Yes, when I went back for the Hamvention a couple years ago I did notice
that the Hara Arena had gotten noticeably dingier than what I remember
from when I lived in the Dayton area back in the late 70s. But I didn't
find that it detracted from the experience. I don't go there to admire
the decor! :=)

Alan N1AL

On 05/15/2015 06:07 PM, 'Gordon P. Howell, Jr.' geep@...
[Elecraft_K3] wrote:
>
>
> Takes a sharp set of elbows and an uncaring attitude to make it through
> the crowds. The farthest bathrooms generally aren’t too bad, but then
> it’s been ten years since my last appearance. And I think they are
> contracted with Hara for the next several years.
>
>> On May 15, 2015, at 8:46 PM, sbloom@...
>> [Elecraft_K3]
>> > wrote:
>>
>>
>> This year is the first time for me. It's been great meeting some of
>> the guys I've worked (especially the Contesters and the folks from
>> CWOps), Contest U rocked ..and it is worth the flight just to
>> hear W3LPL chat ...but they weren't kidding about just how bad Hara
>> Arena is. It's best days were forty plus years ago ..and I suspect
>> they weren't so great then! Foul bathrooms ...a lot of areas were
>> crowded and hot and ummmmm ..some hams do NOT have the best hygiene.
>> Didn't see much of real interest in the flea market ...but I'm not
>> really a boatanchor kinda guy. Elecraft booth was very busy ...got a
>> chance to look at the K3S ... on a purely visual level ...it looks a
>> bit .cleaner/tighter ...but not a huge difference. I'm also
>> interested in a SteppIR ..found their rep to be more ..salesman-ish
>> than technical ..but to be fair ..I was just generally irritated by
>> the mass of humanity, so it could have been me. I did order the
>> Expert Amps 1.3K ...man that thing is light. Tried to attend the
>> Antenna forum, but it was SRO and I was just out of patience.
>> Hamvention seems like a great place to see the latest and greatest
>> .DXEngineering has all sorts of stuff I'd like to check out .. but
>> it's hard to get much time to play with anything and to be honest ..my
>> needs are specific enough, that I want to take time and care with what
>> I buy ..and the enrionment isn't conducive to that. I bought my first
>> K3 at SeaPac a couple of years ago .I don't think I would have taken
>> that step here.The hotel I'm at (The Crowne Plaza) is the host for the
>> contesting events ...it's not going to be competing with a Ritz
>> Carlton anytime real soon.
>>
>>
>> 73
>>
>> Steve KL7SB
>>
>>
>> p.s. An elderly gent with a walker took a fall ..it took us 3 or 4
>> attempts to get him help ..and 12 minutes for paramedics to get
>> there. I think he will be ok ...though they did take him out on a
>> stretcher ..but ..if that was a cardiac or cerebral event ..that would
>> ...not have been good.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On Fri, 15 May 2015 16:51:29 -0700, "Jim Lowmanjmlowman@...
>> [Elecraft_K3]"
>> > wrote:
>>
>> I have to agree with your friend, Bob, based on our one-and-only
>> experience with Dayton in 2013.
>> At that time I had been licensed, General-class or higher, for
>> almost 50
>> years.
>>
>> I will add that there were a lot of guys riding those electric carts.
>> At first I found them to be an annoyance, but later used them to my
>> advantage.
>> I would follow one from place to place, allowing the driver to
>> part the
>> way for me.
>>
>> The XYL's report on the restrooms: One woman who was leaving a stall
>> told her, "This one actually flushes."
>> Oddly, the mens' room over by the room where the Drake
>> presentation was
>> held, was kept fairly clean, considering the amount of traffic.
>> The one that the XYL had used was in the main, dingy,
>> dimly-lighted arena.
>>
>> We vowed never to return until DARA finds a better facility.
>>
>> 73 de Jim - AD6CW
>>
>> On 5/14/2015 9:58 PM, Bobrobertlarson@...
>> [Elecraft_K3] wrote:
>> > Your friend is almost 100% correct. He misses the mark on "low
>> end truck stop
>> > food". It would require considerable improvement to reach that
>> status.
>> >
>> > 73,
>> > Bob
>> > K2TK
>> >
>> >
>> > On 5/14/2015 2:00 PM, Tom Fitzgeraldkd0bcf@...
>> [Elecraft_K3] wrote:
>> >> I couldn't resist posting this commentary from a ham friend who
>> is more than
>> >> familiar with the Dayton event...anyone share this analysis????
>> Let the
>> >> stoning begin! :)
>> >>
>> >> "Dayton is a crowded madhouse too. The arena in which it is
>> held is ugly and
>> >> run down. Ya hafta inch your way though the dense crowds ta get
>> from one end
>> >> of the giant facility to the other. There are often very long
>> lines for filthy
>> >> bathrooms and the food sucks. Overcooked hamburgers and hot
>> dogs, single
>> >> slices of pizza, low end truck stop food. The whole experience
>> is taxing. All
>> >> just to look at Icom's or Yaesu's latest $20,000 radio. The
>> flea market area
>> >> needs to be visited on Friday morning
>> for good
>> >> old stuff. By Saturday there's only junk and lots of it."
>> >>
>> >> You just can't make this stuff up! I believe him!
>> >>
>> >>
>>
>>
>>
>>
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