In this installment, we go shopping for QRP goodies at hamfests and explore other sources of QRP-related items.

Attending hamfests is one of my favorite activities. Here in Northeast Ohio, August and September bring a plethora of hamfests within driving distance. This edition of QRP Community focuses on hamfest shopping for the QRPer, although a lot of the advice will apply to the general amateur population.

Hamfest shopping can be broken down into several categories. There's new equipment, used equipment, accessories and test equipment, electronic parts, non-electronic parts, tools, supplies, reference materials, computer equipment and miscellaneous. I've come up with a few general guidelines on hamfests and hamfesting.

Let's Go Hamfesting

Finding hamfests in your area is very easy. Just visit the ARRL Web site's hamfest page. Once you find a hamfest to attend, a quick trip to Mapquest can give you driving directions. Plan to arrive early to get the best bargains. Pack a hamfest survival kit to take with you. Items should include:

1. A suitable backpack or a sturdy bag with a shoulder strap to carry your purchases.

2. Cash. Although some commercial dealers will take credit cards, most private vendors will take only cash. The amount you carry should be based on your budget and the items you plan to buy.

3. A notepad with a shopping list (a personal digital assistant--PDA--comes in handy for this purpose).

4. A pen to take notes and fill out your door prize ticket (again, your PDA is also great for taking notes on items you spot).

5. Appropriate clothing, which may include a hat to keep the sun off your head and--most definitely--comfortable walking shoes.

6. A ham ID badge, so that others can put a face with your call sign should they spot you wandering about. If you don't have a ham ID, you can usually have one made at the hamfest.

7. A mini set of tools including small screwdrivers, needle-nose pliers and a small volt-ohmmeter (VOM--invaluable for quick continuity tests and voltage readings of batteries or power supplies).

8. Personal items, including sunscreen, bottled water, snacks, etc.

9. A few friends and/or family members. Hamfests are definitely more fun with a companion. A companion can help you spot items you're looking to buy and, even better, can help you carry these back to your vehicle.

My list just applies to those who are at the hamfest to browse and buy. If you're selling items yourself, there's another list of items you might need. We'll save that discussion for another column, however.

The author--ready to go to a hamfest. [Photo by Linda, KA8ODP]

Bartering, Buying and Buyer Beware

Buying items at a hamfest is unlike most typical shopping in the US. Most private seller's prices are negotiable. Remember, too, that hamfest prices fluctuate (sometimes wildly) with supply and demand. Condition matters, and getting all parts/accessories and a user's manual are big pluses.

Closely inspect items you're considering buying, ask questions, look through manuals and, if appropriate, ask the seller for a look inside the case. Don't be afraid to ask the seller to demonstrate the equipment's operation, assuming power is available nearby, or for a name, call sign and phone number if you have problems when you get item home. An honest seller will usually be willing to do these things.

If a seller seems hesitant or you don't feel good about the deal, just politely say thanks and walk away. Many sellers will also go above and beyond to help, if you let them know you're a beginner or just getting into QRP. Again, a buddy along with you at the hamfest often can provide some additional insights.

Hamfest Shopping Spree

New Equipment

The availability of new equipment at a hamfest depends on having equipment dealers present. At many hamfests attendance by new equipment dealers has declined. Because of the costs involved with marketing their wares at a hamfest, dealers often choose only to set up at the larger hamfests and opt to rely on in store or mail order sales instead.

Used Equipment

Hamfests can be especially great sources for used equipment. eBay, e-ham and other online selling of used ham equipment have may have replaced some hamfest selling. But buying at a hamfest has many advantages. These include being able see and touch the item, meeting the seller in person, the possibility of testing before buying and no shipping costs! To be a better informed buyer, visit my table of QRP transceivers, AADE's eBay Auction Prices Realized, ARRL's Web page "What Rig Should I Buy?" and Janne, SM0OFV's RigPix Database. Additional sources of information include retail catalogs from AES or HRO; QST "Product Review" articles; or eHam.net equipment reviews.

If you buy the radio of your dreams, don't forget to shop for any necessary connectors or accessories before you leave the hamfest.

Accessories and Test Equipment

Accessories can be divided into two groups. Some accessories are made specifically to match and go with your transceiver. Other items are used along with your equipment but do not match or were not designed by the same manufacturer. Accessories and test equipment can include power supplies, crystal or mechanical filters, cabinet speakers, antenna tuners, phone patches, SWR/wattmeters, keyers, multimode controllers, carrying cases and many others.

