The doors of Hara Arena will be flying off their hinges at 9AM EDT on Friday morning, a mere 42 hours from the time this entry was posted. In the exhibitor area you can actually hear a low-frequency rumble as the multitudes cross the thresholds. The Hamvention public address announcer gives exhibitors ample warning, and at the moment of truth blurts a rather panicked-sounding "The doors are now open!" followed by "Aieeeee!" or something like that.

According to the Wet Cat prognosticator, the weekend forecast has deteriorated a bit. Now he is predicting mostly cloudy skies and occasional showers Saturday and Sunday with highs in the mid-60s. Thankfully, he is not calling for a "rain event," the kind that turns the paid parking areas into swamps. At a Hamvention many years ago, I witnessed bulldozers pulling mud-drenched cars to the safety of firm asphalt. Wet Cat assures me that we will not need heavy equipment this year.

The ARRL Expo team has most of the booth already set up. The new booth design includes--and I kid you not--a "movie room" where you can rest your weary soles (and souls) while taking in a DXpedition video, technical discussions and more. Another new ARRL Expo offering this year is the Mobile Endurance Test. This exciting activity is sure to draw crowds as hams compete to see whose mobile setup can withstand the most punishment. The rules simply require the operators to make as many mobile contacts as possible before their vehicles are crushed beneath a tank launched skyward from a nearby ramp. Every survivor wins a copy of the new ARRL Repeater Directory.

The first units of Team ARRL arrived in Dayton this evening and are already getting a well deserved rest at the Bates Hotel, just off Shiloh Springs road. Those team members that survive the night will begin setting up the booth tomorrow.

I won't be taking off until Thursday, but I've already informed my wife that in addition to my ARRL booth duties, I will be on the hunt for a new HF transceiver. She took the news as well as might be expected.

The ARRL Expo team is presently on its way to Dayton, Ohio for Hamvention 2008! The ground-vehicle fleet is embroiled in traffic congestion east of Pittsburgh, but we trust the delay will be temporary.

The remaining staff will be arriving by air over the next few days. However, because of enforcement of air safety regulations, some may arrive later than others.

According to the ever-cheerful ARRL Wet Cat prognosticator, a few rain showers are predicted for this week, but only a slight chance of rain is forecast for the upcoming weekend.

Bookmark this page and start checking in regularly for the ARRL Expo blog with photos, videos and more, beginning May 15!