Dayton Hamvention May 2019

Last night it did rain almost all night before the Hamvention but rain stopped by the beginning of the event. The site was wet but not an ocean of mud. Prices were down from what they have been in the past, or at least that’s what I thought.

Saw many Collins radios including S line and KWM-2 transceivers. Saw where a 651S1 was bought for $450 and several R-390A receivers in the $300 to $500 range depending on condition. R-392 receivers were available for anywhere from $150 to $250 and saw things like PRC-74 radios under $300 Lots of BC-348 receivers in the $25 to$50 range including a BC-348Q that I bought for $20 that was all original with dynamotor. There was also a ART-13 complete for $200 along with a couple other sets.

 WB9NTL had a bunch of Command sets, racks and accessories and appeared to sell them all. I saw several command set receivers but they were all in the $40 price range and not clean or unmodified like the ones he was selling. I bought a nice clean MAK marine radiotelephone and remote for $40 and saw lots of other nice radios like a GRP-90 that was there.

Saturday

Today we had the WW2 3885 AM Military radio net the used a GRC-19 set as net control with around twenty five station participating. There was much confusion about the Cold War Net and there must have been at least fifty different people attempting to check in but I was unable to check in myself.

Both MRCA and MMRCG were well represented at the event. All tougher there must have been at least a dozen sellers of military radio equipment and over thirty to forty people selling military along with other items so the hobby of military radio collecting was well represented.

Final thoughts

Was disappointed at the failure of the annual 51.0 Cold War Net. Not certain what happen but it was a cluster with Net Control not understanding how to run a large net operation. Fortunately did not have an exotic radio on site but just a generic PRC-68 but with all the confusion there was no attempt to get everyone together afterwards for a group picture and an opportunity for everyone to see each others radios.

will throw in a couple other pictures of the event and equipment.

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May 19