Nearfest this weekend...

timbo

Navy Veteran
NES Member
Joined
Dec 17, 2010
Messages
16,638
Likes
21,011
Location
SoCeMo
Feedback: 3 / 0 / 0
Anyone going? It's supposed to be clear but cool. I'll be there selling stuff Friday and Saturday. I gotta get rid of some stuff. Unfortunately not much ham stuff...mostly odds and ends, a few computer related things and some test equipment, cables etc...
 
I was there today...sold a few things but no bigger ticket stuff. I'm going back tomorrow and see what other stuff I can sell. If anyone there sees some tables with a VOX AC50 guitar amp head on one, that's my table (unless it sells before you get there).

I may be wearing a SIG hat
 
I was there today. Miserable weather, almost nobody setup for the flea market due to rain, got some good info on setting up my HF radio. I made the mistake of driving up and parking beside the tin commercial building for a shorter walk when leaving (still recovering from back surgery) after. Walking back to that spot after picking up a couple small items at HRO, I passed a guy walking and swinging an antenna that looked just like mine. As I put the stuff in the trunk I looked up to find that the SOB I passed had stolen my NMO mount antenna off the roof of my car!!! If I return, I guess I'll have to take the mag mount off and stuff it in the trunk while at Near-Fest! No I never saw that thief again. I was able to buy a replacement. Thankfully I spotted the problem before leaving otherwise I could have blown up my ID-5100A if I keyed up with no antenna.

I left in disgust, didn't stick around for the prize drawings.

Only saw a couple people I knew. Not crowded at all, poorly attended.-
 
... Walking back to that spot after picking up a couple small items at HRO, I passed a guy walking and swinging an antenna that looked just like mine. As I put the stuff in the trunk I looked up to find that the SOB I passed had stolen my NMO mount antenna off the roof of my car!!! ....

Wow, I'm sorry to hear that. And, a bit surprised. This would be the first time I have heard of a theft, and a pretty brazen one, at a Hamfest. People tend to know each other at these things. You could probably email some of the club leadership about the theft and word would get around...
 
I was there today. Miserable weather, almost nobody setup for the flea market due to rain, got some good info on setting up my HF radio. I made the mistake of driving up and parking beside the tin commercial building for a shorter walk when leaving (still recovering from back surgery) after. Walking back to that spot after picking up a couple small items at HRO, I passed a guy walking and swinging an antenna that looked just like mine. As I put the stuff in the trunk I looked up to find that the SOB I passed had stolen my NMO mount antenna off the roof of my car!!! If I return, I guess I'll have to take the mag mount off and stuff it in the trunk while at Near-Fest! No I never saw that thief again. I was able to buy a replacement. Thankfully I spotted the problem before leaving otherwise I could have blown up my ID-5100A if I keyed up with no antenna.

I left in disgust, didn't stick around for the prize drawings.

Only saw a couple people I knew. Not crowded at all, poorly attended.-

I packed up and left around noon. Almost no one was there and it was friggin' miserable...Next year if I sell again, I'm going to go in with several other people and rent some table spaces inside one of the commercial buildings. Screw this rain crap! One can almost plan with 100% assurance it will rain one or both days. As I walked around today, I realized anyone that was there was inside those buildings (except for that asswipe that stole your antenna...bastard! [angry2]) God I hate thieves!
 
I was there today. Miserable weather, almost nobody setup for the flea market due to rain, got some good info on setting up my HF radio. I made the mistake of driving up and parking beside the tin commercial building for a shorter walk when leaving (still recovering from back surgery) after. Walking back to that spot after picking up a couple small items at HRO, I passed a guy walking and swinging an antenna that looked just like mine. As I put the stuff in the trunk I looked up to find that the SOB I passed had stolen my NMO mount antenna off the roof of my car!!! If I return, I guess I'll have to take the mag mount off and stuff it in the trunk while at Near-Fest! No I never saw that thief again. I was able to buy a replacement. Thankfully I spotted the problem before leaving otherwise I could have blown up my ID-5100A if I keyed up with no antenna.

I left in disgust, didn't stick around for the prize drawings.l

Only saw a couple people I knew. Not crowded at all, poorly attended.-

Unbelievable!!....but then again,
It seems ham radio has become infested with an inordinate amount of scumbags in the past several years. Chronic jamming everywhere you go on HF, hams ripping off other hams on equipment sales, on and on.
I will NEVER buy a piece of used ham gear ever again.....too many dishonest a$$holes out there who don't think twice about misrepresenting equipment condition.
 
