this year.We were setup in the flea market just across the isle from W5KUB. We came in Thursday afternoon to drop off our cargo trailer and decide how we were going to setup. We were a little
surprised at the lack of vehicles and people in the flea market area for setup.
We stayed at the University of Dayton in one of the dorm rooms. The rooms were very nice and clean. We enjoyed eating at Milano's Thursday night on the strip near UOD.
Friday - We arrived at the flea market entrance at 6:30am - there were three vehicles in front of us. In the 1990's the line would be backed up to the highway no matter what time you arrived.
Setup was uneventful. We were very busy all day. Lots of questions about our MOXON antenna accessories and the hexbeam baseplate. We both were at our flea market spaces all day except for restroom breaks. On one of my breaks I cruised through the Hara arena and came across DX Engineering new Hexxagonal Beam die cast aluminum hub and antenna that was on display. My reaction to the display antenna was that it was small. While talking to Ed NX7TT that I met at the booth we decided that it was a half scale model. What a shame, it was a perfect opportunity for DXE to show the actual antenna to scale. Anyway, back to work. I met lots of customers that have
purchased hexagonal, hexbeam components from our website: www.hexkit.com
I also can't count how many times that I heard "Hey! I've been to your website" Also saw one of my best friends from my General Electric Engineering days - Randy W4AUB That's right! He's a Auburn Grad - "bless his heart"
as we say in the south of US 80 Roll Tide!! Sometimes I miss those 30 plus hours of Paper Mill shutdowns.We also met many DX hams - I5GON was one that I remember specifically - a very nice Italian gentleman that spoke very little English. He showed me pictures of his station on his digital camera. I5GON's optibeam was the size of our house. We met hams from Ukraine, Japan, Russia, Sweden, Kuwait, and so on. All were very nice and cordial. We completed putting everything up at around 7:00 that night. We ate at J Alexanders that night. It was one of the best meals in a while. Made us feel like we were back in Tennessee.
Saturday
Up early to only to find that it's raining. We made it the flea market again with lit
tle waiting to get in.I left Kathy in the truck to get a little sleep while I perused the flea market in the rain.
The flea market has changed so much. I would estimate that half the spaces were empty. I spent about an hour looking around. Not many deals were found. Came back and setup our tent etc.
We sold a lot of my non-stock accumulation of stuff. Even sold the large linear actuators that brought to hold the tent down. Spent most of the day trying to keep dry things dry. Met a lot of
hexbeam and MOXON wire beam enthusiasts again on Saturday. Got a chance to met Carl Moreschi N4PY at his booth, and Roy Lewallen W7EL and purchased EZNEC+
Also purchased a couple of carchip pro modules from Davis Instruments at a show discount.
We shutdown and packed up for the return trip. We stopped in Florence KY at the Cracker Barrel for supper. Arrived home at about 6:30am Sunday morning.
Reflections & Thoughts from Dayton 2009 - I would spent another night. I would take more pictures. I would erect a full size hex beam.
I was surprised that DX Engineering is entering the grass roots hexbeam market...... I guess they will use the 12 months of the provisional patent process "patent pending" to decide if there is a market. The DXE hexxagonal hub is heavy, and the center post/mast is going to be a weak point due to the number of components involved to make it work. I also would hate to know that I had to have the margin in my prices to pay for the patent process.
One of the common questions: When are you going to offer a complete antenna? At the time I had delayed the release of complete antennas while I was supplying components to two of the commercial hex antenna builders. I didn't want to have a competing product with a customer.
(Business ethics - Not common even in the Amateur Radio Market)
They have since developed another source for what I was supplying. You will now see complete antennas slowly appear on the hexkit.com site. The antennas will have new features that have
not been offered on any of the competitors hexagonal / hexxagonal / hex / beams.
The Hamvention: If they don't figure out a way to grow the Hamvention it will die. Downsizing is a cowards way to quit. It takes a lot of work to grow.
I think I would rather spend a week at Gulf Shores Alabama next year............. I still want to activate the Sand Island Light House about three miles south of Dauphin Island Alabama.
The Reflections & Thoughts are my own. I reserve my right to change my mind!
73,
Ron Mott W4RDM
www.hexkit.com
PS: A wise man changes his mind, A fool never does - Spanish Proverb
Keywords: HexBeam, HexKit, Moxon Beam, Hexagonal Beam, Ham Radio,
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