Mike and Key Hamfest the aftermath

[dsviper22]

Curious what everyone was able to pickup at the hamfest today. I walked out with two Diamond RH771's an ICOM IC-T8A and the gps unit & adapter for my Yaesu VX-8R. Tons of people and so many radios. So little money. Someone had a really good deal on an Icom 706MKIIG for $550 /w the remote head kit. If only I had the money.

 

[AlmostHandy]

I went for my first time. It was fun. I was only looking for a few cheap connectors, and maybe some used books, and left with two boxes of junk to play with for my electronics hobby. One was free and the other was $5. There are tons of logic chips and passives, a couple of cool old westinghouse analog meters, a bunch of Motorola Crystal Modules, a bunch of ITT telecom equipment. There is more I haven't looked at yet.



The one thing in the box that I was immediately attached to, is this really neat old Motorola Intercom phone. It looks like it's straight out of the movies. Incidentally, I haven't been able to find a single reference to it on the intertubes, granted, I haven't looked very hard. Anyway, the phone is that old school pinkiish/beige, has a big speaker where the keypad would be with a red light near the top, and on the right side; a volume knob, an F1 F2 toggle, and two momentary toggles labeled Monitor and Intercom. It has two pairs of screw terminals on the bottom labeled Telephone Line and Battery +/-, and a VERY thick power line ending with a large Lighting Arrestor plug. It says Model number T-1383 AE on the bottom, with a stamped serial number. It's very cool and retro looking. Not sure what the hell I'm going to do with it, but it'll look great on the shelf for a while. I just went looking for my camera, which was hard enough drunk, only to find a dead battery. I've got it on the charger, and as soon as I can, I'll snap some shots of this awesome relic.


I had a good time. Even found the connectors I went looking for.

I wish it happened more than once a year. Is there anything else like this around here?

There was this cool place in Grand Junction that had an awesome flea market. They would cordon off the spaces of a huge parking lot with rope and traffic bollards, and everyone that wanted to sell their junk, would register for a space. The entire spaces were auctioned off one at a time to a crowd that wandered from space to space following a loud auctioneer with one of those portable PA systems over his shoulder. I remember getting a HUGE box of electronics gear from someone who was cleaning out his garage. The only downside was that I had to take 6 broken vacuum cleaners and three huge boxes of stinky old man clothes. My first stop was the big donation bin in front of the salvation army, and that smell was in my trunk for weeks.

Anyway, I wish there were more cool flea markets around here. Today was a lot of fun.

 

[icom1020]

Those are tone remotes, or remote control wired to a radio base. I saw several including a GE Deskon II from the Emergency days there . I ran out of cash so didn't pick one up

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tone_remote

 

[AtomicTaco]

I wish there were more cool flea markets around here.

There's a swap meet in Lakewood. Starlight theater. Costs $1 to get in.

 

[danneskjold]

I picked up a Radio Shack HXT-420, first Amateur Band Radio for me...

I have been to the site a few times for the local gunshow...was surprised to find it as packed as it was. Was also entertaining to look around in the parking lots...a lot of the cars had several antennas poking out of them.

Any details on the swap meet in Lakewood?

 

[AtomicTaco]

Any details on the swap meet in Lakewood?

It's just a general swap meet. I guess it's open every day? I went a couple of weekends ago on a Sunday morning. Supposedly it's much better in the summer.

 

[AlmostHandy]

Nice, Lynwood isn't too far away.

I did a quick google search, which I should have done before lamenting, and discovered that there are many flea markets across washington. How easy they are to get too, and how much cool crap they have are two important unknown variables, I suppose.

Here's a pretty good list with info for each event.

I think I'll probably have to check out the Fremont Sunday Market more often this summer. I've gone once, a few years back, but I can't remember much about it. Since "garage sale treasures" are listed as a feature, I would guess that the inventory is a total crap shoot from week to week.

I was down in Auburn a couple of weeks ago, and noticed that they have a swap meet at the drive-in theater there on Auburn Way. I might go down to check that out this summer too.

 

[AtomicTaco]

Nice, Lynwood isn't too far away.

Lynnwood != Lakewood.

And bring your FRS radio to the Valley Drive In in Auburn; that's what the staff use to communicate. 467.5875, PL 192.8. They also use one of the other channels, same PL.

 

[danneskjold]

Nice, Lynwood isn't too far away.
I think I'll probably have to check out the Fremont Sunday Market more often this summer. I've gone once, a few years back, but I can't remember much about it. Since "garage sale treasures" are listed as a feature, I would guess that the inventory is a total crap shoot from week to week.

I went once last summer and it was pretty unimpressive unless you like clothes and arts+crafts...

 

[tmfok7]

Curious what everyone was able to pickup at the hamfest today. I walked out with two Diamond RH771's an ICOM IC-T8A and the gps unit & adapter for my Yaesu VX-8R. Tons of people and so many radios. So little money. Someone had a really good deal on an Icom 706MKIIG for $550 /w the remote head kit. If only I had the money.

I planned on just going to oogle some radios and see some friends that I haven't seen for awhile. Then I found the HRO display.....and walked out, $400 later, with a Kenwood TM-V71A!!!!!