Yes it is that time again. Nearfest is next weekend! That gives you only one week to prepare, so start now. It will take you a week to gather your stuff to sell, make your list of stuff to buy, hit the bank for $20’s, $10’s. $5’s and $1’s, figure out what to bring or make for the
Friday night pot luck that starts around 5:00, what musical instrument to play later on, etc ,etc……
Peter N1ALO will be bringing the two shelters along with the tables so help with setting them up at 9AM Friday is always welcome.
I’ll bring my usual – coffee maker, lights propane heater and chili, and will be doing the usual 6AM prepaid parking duty to help folks get in when the gates open.
Folks, I shouldn’t have to remind you but I will. Bring cold wx and rain gear, and hope it stays in the car. Warm wx clothes too if you are an optimist :-). Other items of interest to bring are a chair, 2M HT set to 147.12 simplex and labels for your stuff you are selling. I hear there is a bunch of stuff to be sold so if you can bring a table, it will help the cause.
Hope to see you next Friday and/or Saturday for a whole lot of fun!
Jim
Editor’s additions – from the NEAR-Fest website:
What is the New England Amateur Radio Festival, Inc. (NEAR-Fest)?
The NEAR-Fest is an international event run by and for amateur radio operators and other enthusiasts held at the Deerfield Fairgrounds, Deerfield NH, twice annually for two days in the Spring and Autumn. Our next event is scheduled for May 2nd and 3rd 2014 as well as October 10th and 11th 2014. NEAR-Fest was chartered in the State of Vermont in 2007 as a private Not-for-Profit corporation.
NEAR-Fest typically attracts between 2,000 and 2,500 paid attendees from New England, NY, NJ, PA, MD and other east coast states as well as from Quebec, Ontario, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia in Canada. Some attendees travel great distances; one gentleman from Los Angeles has attended twelve events and in 2010 one radio amateur traveled from Greece to join us for the fun.
The program of events at NEAR-Fest is extensive; a huge outdoor electronic flea market, three buildings full of commercial vendors, forums, technical seminars, demonstrations, exhibits, displays, licensing examinations, special events radio stations, a “jam session”, good food, fellowship, fun and general mishigoss. NEAR-Fest has once been described as the “Woodstock of Amateur Radio”.
K1OIK captured NEAR-Fest last year on video