Last edited:
Wow, I'm sorry to hear that. And, a bit surprised. This would be the first time I have heard of a theft, and a pretty brazen one, at a Hamfest. People tend to know each other at these things. You could probably email some of the club leadership about the theft and word would get around...

The dealer I bought the replacement antenna from (HRO was out), KJI (in the commercial building), told me he keeps everything behind the table since (he implied) that stealing stuff is common there).

Timbo, I didn't even walk thru the flea market today, too wet and miserable. I only walked thru the buildings. Sorry I didn't meet you. I did see a SUV pass me leaving the grounds with a NES sticker, first name is Jay (don't recall his Call Letters).

This year I saw almost nobody (staff) watching the areas/available for directions (I knew my way around this year as it was the 3rd time up there). Mike had posted that his lead guy (Larry) had suddenly passed away and the difference seemed obvious.

I will Email Mike, but don't expect anything. When I saw the thief I found him odd because he was swinging the antenna as he walked (no packaging) as almost every VHF/UHF antenna sold there was in packaging.
 
Last edited:
I made the mistake of ... parking beside the tin commercial building ... Walking back to that spot ..., I passed a guy walking and swinging an antenna that looked just like mine. As I put the stuff in the trunk I looked up to find that the SOB I passed had stolen my NMO mount antenna off the roof of my car!!! If I return, I guess I'll have to take the mag mount off and stuff it in the trunk while at Near-Fest! No I never saw that thief again. ...

I'm so sorry Len. If we'd spent more quality time together I eventually would have shared the epic tale of "Ed's"
"Boxboro Parking Lot ATAS-120 Hot Swap". That's Yaesu's 40m-6m screwdriver HF whip for FT-857's, etc.

Well over a decade ago, "Ed" parked in the Cisco overflow lot and walked down through the woods to the convention. On the drive home he discovered that he couldn't get out on HF, even though his rig was working that morning. Turns out that some asshøle had stolen his antenna and replaced it with one that didn't work.

The ATAS-120A retails new for $329 nowadays and I don't think it was any cheaper in the past. Back when I had one on my car, I would leave it on while parked at Alewife, etc., but I would always pull it when parked at a hamfest. I wish I'd shared that tale with you before now...


By all means tell Mister Mike what happened, but CC Paul/W1PRA on your message. Paul is sergeant-at-arms at NEAR-Fest (and I now see also at Boxboro, of late). As you can tell from Paul's QRZ entry, he's a handcuff vendor out of RI, and I'm sure he'll be suitably upset.

If you think you'll recognize the thief in six months (or if your antenna had some distinguishing marks), then retain as much of your old antenna's packaging and bill of sale as you still have, and bring it to the next NEAR-Fest. If you spot him, you have a couple of options at various places on the Spectrum of Prudence. (Just don't re-enact the Tale of the Stolen Cookies with some innocent guy's antenna).
 
Last edited:
Jay with the NES Sticker here.....

We go up early Friday morning, for the last many years, while camping up there overnight Friday and be well on the way home by noon on Saturday.
Stopping at the NH packie on the way up always seems to help make a more enjoyable weekend with friends.... usually with the HAMCOW guys.

Friday had a very good day selling 'medium ticket' items making the trip well worth it, confirming early Friday is the day when any magic happens....

One of my buyers was a CB'er asking me how many 'pills' and how much 'swing' the for sale amplifiers had.

That is unacceptable that someone snagged your antenna, @Len-2A Training, I have always been comfortable not worrying about the self-policing hams for the most part.

Looks like going to the CT flea next weekend.
 
Ham radio ain't like it used to be. (what is?). I was licensed in 1966. Seems like then it was more of a thing where everyone was on the same page. Work was the "salt mines", the other half was either the "YL" or "XYL". The drink was the "807", and you said "73. Good times back then, Jack.
 
The drink was the "807"

I'll go out on a limb here and guess that 75% or more of hams today wouldn't even know what an 807 is (not the beer) or even a 6146 unless they Googled it...but then, out on that same limb, I'm guessing these younger hams know things that I know little (or care) about, especially when it comes to some of the newer digital comm stuff.
 
Last edited:
Yep,

Trading my 3-500z and 3CX800a7's for some BLF189XRA's

The natural progression of technology is all......
 
