I went to Dayton by myself this year, but I was far from lonely! I easily found lodging at Richmond, Indiana on Friday night - planning to roll into Dayton early Saturday morning. As soon as I stopped at the hotel, I met other hams heading the same direction. One chap had so many antennae on his truck that it looked like a porcupine with Goodyears! After an evening of planning my shopping list and getting a good night's rest, I pointed the Chevy East and turned to the talk-in frequency. The usual idiots were trying to disrupt the talk-in, but without success. Some good hams didn't help things when they directly or indirectly acknowledged the miscreants. Fellows, the rule is simple: ignore it, don't mention it on the air, and don't let it stain the fun of your day. The chap working the talk-in was well intentioned, but spoke at a rate more appropriate for an auctioneer. But I got to Salem Mall, caught the free shuttle and was at Hara Arena within minutes. The shuttles are the way to go!

On the short bus ride, I bumped into a couple of other die-hard QRP'ers and we discussed our favorite rigs and bands as if we had been acquainted for years. We traded colorful stories of busting DX pile-ups with five watts the same way that bass fishermen wax poetic over a five pounder.... or maybe worse.

I thought the total attendance was down from the crowds I experienced a few years ago. But my estimates were made VERY unscientifically: I didn't have to wait as long in the food lines, the restroom lines, nor was it always impossible to walk through the main arena floor as in the past. The main floor is always a fun place to see what's new - and what isn't - from the "big guys." Kenwood was showing a new rig that operates on ALL amateur frequencies. At least that's what I think I heard. I couldn't get with ten feet of it! But I never cease to be amazed at the patience shown by vendors and attendees alike. Among others, the people at AES were first rate as always.

I beat a path to the QRP ARCI booth and had a nice chat with President Jim W4QO, and learned some valuable info about the newest QRP kits. I was impressed with Mr. Benson's transceiver and some of the other equipment too. I still think the Ten Tec QRP kits are winners, especially if they are as rock stable as the other Ten Tec rigs I've owned or used. Good news relative to the future of the hobby was the heavy crowding around the Ten Tec kits exhibit and also at the very popular Elecraft booth. While the "E's" don't photograph very well, they have a nice look and feel in the flesh. I didn't know that there are no wire jumpers in the Elecraft rigs. Nor did I know that there is a sub-market network of hams who will assemble Elecraft radios for hams who cannot do so due to physical limitations (I have a slight vision impairment along with arthritis in my hands). Way to go Elecraft!

Jim and I talked also about frequency stability problems in QRP kits. It is reassuring to know that there are fixes and mods to put (or keep) our little peanut whistles on the right track. I'll continue to maintain though, that it might really be nice if designers would use known good practices that would not require extensive VFO re-engineering by the end user! But others may disagree, so "Vive la difference." Like many others, I thanked Jim for this terrific web site, and with that I was back to the exhibit floors.

I've never owned a frequency counter, but have always wanted one. This being Dayton, the time for new toys was at hand and it was not to be denied. I chose MFJ's little counter, model 886. At $120, it offers good value for the cost. Versus a known standard, it read out the freak right on the button. I think it will be nice for field day or portable work.

There were fewer PC retailers in the indoor and outdoor markets than there were just a few years ago. Remember when we worried that computers were displacing radio from the Hamvention? I'd say the pendulum has moved back to center a bit. There were still plenty of computers, but some of the best buys I found, surprisingly enough, were the nice deals on good used laptops. Complete Pentium/CD/Hi-Res laptops could be had at and below $1000. 386 and 486 laptops could be found at under $200. The addition of the large outdoor tent relieved some of the crowding, and has been a nice feature for the past few years at Hamvention.

I had hoped to find a used 14AVQ for QRP portable use, but no luck. Oh well, there's a 5BTV out in my garage. I'll clean that up and see if it still radiates.

If you wanted to study for upgrade, a wide selection of license guides in all forms and media could be found everywhere. I bought W6NOA's Extra class guide. Sure hope it does the job. I want to take my QRP into that lower 25 khz and see what happens. Someone once called politics "the art of the possible." I think that also defines QRP, but maybe we should call what we do "the art of the IMpossible." :)

Security people were present in good numbers, though I suspect their duty was fairly light. Is there a more law-respecting, patriotic, polite group than radio amateurs? How difficult could we ever be? I saw not a single act of rudeness, let alone anything worse. In a crowd that big, I suppose something somewhere got out of hand, but I surely wasn't there to see it if it did.

Used QRP rigs were somewhat rare. I found a Ten Tec Argo 509 that was clean with keyer and Xtal calibrator at $375.00. I might have bought it, but my TT 515 would have been terribly offended :) I did not see any HW8's but saw an HW-9 at about $100 more than I thought it was worth. But they say a thing is worth whatever someone is willing to pay, and I'd guess that little rig went home with a new owner!

As I am an ARES / Skywarn volunteer, I was in need of some new UHF gear, the purchase of which took most of my day. I passed up a nice Icom 440 HT with the drop-in charger, mint for $130.00. Oh DUH! I decided instead on a new Icom W32 with a Diamond duo-band whip and a Valor HD mag mount. The W32 is a nasty little snot to get programmed and the manual is below Icom's usual good standard. But once you've got it "trained," the W32 is a VERY nice little radio. I'm thrilled with it. I found the Icom HT hand mike (the nice egg-shaped one) for $20.00 mint in the "flea," and snagged a "Kendoo" Nimh battery there also. A rapid charger from Yost, and I was ready to turn back to the mall and start the trip home.

By 7:00 p.m., I was rolling through Champaign-Urbana and nearly home. I knew I wouldn't have to make excuses or long explanations to the XYL. She understands my hobby (or is it a disease?) because she's part of it too - she's KA9FWD. I'm lucky to have an understanding family and so many friends and pleasant acquaintances in the hobby. Dayton 2000 was a nice reminder of that.

73