Hamvention 2017

Steve K9ZW

Who is going? 

Attending Thursday Banquet?

Attending Saturday Banquet?

What are your hoping to see FRS introduce?

----

For my part I've George W9EVT (he has a Flex-6300 and a Maestro in his mega-shack) riding shotgun and with our wives will be at both Banquets.  I'm looking forward to seeing the PowerGenius XL in the flesh, and hope to see a new version of SmartSDR.

I'll hedge my prediction on SmartSDR with the possibility of seeing another Public Beta or if the WAN ready version 2.0 is not ready, then perhaps a significant version 1.x upgrade.

Wondering if the SO2R/SOxR box we've seen as a prototype will return?

As much of FRS hardware has had a deposit taking process, wouldn't be surprised to see some new offering shown as a prototype that will have us all scrambling to get the lowest order number possible.  As for what, that would be pure speculation from where I am, so I'll just wait and see.

Hope to see a lot of you there!

73

Steve K9ZW

Ria

I am going. I'll be only at the Thursday event. The Saturday event I am not going to, because I am going to Contest dinner. 

PGXL and 2.0 were at Visalia so they'll be at Dayton. Not sure what else. 

Ria

Lawrence Kellar KB5ZZB

If 2.0 was at Visalia could release be imminent?

Steve K9ZW

@KB5ZZB - Only FRS can say for sure when. 

I think we certainly can expect to minimally see some of SmartSDR v2.0 like shown at Visalia.

If I were a betting man, I'm with you, but again it is up to FRS and they are not saying.

73

Steve K9ZW

Ria

I can't speculate on when it would be released, but based on the fact that they showed a working demo, I'd say it's pretty far along. 

k0eoo

There'll be three of us driving from MN starting Thursday morning.  Wanted to attend the Thursday dinner but don't think we'll get there in time so we're signed up for the Saturday event.  Hope to shake hands with many of you....

Ernest

I have friends  in Ohio and would love to attend Hamvention this year; for the first time. However, I have a larger convention closer  that i will rather attend.
The sad part of attending ham events, is seeing the attendee or photographs of the conventions.
Check this website and see the photos from Visalia's attendants: and you'll properly agree to my  conclusion.
"Bob, N6TV, has shared his album of pictures from the 2017 International DX Convention in Visalia, California." 
After seeing the large number of photographs that N6TV posted. It is rather sad to see the number of radio amateur that are passed their prime (including me) and the number of younger hams are but a few!
No wonder, that the number of manufacturers of amateur radio equipment is dwindling to a point that is not profitable to stay in business.
In another word; when you start knocking or complaining about a company or  the others: You may be cutting your future manufacturer of ham radio gear.

N6OIL

Yeah that was the first thing I noticed too, I'm 54 and I think I would be a youngster in that crowd. I wasn't able make Visalia this year I was pretty bummed out.  

Rick Hadley - W0FG

There was a working version of 2.0 at Visalia?  How come we haven't had any threads about what it looks like and what folks' impressions were?

Roy Laufer

Gee...

You guyz just noticed this <grin>?

A guy recently wrote in CQ Magazine that it seemed like the average age of a CW operator was...

Dead.

I understand the public relations articles regarding fetus' in utero passing their Tech licenses and the next wunderkindt teenage ham, but what this hobby REALLY needs are a bunch of people already ensconced in their family/professional lives in their 30's and 40's and still active in this hobby!

Historically teen hams often wander off the hobby after College in pursuit of their family and professional goals, occasionally rejoining us when they are empty nesters, divorced or nearing retirement.

That's all well and good, but by the time these few teenage hams go elsewhere and finally return some greedy b*#$@d in Washington, DC will have sold our almost unused RF spectrum to some future technology with a few billion of dollars sitting in that corporation's back room (do you think that Washington would turn down an offer from Apple for our spectrum for all the money Apple has in liquid accounts, so that our representative's contributors don't have to concern themselves with petty nuisances like taxes).

I don't see an easy solution.

I try my part to build the hobby base - I work at local VE Sessions, I write intro articles for the curious and try to make myself available for anyone with any interest (sometimes this is just a college kid doing a report on whether hams are like Internet people and troll or cosplay).

I think it's great finding kids interested in the hobby, but someone has to seriously think about getting 30-40 year olds interested or the only people that will be left will be first responder wannabe's with uniforms made of nothing but absurd pseudo-professional patches.

But then, that's just my two cents worth.

And now for something completely different...

I'm looking forward to some very exciting announcements at Xenia!

73,
Roy AC2GS

Roy Laufer

I suggest a small experiment:

Randomly show a ham pictures of people milling around during an average ham convention and milling around the San Diego ComicCon, and see how many shots of whiskey that the ham would need to imbibe before he could no longer tell which crowd was which.

I think that I would need at least 2/3 of a bottle before I was cognitively impaired enough.

Steve K9ZW

I'd guess mostly respect for FRS and that what was shown was a lash-up based on the present GUI.

FRS has shown things at different shows to get show participants' feedback.

Personally I make a point to ask the FRS team if something I see/learn is common knowledge or if it should be embargoed until an actual FRS announcement is made.

I do the same for others showing or speaking of product in advance of launch.

Professionally I just returned from a session in Rome which included discussions that are voluntarily embargoed.  Nothing unusual.

Of course for the most bleeding edge sometimes an NDA is appropriate.

Are you going to be at Xenia?

73

Steve K9ZW

Steve K9ZW

Point on needing to encourage younger folk into the hobby is wise talk.

Hard to say if the show photos show anything new, as often it is either those in the trade side and those retired or with enough leisure time to get away that make shows.

