Just in from the Collins Collectors Association Banquet. http://collinsradio.org/ A great bunch of people, though they were very much let down by the hotel – cold, late food, an electric country/folk group performing through a folding wall almost masking the speakers, and a complete lack of the little touches like Hotel Signage to point people to the right place for the event. A very in depth look at the last Collins model – KWM/HF-380 was perhaps too sharply focused for those of us who do not own this particular model, though there was no question the speaker was an absolute expert on the radio. I did win a $50 dsicount coupon on Boat Anchor repair at Land Air Communications ( http://www.landaircom.com )
More on the Hilberling PT-8000-2010 I looked at earlier in the day ( http://hilberling.com/en/en_son/index_en.htm ) – the new version is expected to ship to the first North American clients after Labor Day. Due to the extensive upgrades to the design between the original PT-8000 and the PT-8000-2010 Hilberling is having it again reviewed for FCC compliance. Production rates are likely to be steady with roughly one fo three radios built destine for North America. Base price is $19,900 for the 200 watt setup. In the colors available there is a lovely Green with Yellow Accent perfect for a shack with a QTH in Green Bay Packer’s country! Somehow I feel set up…..
The other radio that really caught my eye – that looked FUN – is the Elecraft KX3. There are websites resounding with photos take at the Hamvention of the KX3, and my impression holding the display unit in my hand is a solidly enthusiastic. If it plays on the air like it looks, then it is another Elecraft winner! Their website is supposed to be updated in the next weeks to feature the new radio – http://www.elecraft.com/
Interesting observations on the new Ham Books – they are mainly compilations, weak kneed watered-downs of true How-To books (lawyered down to meet risk reduction goals?), hard copies of stuff you can find on the net, or reprints. One long time book seller bought zero new stock to the show and is selling out of what books he has due to the changing offering and the changing readership. I’ll write more on this after pondering a while.
As a facility there seems to have been some effort made at the Hara to clean up the worst, but it still sucks. I left the HF Antenna Seminar in Room #1 at half way to escape the failed air-conditioning which left the room stifling beyond reasonableness. Actually it was just the front half that was heated like a level of Dante’s Inferno, as the A/C was on in the back, but that was so far away you couldn’t possibly see the slides.
Heard a lot about regional Ham Meets – Ham-Com in TX was being much discussed. Perhaps people are giving up on the underwhelming side of Dayton?
Between the costs of travel, the ability of the internet to convey information, that an evolution is obvious. Interesting times!
73 from Dayton,
Steve
K9ZW
With Varying Frequency - Amateur Radio Ponderings 