Me too Lou.  And then there is never time to use it all, and when you 
light it up it like an old car; it may or may not work and even 
though most of us blind guys can fix more of them than the new stuff 
(like the general ham population), it is still hard to get in to the 
guts and fix stuff, and most of our ham friends don't have the time 
or inclination or expertise to help!!
That's why I sold off a lot of stuff that said Hallicrafters, E F 
Johnson and the like six months ago.
Pat, K9JAUAt 09:52 PM 7/25/2006, you wrote:
>Hi.
>
>The really scary thing is that I have to fight to keep from bringing that
>old crap home!  Especially if it says Hallicrafters or Hammarlund somewhere
>on the case.
>
>73, de Lou K2LKK
>
>
>
>At 06:04 PM 7/25/2006 -0500, you wrote:
> >Hamfests in the midwest, near Chicago are changing as well.  We have
> >a group of the old farts and I don't think they really expect to sell
> >their equipment.  The "fests" are a social event and these folks
> >spend all hamfest season together on most Sundays hanging out and not
> >selling much equipment.  It's fun for them and I don't have to do
> >anything but say hi to them, comment on some of the truly old gear
> >that I used and remember fondly then go on down the line to the next table.
> >I'm already one of those old farts, and if I could drive to the fests
> >alone, I too might be guilty of bringing all that old, overpriced
> >crap!!  But I don't think I would overprice it.  But that's my opinion!!
> >Pat, K9JAUAt 05:00 PM 7/25/2006, you wrote:
> > >our ham fests are now beginning to show true arosion.
> > >We usually have at least 1 or 2 tables of ham fest sponsors such as our
> > >local investors group, selling books, offering door prizes of an hour of
> > >free financial councelling....and a free self help book on 
> investing....they
> > >even go so far as to bring in non hams to work the tables? an 
> abomanation if
> > >you ask me.
> > >Also, our ham fest has the unseemly habit of allowing all the table buyers
> > >to have first grabs on any of the stuff before the doors open...so if you
> > >buy a table, you can have first shot at all the goodies before the masses
> > >come in...this means all the guys who are selling their worthless junk and
> > >computer garbage get to snap up the good radios and ham equipment or trade
> > >it for their computer stuff...so by the time we poor peaons get 
> to come in,
> > >everything is pretty much crap and there are no good deals or good
> > >radios/antennas, power supplies or anything of that nature left. and if
> > >there are, they are way over priced.
> > >I tend to  find that the ham fests around here have old farts who think
> > >their garbage is worth its weight in gold and would rather pack 
> it all back
> > >home then deal on the selling price...so we end up seeing the same stuff
> > >year after year after year cuz they refuse to sell it for 
> reasonable prices.
> > >I have only been going for 3 years, but i have heard from other hams, that
> > >they have seen the same tables, with nearly the exact same equipment, over
> > >priced, on them for ten years in some cases.
> > >when you want $300 for a table top short wave radio, or $150 for 
> a mag mount
> > >5.8's wave that you can buy for $69 at the ham store, you aren't 
> gonna sell
> > >much.
> > >73
> > >Colin, V A6BKX
> > >----- Original Message -----
> > >From: "Richard Fiorello" <[log in to unmask]>
> > >To: <[log in to unmask]>
> > >Sent: Tuesday, July 25, 2006 3:38 PM
> > >Subject: not off topic
> > >
> > >
> > > > Hi;
> > > > Can't resist after a day at work.  Have you gone to any 
> recent ham fests
> > >and
> > > > taken a look whether there are many decent radios or piles of
> > software and
> > > > pc products?  I'm afraid the pc wins hands down based on my 
> unscientific
> > > > observations.
> > > > As for the program to run your radio, I guess it depends upon the radio
> > >and
> > > > what run means.  Apparently you can download software from Kenwood but
> > >never
> > > > tried it or seen any list of key strokes.  Ham radio deluxe 
> has gotten a
> > >lot
> > > > of interest and a list of keystrokes, some scripts or even a 
> set file or
> > >two
> > > > might be nice.
> > > > I will never be Mr. computer and I'm a bit reluctant to jump into
> > >relatively
> > > > uncharted waters.
> > > > Richard
> > > >
>
>Louis Kim Kline
>A.R.S. K2LKK
>Home e-mail:  [log in to unmask]
>Work e-mail:  [log in to unmask]
>Work Telephone:  (585) 697-5753