Start of the local hamfest season

Hamfest purchases

Saturday was the Iroquois hamfest, organized by the Iroquois Amateur Radio Club.  This is the first of the local hamfests in Eastern Ontario.  It is a nice small hamfest in a Civic Centre  with a great atmosphere. It had dealers like Radio HF and MacFarlane Electronics as well as tables of individuals.  It seemed to be drawing amateurs from Ottawa, Montreal, as well as other parts of Eastern Ontario and some from upper state New York.   I picked up a few parts (see the sample in the photograph above) which will stock up the junk box.  Two notable finds was a very nice 500pF variable capacitor (very likely to end up in an L-match tuner) and a 500 series telephone handset with a built in PTT button.  Not sure how well the carbon mic will work with the rigs here, but seems some have used them with their mobile telephones.   I also picked up another book for my amateur radio library, which has become a tradition for me at every hamfest.

Besides the equipment on offer these events are great places to meet other operators and this one was no exception.  I traveled down with Gerry, VA3GLT and at the hamfest met locals Ottawa ops like Roy, VA3CKD. I met one of my old instructors Ian, VE3MUD and finally I got to meet face to face Don, VA3NC.  Don  and I have chatted quite often on the Iroquois repeater and he is a fellow K3 owner.  We had a nice chat about the K3, especially its filtering.

A great Saturday morning and thanks to the Iroquois club for organizing the event.  The next local hamfest,  is at  Smiths Falls in May and then the Carp Hamfest in September organized by the Ottawa Amateur Radio Club.  Details can be found at the RAC upcoming events page.

About these ads