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Re: stuff at hamfests....

Tesla List wrote:
> 
> Subscriber: curtisma-at-engin.umich.edu Thu Jan  2 22:11:33 1997
> Date: Wed, 1 Jan 1997 23:10:41 -0500 (EST)
> From: Matthew Allen Curtis <curtisma-at-engin.umich.edu>
> To: Tesla List <tesla-at-poodle.pupman-dot-com>
> Cc: Tesla-list-subscribers-at-poodle.pupman-dot-com
> Subject: stuff at hamfests....
> 
> There's a hamfest coming near me soon, I'm a new tc builder and know very
> little about the kind of parts I can get.  Could some one let me know
> what I should look for at a hamfest? maybe a few hints or tips?
> Thanks
> 
> --Matt


Matt,

It would be tough to shop for you and I imagine with no idea what to look 
for, you hmay have trouble shopping for yourself!  The key to winning big 
at a hamfest is the art of "seeing at sight".  Most folks are abysmal at 
this task but it can be learned.  A really big fest with leave you in 
shock as you feel you are suffering "shppers shock"  The need to feel 
that you must see it all is great, but you must focus rather narrowly if 
you are to beat out the competition.  You must have goals and not stop at 
evry table on first "pass".

I blast through the entire area like ---- through a goose and sweep up 
the obvious and most valuable goodies in plain sight to not allow others 
and easy time of it. then while they are still fine combing the stuff 1/4 
way through, I start at the long distance end and work towards them in a 
fine combing manner also.  This way a win-win situation is at hand.

Still, I find even their technique will win them something almost always. 
 The important thing is to be positive and not fret over what they got, 
but what enjoy what you have purchased (there will be other fests.)

The average medium fest will always include a couple of oilburner or neon 
sign transformers, mica caps, tranmitting tubes,  boat anchor type plate 
transformers, some few, but way over priced door knob capacitors, etc.  I 
also look of sheet metal, wire, and xerox copier power supplies (nice for 
ES work where the thing has a power cord in and 11kvDC out at about 5ma. 
 I pick the entire supply up for $1-$2 each. I have a box of 'em.

Your tastes and needs aren't necessarily the same as mine.  I was born 
poor and scrounged for what little I had when I came along and this has 
created a knee jerk response in me of accumulating much more than I can 
begin to consume as I acquire backup after backup of pieces I already 
own.  Most folks are a lot most sensible than this.  The good part is 
that I want for little now, and if something blows up or goes high order 
I just go to my hamfest booty pile and pull out an instant replacement 
and I'm up and running again.

Instruments are a key item at these conclaves.  If you are not 
an electrical type, ham radio operator, electronics technician or 
engineer, then much of the value of this is lost on you and the 
instruments which you might immediately need and be able to use are
voltmeters, signal generators and a simple O'scope.  Make sure your 
generator is a 50 ohm output impedance unit!!!!!!  Also make sure that it 
can put out at least 3 or more volts into the 50 ohm load.  The common 
600 ohm units are too whimpy to be of much long term use.

There is much more I could tell, but you just have to allow yourself to 
be belched out into the situation and "hack and hew" on you own.  Good 
luck!

Richard Hull, TCBOR