I guess I should say something about the North Hills hamfest here in
Pittsburgh. This was Sunday July 9th in the Northland Public Library parking
lot, which sits on a pretty hilltop and is a fine location for a hamfest. If
your club is looking for a summer hamfest location and the library is closed on
Sundays, you should check with them. It has worked out great over the years for
the North Hills club here in Pittsburgh.
Another neat thing about this hamfest is that since the location is free, the
club charges no fees to sellers or buyers--you just walk in like you owned the
place. The club has raffles, sells donated stuff at a club table and farms out
the food concession to a local Boy Scount troop. It's all very clean and
simple. But it's also pretty small, with maybe 30 sellers and 250-400 attendees
this year.
Boatanchors were lightly represented. I only saw a couple
-- a Hallicrafters Sky Buddy S-19 with unoriginal hole in the front panel for
$95
-- Fisher and Eico Williamson tube amps for $75--$250
-- Swan 240 with original PS and nice looking for $200--didn't sell
-- Drake TR-4 with PS/Spkr for $175 sold
-- Ten Tec Hercules amp for $550 with PS but missing cables
-- Very cool red RCA flag about 2 by 3 feet with RCA meatball and Radio Tubes
sign--$100
-- Various odd tube testers for $25-$50
-- Vibroplex bugs $75 each
-- Horn speaker $45
The club table had a ton of parts which they sold at giveaway prices. I picked
up some great 4-8-12MF 2000VDC oil caps, a huge NOSB choke, box of RF chokes,
knobs, neutralizing caps, connectors and the other usual suspects for $20. I
also bought the previously-mentioned unworking Tek 5403 with 3 plug-ins and all
the manuals for $20 (couldn't pass it up) and a Heathkit SB-whatever station
console parts unit for $5. I foolishly spent $5 on an old Jackson tube tester
with a wooden cabinet that is in pieces. I am determined to fix that thing.
I had the remains/dregs of 2 estates with me and sold maybe $100 worth of loose
small items at 50 cents and $1 each. The E.H. Scott SLR-F that I have been
dragging around to hamfests for $125 still did not sell.
All the local hamfest regulars were there including the couple that sells stuff
and also plays accordian--they played the theme from the Godfather among other
tunes. It was a pretty, sunny day and a good time was had by all wo came.
73, Don Merz, N3RHT
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