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View Full Version : Went to Crossroads Ham Fest Today...



KD8TUT
03-18-2017, 05:30 PM
Hi guys,

Well, I found myself up at 6 am. On a lark- I headed out to the hamfest at Wings Stadium in Kalamazoo MI.

It was standard fare- saw a few people I know. Largish hamfest by my standards.... Purchased the kinds of things you can only get at a ham fest. Paid $9 for a pretzel and a bottle of water.

Was seriously looking for some potentiometers. No one had any.... so to have a good time- when they said they had none, I then asked "how about rheostats?".

Strangely no one got the joke. And I'm less popular. Go figure.

I did find one guy with one bag of pots- and bought two. He seemed to like me. Probably because no one else was looking for potentiometers. He also had rheostats. He didn't get the joke either.

One thing they had was lots.... piles... scads.... a small van full of variable capacitors. No one seemed to want any. I asked if they could be used in place of potentiometers- they didn't get that joke either. Didn't bring up rheostats.

Almost bought one of these:

1526215261

Decided against it... potentiometers are easy to see. But hard to find. The guy at this booth didn't get the joke either.

Here's what the fest looked like when the doors opened- though it got busier:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7VYEwE5POs&feature=youtu.be

So I came away with:

1. Two sets of handi-clips.

2. 2 pots.

3. One Alinco Microphone.

4. Three of these little bastards (which I have been trying to find forever!!):

15263

So it was a pretty ok day. Came home... slept for a few hours. Came here.

KG4NEL
03-18-2017, 08:28 PM
I had a set of those cables that discolored, badly. Loved the metal strain reliefs, but no amount of Deoxit would keep them from tarnishing.

VE7DCW
03-18-2017, 09:25 PM
Crossroads? .....wasn't that out in the South Pacific at Bikini Atoll? Geeeez........... long ways to go for a freakin Hamfest! :mrgreen:

KG4CGC
03-18-2017, 10:43 PM
Hey lil' bastard! (referencing the little bastard) Did the lil' bastard do rheostat work?

N8YX
03-19-2017, 01:13 PM
My audio connector box is full of those little bastards...1/8" and 1/16"...mono and stereo. I make it a habit to snag the things every time I see someone selling off a bunch.

What I've been having trouble finding lately are the 1/8" mono male to RCA female adapters. Probably because I need a quantity of them at the moment.

WØTKX
03-19-2017, 02:17 PM
Go to your nearest (still open) Radioshack, prices are good in the parts drawers now.

However, Amazon has 'em too.

10 pack in "gold (https://www.amazon.com/InstallerParts-Pack-3-5mm-Adapter-Plated/dp/B06XB1MDBL/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1489950075&sr=8-11&keywords=1+8+mono+to+rca)"

20 pack in "silver" (https://www.amazon.com/uxcell-Female-3-5mm-Audio-Adapter/dp/B00ZWPW8XU/ref=sr_1_60?ie=UTF8&qid=1489950284&sr=8-60&keywords=3.5+mm++mono+to+rca+female)


A guy like you could probably fill a minimum order elsewhere, and get them even cheaper.

KD8TUT
03-19-2017, 07:26 PM
And the project begins.....

15266

KG4NEL
03-19-2017, 09:37 PM
Diggin' the KPA500.