An additional factor is trends into how people attend shows vs doing web searches or even "virtual (vicarious) attendance." 

Our hobby is NOT the only place you will see this, as many trade associations are seeing a difference in the likelihood of physically attending events in the various demographics.

Speaking of attendance, are all you making it to Xenia?

73

Steve K9ZW

Michael Aust

Each Year I find our Amateur Radio Club and others are finding it harder to find CW operators to operate for Field Day, just an observation, they must be dying off due to age !

WW4LL

I've got two tables at the Saturday night Contest Dinner and have 3 seats available if anyone is looking for tickets.

I'll be at the Thurs night FRS Dinner.

73'....Fred, WW4LL

Ria

I'll be at the FRC table. Be sure to say hello. 

Michael Coslo

Not going. I've gone for years, but am choosing to spend my amateur vacation money in a different way. That's a couple thou a year at least.  I think that Hamvention is moving in a new direction, and I wish them the best of luck.

KY6LA_Howard

Not Going......

Been going most years since 1961 to the Hara Pigsty just to view the next rendition of the Sewage Volcano.

But the Move to XENIA Cow Sheds was highly disappointing when clearly they had better options.  Speaking to vendors, there is about 1/2 the inside exhibit space compared to the pigsty.  So many of the vendors will be outside in tents.

Compared to other Hamventions I usually go to every year like Visalia, Friedrichshafen and Tokyo which are in real professional class Convention Centers I am not real excited about Cow Sheds in the middle of the rust belt. 

Frankly the sooner Dayton dies a natural death and is replaced by a more modern and inviting venue the better

Michael Coslo

Men tend not to get involved in Hobbies now until their children are off to college. I got my first license in 1999, when I was 45, and the son was within a couple years of graduating. That is not untypical. 

We're lucky, we have a couple hotshot mid 40's CW operators for Field Day. Interestingly, one is single, and one married, but no children. 

As for children, sad to say, most males today don't really want to be around kids. 

KY6LA_Howard

@ Rick   - NDA  - I was at Visalia

BTW... I thought you were dumping your Flex Radios so why do you care about V2.0?

N6OIL

Maybe Vegas, yes? 2 hour drive for me!

Rick Hadley - W0FG

Good Lord, no! You've got me mixed up with someone else. Read my last post regarding the great service I had recently. I'd never part with my 6500!

Gary Wise

Will be my first trip to Dayton ever! Looking forward to it, even if it is in Xenia.

Will be at the Thursday dinner. Looking forward to meeting the experts!

Would hope for a Version 2 Release.

73,

Gary W4EEY

Mike W8MM

I'll be attending the Thursday night bash.  It's only a 50 minute drive from my home in Cincinnati and I get to sleep in my own bed every night!

Originally I wasn't going to be able to attend except for Saturday mid-day, but my wife's other commitments changed and I have Thursday night back in my schedule.  Already told ARRL I wouldn't be to their donor banquet and my old Drake 6 meter contest crew is a conflict for Saturday. 

So, Thursday it is!

Mike W9OJ

I wasn't going to go.

I just changed my mind.

Michael Coslo

Why? - You're teasing us.

KY6LA_Howard

Clearly Mike was swayed by my thoughtful praise of the Cow Sheds.

wb7ond

Looking forward to meeting some of the folks in this community.  Wife and I will attend Thurs Flex banquet and on Saturday it's the QRP banquet...   I believe that Dayton is as great a time as you make it, I've been going since 1989 and have not had a bad time yet, I've learned new technology at Dayton and brought some back to my work place.  For example, a few years ago we updated our aging communications with WAVE (tm) technology, that allowed us to use, at the time, the new ROI technology in our tactical networks. It was demonstrated by a Motorola contractor/vendor at Dayton with adhoc Cisco routers he demo'd, after IRLP was less than enthusiastic.  We have since vastly improved on it for the warfighter..

****
wb7ond

John - AF3K

I'm going. Looking forward to seeing / meeting you all at the Flex dinner on Thurs,...Extra fun if there are some new product announcements (v2.0?) from Flex!!

Ria

Honestly those who think "Dayton" is about hamvention are missing the point. The actual hamfest is boring. The flea market has tons of overpriced junk and when you buy from vendors you pay ohio sales tax and you have to figure out how to get it back home. No thanks.

Instead I enjoy the after hours activities - contest dinner, the suites, and now the flex dinner. Plenty of good company and adult beverages meaning you talk stuff you don't hear on the radio (unless it's 75m late at night). We had a great time all around. I still go to the actual hamfest for part of the day but in all honesty I haven't even bought a ticket yet, and I'm debating going hanging out at the hamfest for one day then going to the after hours events which is the real attraction for me.

KY6LA_Howard

I agree with you about the Flea Market being full of overpriced garbage -- in fact I regularly toss out much better stuff in the land fill. I also agree that except for a few innovative products being introduced the hamfest is mostly a waste of time. The forums are targeted for the most part to the lowest common denominator compared to high quality talks at Visalia or Freidrichshafen or Tokyo. So mostly a waste of time.

I do like the social aspects of putting names to faces over the years and meeting friends from around the world. But I get that and especially DX friends better at Visalia, Freidrichshafen and Tokyo.
'
The problem I have with Dayton is Dayton. The place has degenerated over the years into a Third World country without the charm or the weather or the third world. The final straw for me is their choice of a Countyfair cowshed over a professional quality convention center. That's kind of small minded thinking the turned Dayton into a Third World country.
'
'Frankly the sooner Dayton dies, The better. Maybe then the mantle will be picked up by a more forward thinking operation.