The drink was the "807" ...
il_570xN.842597169_tot2.jpg
 
I went up on Friday as usual. Set up with the same 15 friends that I always do, in the same place... Since they moved here years ago. Great day/ good wx.. I don't stay over anymore, getting to old... 73, Gary- AB1CQ
 
I went up on Friday as usual. Set up with the same 15 friends that I always do, in the same place... Since they moved here years ago. Great day/ good wx.. I don't stay over anymore, getting to old... 73, Gary- AB1CQ
WOW! I just saw the rigs you rebuilt on the Zed. Absolutely beautiful!
 
I went up on Friday as usual. Set up with the same 15 friends that I always do, in the same place... Since they moved here years ago. Great day/ good wx.. I don't stay over anymore, getting to old... 73, Gary- AB1CQ

Good morning, Gary. I'm sorry that I did not get the chance to get to Near-Fest this fall. Missed you guys, but this Trump economy has me busier than ever. I haven't seen you at our "pizza night" for quite awhile. If you are avoiding the pizza, I can special order something else on the menu. Hope to see you soon.
 
I was there today. Miserable weather, almost nobody setup for the flea market due to rain, got some good info on setting up my HF radio. I made the mistake of driving up and parking beside the tin commercial building for a shorter walk when leaving (still recovering from back surgery) after. Walking back to that spot after picking up a couple small items at HRO, I passed a guy walking and swinging an antenna that looked just like mine. As I put the stuff in the trunk I looked up to find that the SOB I passed had stolen my NMO mount antenna off the roof of my car!!! If I return, I guess I'll have to take the mag mount off and stuff it in the trunk while at Near-Fest! No I never saw that thief again. I was able to buy a replacement. Thankfully I spotted the problem before leaving otherwise I could have blown up my ID-5100A if I keyed up with no antenna.

I left in disgust, didn't stick around for the prize drawings.

Only saw a couple people I knew. Not crowded at all, poorly attended.-
Quoted above so folks won't need to read from the top . . .

Question:

I was thinking of using the dielectric water proofing filler and waterproof tape over the connection with the magnetic base, largely to prevent erosion damage while driving but I also wonder if it would dissuade thieves as well. Does it sound like a good idea?
 
I was thinking of using the dielectric water proofing filler and waterproof tape over the connection with the magnetic base, largely to prevent erosion damage while driving but I also wonder if it would dissuade thieves as well. Does it sound like a good idea?

My mag-mounts are NMO.
They have an O-ring to keep the environment out of the mount/antenna interface.
(I rub a little AGS Sil-Glyde brake lube(!) on the O-rings to keep them soft and sealed, in fact).

That does nothing to keep people from unscrewing an antenna, of course.

If you the antenna is too difficult to remove from the mag mount,
someone could just cut the coax and pop the mount off...
=====
Somewhere on one of the FT-857/FT-897/ATAS-120 Yahoo web shrines,
someone had a cunning scheme for locking the ATAS-120 screwdriver antenna
to its base with some wire rope, etc.
I never understood the scheme.
 
My mag-mounts are NMO.
They have an O-ring to keep the environment out of the mount/antenna interface.
(I rub a little AGS Sil-Glyde brake lube(!) on the O-rings to keep them soft and sealed, in fact).

That does nothing to keep people from unscrewing an antenna, of course.

If you the antenna is too difficult to remove from the mag mount,
someone could just cut the coax and pop the mount off...
=====
Somewhere on one of the FT-857/FT-897/ATAS-120 Yahoo web shrines,
someone had a cunning scheme for locking the ATAS-120 screwdriver antenna
to its base with some wire rope, etc.
I never understood the scheme.
Most thieves are opportunists and don't carry cable cutters, etc.

The other aspect is that road grime had worn off the printing on the forward-facing area of that antenna and it was only mounted there for ~15 months. So sealing it up that way might prevent that as well.
 
Most thieves are opportunists and don't carry cable cutters, etc.
Any Boy Scout knife can cut RG-58U with a single swipe.

When I accompanied our club's founding president to help an octogenarian SK's daughter
survey his ham gear, the one thing that took three shakes of a lamb's tail was to stand at the base of his tower and cut the coax going in to the shack.
No one involved was interested in a lucky lightning strike burning the house to the ground while it was unoccupied.
 
Back
Top Bottom