Hosstraders Fall 98 at Rochester NH - Report

[Michael Crestohl]

It rained as usual but it was  the wettest Hosstraders ever!  It didn't
ever totally stop - the best we got was a light drizzle for a few hours then
down it came again.  Saturday afternoon was the worst - a couple of
bad downpours that really made everyone run for cover.  Some of the usual
seller area was unusable was when we arrived Friday morning but by the time
we left the whole area was a sea of mud.  This time the forecasters were
accurate!  It sucked!

However we managed to have a great deal of fun despite the wet WX.  I ran
into a lot of people I like and we found shelter inside one of the ag
buildings (CATTLE) where Dale KW1I set up the vintage military station and
got on the air.  This consisted of a mint ART-13 and BC-348!  It was
gorgeous!  Tim WA1HLR and most of the NE AM crowd were there and so were
most of my BARS friends from MA.  There was plenty of food and beer, music
and laughter so it was a great weekend in spite of the WX.

I picked up a  real nice ITT MacKay Marine 3010C receiver.  I've always
wanted a MacKay and this is the "best" model.  I am really pleased with it
- got it  from old Deerfield W1NZR friend who I trust and at an "old
buddies" price.  It's definitely a keeper!  There was a lineup behind
me.......

Ran into NE BA'ers Andy Wallace, Mark, Rhyne, and several others.  You had
to be a hard-core hamfester to be there.

73 all!

Michael, W1RC
mc at sover.net

PS:  Here is an e-mail message from my friend W1QWT about his experiences
at Rainchester 98!

                 Hosstraders at Rochester N.H.

When we got there we began to build our rain proof tent. It was quite a
structure! The Rochester code enforcement officer came by and wanted to
know if we had a building permit. We told him that we didn't think a
permit was needed for a tent and he shook his head and said,"If that's a
tent then I'm a moose!"

Well anyway after pounding in stakes and bolting together 1X3 strapping,
and then tightning bolts with the pliers provided by Mr. Mike,  W1RC, we
placed the 20 X 30 foot tarpaulin over the support structure. The tarpaulin
was soo big we could have used it to sail the Constitution. Well the wind
came up and tore apart our stucture and the wood began breakin.
Our new approach was to tie the tarpaulin to the side of the shed and
then we drove HO's car over it and build a lean too. With the  wind
this didn't last too long either. At this point we were all quite soaked.
We met Brown, W1NZR, and he suggested we go into the cattle barn where he
was with the military radio guys.

Well off we went to the cattle building. We set up inside but it smelt
like cow farts. Oh well at least it wasn't raining inside. Of course
outside was a different matter.


Dale had a fine business military radio on 75 meter AM. What a strapping
vertical antenna he had.

MUD: There was mud and I was beginning to think Woodstock.

At 3:00 PM there were only about half the number of people there as
usual. There was nobody set up in the center of the fair grounds.
In the commercial building about half the usual people were missing.
Well at least I sold my stuff so I re-evaluated my being and decided
that all I had to look forward to was more rain, so I decided to leave.
By this time my feet hurt (I was wearing these huge water proof boots)
and I was soaked. Mike, K1TEX, decided also that he would spend the
night in a warm comfortable bed, a smart move. Well I guess I should
have listened to NS1N in the beginning.


Next time the weather will have to be pretty damn good before I'll go
again on a Friday. I can't believe I gave up a precious vacation day to
play in the rain.

I checked the weather at Rochester on the NET tonight and it was
reported to be raining both at 7:00 PM and 11:00 PM.

                                           Later
                                             Q

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