
at noon.

Obviously not going to get the church crowd either.. 8^)

So I guess they got everything they wanted - and lost a lot of the
customers in the deal.


- 73 de Mike KB3EIA -

In message , Michael Coslo
writes
gwatts wrote:
Michael Coslo wrote:
...

Most Hamfests these days start too early and end too early. That
has been a trend for several years now.

It's short sighted though. If I want to go to say the Butler or
Timonium Hamfests, both around 2.5 hours from Happy Valley, I have to
get up at around 3 a.m. so I can be there when they open.

Now it's getting to the point that unless you're a local, going
to a Hamfest can be a great way to wreck your weekend. Sheer timing
is the big problem IMO. Not Ebay or the actuarial tables.
I have to agree. I'm 4-6 hours from just about any hamfest I'd want
to attend so I have to leave around midnight or get a hotel room. Not
being in my 20's anymore it's a hotel room and that adds quite a bit
of overhead to what would be low hamfest prices, and faced with that I
usually put a search on ebay and wait for the email.
If they started at noon or even 10:00 it would be a whole different
story, I'd much prefer to buy at fests simply for the eyeball contacts.


I really enjoy the hamfest at Dayton, where they start at 0800,
and sell all day. I think how this got started was that the sellers
agitated for earlier starts, and earlier begat earlier, until we ended
up with what we have now. One of our semi local fests starts at 0700
and is over at noon.

Obviously not going to get the church crowd either.. 8^)

So I guess they got everything they wanted - and lost a lot of
the customers in the deal.


- 73 de Mike KB3EIA -

In the UK, amateur 'hamfests' and 'tailgate sales' used to be a fairly
leisurely affair, starting at a round 11am, and go on until 5 or even
6pm, allowing lots of time to wander around, meet your long-lost friends
etc (ie a 'good day out'). These days, opening time is often as early as
9am, with some dealers starting to pack up around noon. Ordinary
tailgate sales sometimes do start at early as 7am. Things ain't what
they used to be.
Ian.
--

Ian Jackson wrote in
:
In the UK, amateur 'hamfests' and 'tailgate sales' used to be a fairly
leisurely affair, starting at a round 11am, and go on until 5 or even
6pm, allowing lots of time to wander around, meet your long-lost friends
etc (ie a 'good day out'). These days, opening time is often as early as
9am, with some dealers starting to pack up around noon. Ordinary
tailgate sales sometimes do start at early as 7am. Things ain't what
they used to be.


Yoiks! If they only started at 9 a.m. here...

Just possibly, there is a glimmer of hope. I have noticed that in the past
year a lot of the computer junk has gone away - do we really need that
Pentium 1 computer? (hint, the answer is no)

Perhaps this will return the hamfests to hams, and we can enjoy chatting
and socializing again, as well as selling our own "junk"

- 73 de Mike KB3EIA -

Art wrote:
"I suppose ham radio reflects the veterans of WW2 there many of those
who were doers are gradually dying off leaving former CBers in the
majority."
I qualify for all of the above, WW-2 overseas veteran, radio amateur,
CBer, but I`m not dead yet. I also had a 1st class phone license and an
E.E. degree, among others.

Best regards, Richard Harrison, KB5WZI1