Near-Fest XIII

[Zappa]

Who's going ???

http://www.near-fest.com:8084/nearfest/

I plan to be there Friday 5/3, unless the weather sucks, then I'll come up for the day Saturday.
I'm not bothering with bringing up the camper and staying overnight anymore.
They jacked up the fees to stupid levels and it's not worth paying an extra $30 to stay overnight.

 

[n1oty]

See you on Friday.

 

[Zappa]

See you on Friday.

You setting up to sell in your usual spot ????

 

[n1oty]

Not this year. We are only going the one day. Probably selling just odds and ends. Not bringing a lot.

You setting up to sell in your usual spot ????

 

[Realtor MA]

I've never been. May try and make an appearance.

 

[Zappa]

One Week To Go!

 

[Zappa]

14 hours before the gates open to the general public.
The weather forecast is as good as it gets, which is very unusual for this event.

 

[n1oty]

I don't think I can make it now. I have a lot of available work on my plate and not enough time.

 

[jim/boston]

I'll be there Sat morning; first time and looking forward to it.

 

[Darkgriffin]

I'll be there Sat morning; first time and looking forward to it.

Wish I could go. But i need to work to get the toys. You need to pick up a 2m rig. I just got mine today and i'm just waiting now on a callsign. Have fun~

 

[cockpitbob]

You need to pick up a 2m rig. I just got mine today and i'm just waiting now on a callsign. Have fun~

He's the brainiac that got his Tech and General in 1 day. He also needs an HF rig...with power supply, multi-band wire antenna, tuner with SWR needles, lots of coax, a log book, a lightning arrestor, a ground rod, some braid or #6 wire for grounding the shack, a Craig's List desk for a shack...$$$$$$

 

[jim/boston]

Yeah, thanks to you I not only spend all my available cash on firearms AND now, ham gear
just what I need; another obsession! Dipped into the last of the 'slush' fund to bring to Near-Fest on Sat....hoping to find some gear to get the shack started. BTW When will we get our call? I checked again this AM and still not on the list.....Maybe you Cape Ann guys were too good at helping us noobs get our ticket... I think we overwhelmed the FCC by inundating them with new licensees!

 

[jim/boston]

Yeah, thanks to you I not only spend all my available cash on firearms AND now, ham gear
just what I need; another obsession! Dipped into the last of the 'slush' fund to bring to Near-Fest on Sat....hoping to find some gear to get the shack started. BTW When will we get our call? I checked again this AM and still not on the list.....Maybe you Cape Ann guys were too good at helping us noobs get our ticket... I think we overwhelmed the FCC by inundating them with new licensees!

Just checked again and the new calls are on the FCC database

 

[Darkgriffin]

Yea waiting on the Call Signs. So it's probably a no go for today on call signs. I the rep at HRO said 4 days if they submitted it on time.

 

[n1oty]

Count your blessings. Back when I started in ham radio, the delay was anywhere from two to three months and you couldn't operate until you had the FCC license in hand.

 

[Zappa]

It was a great day for Near-Fest, weather was perfect and the turnout was huge.
Lots of good stuff this time, not just the same tired old crap that people have been hauling up and back for ages.
I picked up a really nice Haliburton locking aluminum hard case (18"x 13.5"x 6") for $65, which will make a very nice gun case.
I also grabbed a BC590XLT "Frankenscanner" for $10. This has been modded with some extra silly switches and knobs like I've never seen. I really have no clue what they do, but it has the CTCSS decoder board in it, so that alone is worth far more than what I paid for the whole unit.
There were tons of decent laptops available from several vendors for short money.
I bought a Dell Latitude D600 for $60 with a working battery and DVD drive. I plan on using it to run Kenwood programming software, the keyboard on my old Compaq Armada was failing so I got this as a replacement.
I tested it with a movie DVD and it worked fine, nice screen with good color and resolution.

 

[cockpitbob]

Wish I was there

 

[jim/boston]

I picked up my first rig, a Yaesu FT-736R for 500.00
I was given a couple of antennas which will need a little cleaning up etc. Hope to get on the air early next week.

 

[jim/boston]

Got the 2 meter antenna to work; checking out the local repeaters

 

[Realtor MA]

That's a great rig. And you stole it.

I picked up my first rig, a Yaesu FT-736R for 500.00
I was given a couple of antennas which will need a little cleaning up etc. Hope to get on the air early next week.

 

[jim/boston]

Thanks! Nice guy selling and he answered all my dopey questions. Connected her up to a Cushcraft 2mtr ringo antenna stuck on a pole in my backyard and having a ball on 2 meters

 

[Realtor MA]

We need to setup a QSO on 2 meter simplex.

 

[Darkgriffin]

Thanks! Nice guy selling and he answered all my dopey questions. Connected her up to a Cushcraft 2mtr ringo antenna stuck on a pole in my backyard and having a ball on 2 meters

Great talking to you. I hope you can figure out the Simplex. We can try another freq some other time. Everything sounded great.

- - - Updated - - -

We need to setup a QSO on 2 meter simplex.

Where are you located Realtor Ma?

 

[Realtor MA]

Waltham

Where are you located Realtor Ma?

 

[Darkgriffin]

Waltham

I can give it a shot to see if I can hit you. Send me your callsign and simplex CH you want to try. Maybe sometime tonight.

 

[jim/boston]

Bill, let me know also and I'll jump in too

I'm going to jump in the CAARA net tonight too

 

[Realtor MA]

Ok. How about 145.525?
Maybe around 9?
What frequency and what time is the caara net? Is that on the Gloucester repeater?

 

[jim/boston]

Ok. How about 145.525?
Maybe around 9?
What frequency and what time is the caara net? Is that on the Gloucester repeater?

yes 145.130 with 107.2 PL tone

I referred to my ARRL repeater directory freq listed for simplex
146.40-146.58
147.42-147.57
I'm a noob; aren't we s'posed use these?
145.50-145.80 Misc and experimental modes is it ok to use for simplex?
The book says to check with our freq coordinator for local information
Is this the same as the commercial that says to ask my doctor about the little purple pill?
I figured out last night how to set my rig for simplex (otherwise it does the repeater 600 hz offset)

 

[Darkgriffin]

Bill, let me know also and I'll jump in too

I'm going to jump in the CAARA net tonight too

Sounds good! We can hit the Simplex after the net. It should end around 9:30-9:45. I say after the net we try 146.400.

- - - Updated - - -

 

[Darkgriffin]

I figured out last night how to set my rig for simplex (otherwise it does the repeater 600 hz offset)

We will try it tonight after the net! 146.400.

- - - Updated - - -

I'll also be checking in on the CAARA Net tonight if I am still awake. Daughter number 2 arrived at noon today and I worked last night (no sleep yet).

Congrats!