I’m now back home after an incredible trip to Dayton. On Saturday, as I was riding the shuttle bus from the exhibits to the car park, I asked the fellow sitting next to me what was his highlight. He told me it was the flea market booth that was selling Enigma code machines, the one used by the Nazi’s in World War II. He noted that the most pristine version was selling for $69,000 — some flea market! When I related the same story later that evening at the Contest Dinner, my drinking companions said “that guy’s here every year”. I guess I need to get out to the flea market!
This year I was mostly at the forums, touring the indoor exhibits, and manning the Radio Scouting Booth and giving a presentation at the ICOM Booth. My presentation went well. My wife, Karen, actually watched my presentation on a streaming video link that ICOM set up for all the presentations. Karen recorded it on her iPhone and texted it to me! It’s an amazing world of technology.
I ended the day by attending the Contest Dinner. What a great group of people (about 400 in attendance). Tim Duffy, K3LR, and the Contest University crew really put on an excellent show that was top-notch and very well run. I enjoyed the talk, which was by Tree, N6TR, about log checking software. That just goes to show you what a geek I’ve become — or am at last revealing! Can’t wait to go back again next year.We also had a brief meeting of the K2BSA Jamboree staff members from year’s past and current. It looked like about a dozen fellows showed up and I gave them a brief run down of the new Jamboree at the Summit. We also discussed the ICOM sponsorship and the council loan program. My next step is to write-up how the council loan program will work. I need to set up an application process, pull together a team to evaluate the applications, and then some kind of waiting list. That’s a good task for this week. I also need to pull together a list of the remaining equipment needed for the K2BSA Jamboree operation and get started on meeting the potential sponsors and pitching them to get involved. That should be an exciting task.