Some of these are very specific and only work with certain radios. Filters are a good example of a radio-specific item. If you are shopping for these types of items, you need to know your equipment and the part or model numbers of any appropriate accessories. A little advance planning can prevent bringing home an incompatible accessory from a hamfest. This is where that that notepad again comes in handy. You may even want to carry an information page for each of your transceivers, with part numbers of accessories you need, so you can be sure that the rare accessory you find is the one that will work.

A sample of the types of inexpensive multimeters that can be purchased at a typical hamfest. Digital versions are more popular due to ease of reading, but analog meters are better when you need to observe a real-time variations in value.

If you are not sure what accessories you really need, ask a few of the veteran hams in your local club. If you are not a member of a local ham radio club, you need to be! To find clubs in your area visit the ARRL's Affiliated Club Search Web page.

Another good source of information on necessary accessories is The ARRL Operating Manual. I consider this the most important book for every ham to have in their shack.

Here is a quick guide on some of the general accessories that I think can be very helpful for every ham. For our purposes, most test equipment need only be "consumer" quality, not laboratory quality, although sometimes bargains can be found at hamfests. Number one on the list is a volt-ohm meter (VOM) or multimeter. Plan to spend $10 to $25 on a new basic digital meter. Look for a model with an input impedance of at least 10 megohms. To see a large variety of multimeters visit Multimeter Warehouse.

The second inexpensive accessory is a combination SWR meter and wattmeter. It is best to select a model that displays both average and peak power readings. Plan to spend approximately $50 to $100 for a new meter--less (sometimes much less) for a decent used one at a hamfest. You can read a review of seven meters in ARRL's July 2002 "Products Review" column. If you prefer a kit and want to measure very low power levels (ie, milliwatts), take a look at the Oak Hills Research QRP WM-2.

One piece of use test equipment that's typically much less expensive at hamfests is the older oscilloscope. Many hams get along just find without one, so a 'scope is probably not a necessity, but they're nice to have. If you do decide to purchase one, make sure you get appropriate probes--these can be expensive, perhaps costing more than you paid for the 'scope itself--and, if possible, an operations manual. The quality, price and sizes of used oscilloscopes can vary widely--from as little as five dollars to hundreds or even thousands of dollars. For more information on scopes, visit a few of following Web sites: Ethan Winer's Scope Page; Williamson Labs; Doctronics-- "Using an Oscilloscope"; Tektronix's XYZs of Oscilloscopes; and Phil's Vintage Oscilloscopes.

Back and front covers of Data Book for Homebrewers and QRPers by Paul Harden, NA5N.

We will continue our hamfest odyssey in my next QRP Community column. In the meantime, I have a little homework for you. First, check the ARRL Web site's hamfest page for an upcoming hamfest near you. Second, put together your hamfest survival kit as described above. Third, pick up a copy of Paul Harden, NA5N's The Electronic Data Book for Homebrewers and QRPers. It's invaluable when you go shopping for electronic components and hardware. Finally, find a buddy to go hamfesting with you.

Reader Feedback

I have already received a number of e-mails from QRP Community readers asking where they could find the fishing pole used in the St Louis Vertical Antenna mentioned in my last column. It seems that the South Bend Model SD-20 is very hard to find in stores. One source is Worldradio magazine. I received an e-mail asking how they could join the QRP Community Club? Well there really is no "club." It's more a state of mind. But seriously, for new readers I keep a resource page for QRP Community on my Web site with links to all my previous columns and continuously updated resources from those columns. And speaking of joining a club, you can find a list of QRP clubs that you can join in my first QRP Community column.

I was glad to work quite a few QRP Community readers from their QRP Field Day operations. I was at W8VPV (6A OH). Unfortunately I was QRO, but I was able to sneak in a little QRP operating in the K8ZT GOTA station. I ran my Ten-Tec Argosy, but I did not tell the other operators that it was only running 5 W until after my first 100 contacts. They were quite impressed. Maybe there is hope for my club's running an all QRP Field Day in the future.

Please share your questions and comments and suggestions for future columns via e-mail to k8zt@arrl.net.

Editor's note: Anthony Luscre, K8ZT, an ARRL member, lives in Stow, Ohio. He has worked in the field of medical microbiology for 18 years and is now a Technology and Computer Coordinator for a local school district. Luscre is an avid QRP operator having earned DXCC, WAS and WAC using no more than 5 W output. Readers are invited to contact the author via e-mail, k8zt@arrl.net or visit his Web site.

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