When Steve Kahn, K5MIF, stumbled across the CDXA Boneyard page, and saw the Henry 3K-A listed, he called me immediately and bought it. A few days later, he called back, wondering how he’d be able to get it! We arranged for him to pay me to deliver it to the Orlando Hamfest, this past weekend. (I didn’t need much of an excuse to drive to Florida, considering the lousy weather conditions recently here in North Carolina….)
Invited N4ZC to ride along, as I’ve not been able to spend much time with Roger these past few years, what with work and attendant travel. He agreed, so the trip was planned, and went off without a hitch. Stopped at the Hamfest once in Orlando. Immediately ran in to W2VU and K7JA, who said W2GD said hello on Facebook last night! Then K1TO walked up, surprised to see me there early (I’d predicted we wouldn’t arrive in time for the FCG gathering later that night). There was some concern when I couldn’t raise K5MIF on his cell phone, but we finally hooked up and met in the parking lot of his motel later that night and I got to exercise a bit shuffling the big amp into his RAV-4.
Then Rog and I headed to the Florida Contest Group’s dinner and hospitality suite. Good fun was had by all. N4KM won the tower book I donated to their prize grouping, and he was seated next to me at the table! Lots of nice comments on the Workshop Chronicles column in the NCJ, too. Writers always like to hear feedback, especially the good kind.
Saturday found us shivering in 40-degree temperatures. Met friend and client K3RUQ wandering around the flea market, so we wandered a while together, talking about tower work, and repairs to his broken MonstIR. Found some bargains for client jobs, which is always good. Dinner with ‘RUQ and K8JW that evening. Then the long trip (always seemingly longer than the time required to GET there) back home Sunday. Stopped in Florence SC to buy more Hoffman boxes from KI4MVA, having used up the last group I bought from Jim. Clients love ’em….
AI0O worked five new ones last week on 160M! Always nice to hear from clients with comments like that–considering I designed, built and installed the vertical that’s working all that DX from his mid-Missouri QTH!
Work continues to come in. Site survey at WK3W’s after the ARRL DX Test this coming weekend. One of the truly fun aspects of this work–actually thinking about and designing a station’s towers and antennas.
stay tuned
