UK : geek car boot sale (i.e. a hamfest), Kempton Park, November 5th 10am - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 15, 2017, 06:23:54 pm
content: The twice-yearly hamfest is at Kempton Park racecourse in 3 weeks. There is a mixture ofpure radio ham stuff such as radios, antennastest equipment such as scopes, bench PSUs, frequency counters, DMMs, signal sources, high quality test leads etcgeneric new electronic components such as headers, jumpers, LEDs, ferrites etca very eclectic mix of what's in peoples' attics and shedsthe kinds of things that, once upon a time, you would have found in Lisle St and Tottenham Court Rd, often ripped from MoD surplusOne significant advantage ofthisindoor car boot sale is that power is available, so you can see equipment running (or not) and twiddle with it.So buy your next set of treasured items in time for Christmas and ready for fettling during the long nightsFFI:http://radiofairs.co.uk/

author: bd139
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 15, 2017, 06:59:32 pm
content: This is literally ten minutes up the road from me. Will be there!Need to badger the local radio club so I can get my foundation license and satisfy some TEA cravings.

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 15, 2017, 07:12:37 pm
content: Good, but clearly you haven't actually got TEA. If you had TEA or GAS, then there wouldn't be any silly preconditions.So, what will you be looking out for? An 7.5 digit DMM, or Tek analogue storage scope maybe? Or perhaps a voltage reference to test such a DMM. How about some nice juicy RF test leads, loads and attenuators?

author: NivagSwerdna
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 15, 2017, 07:20:40 pm
content: I might go along if I am free... I seehttp://www.telonic.co.uk/are going to be there... I wonder if they will be able to satisfy my 1054Z itch?

author: kaz911
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 15, 2017, 07:35:13 pm
content: hmm 7.5 miles from me - maybe worth a visit

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 15, 2017, 08:02:30 pm
content: Quote from: NivagSwerdna on October 15, 2017, 07:20:40 pmIf that is the stall I think it is, they will have many things to play with.

author: bd139
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 15, 2017, 08:40:47 pm
content: If Telonic are there I’m going to complain about the fuck off great big sticker they stuck on both of the toys I bought and the fact that their free DMMs smell funnytggzzz: forgive me for my sins against the principles of TEA!Only foundation license because I’ve actually been building a transceiver between TEA and managed to almost get it to a state where I can transmit into something other than a few resistors.

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 15, 2017, 11:09:14 pm
content: Quote from: bd139 on October 15, 2017, 08:40:47 pmBring it along; I'm unlikely to smell anything, so I can put you put of your misery

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 16, 2017, 12:11:06 am
content: Quote from: kaz911 on October 15, 2017, 07:35:13 pmAbout 17,000km from me .......

author: Kilo Tango
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 30, 2017, 04:40:41 pm
content: about 209 miles for me.That's a pain I was looking for ........................Ken

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 30, 2017, 06:16:47 pm
content: Quote from: Kilo Tango on October 30, 2017, 04:40:41 pmIf you are coming from oop t'north, you could increase your pain by paying a visit to The National Museum of Computing in Bletchley Park afterwardsIt is the best museum I've come across; the staff actually know about the exhibits, and can discuss schematics with you .

author: bd139
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 30, 2017, 07:13:57 pm
content: Getting car back on Wednesday so I’m going to combine my visit with Sunbury KFC

author: NivagSwerdna
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 05, 2017, 09:31:26 am
content: Heading off to Kempton park.

author: bd139
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 05, 2017, 09:47:15 am
content: Doesn’t look like I’m going to make it. Numpties I work for decided to upgrade some critical parts of our software platform yesterday which hasn’t gone well so I’m fire fighting. Unless it’s back online in the next 30 mins I’m out.

author: Cerebus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 05, 2017, 10:41:44 am
content: Damn! I forgot all about this. Oh well, it's good for my wallet.

author: bd139
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 05, 2017, 11:06:54 am
content: It's good for my wallet too missing it - being paid triple timeDefinitely can't make it now. Herding cats

author: NivagSwerdna
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 05, 2017, 02:12:54 pm
content: I spent 50p on an old aircraft instrument and £1 on some Triacs. (And £5 admission).I haven't been to one of these for years (10+) and it was quite interesting... spent some time talking to the DMR people and a bit of time admiring a 1054Z on the Rigol stand but show discount was only £10 on regular prices so I managed to resist... just. They still sell my 1052E.

author: bd139
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 05, 2017, 07:11:05 pm
content: Sounded reasonableThought I’d cheer myself up by ordering art of electronics 3e instead from amazon same day. The fucker couldn’t find my address apparentlyToday is a write off.

author: Kilo Tango
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 06, 2017, 11:10:01 pm
content: nil illegitimi non carborundumKen

author: bd139
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 06, 2017, 11:36:10 pm
content: Indeed. I decided to grind them and I won! (and got £5 and free Prime for a month)All bow before Horowitz and Hill

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 17, 2018, 11:23:36 am
content: Signs of the times: looks like it is only going to be an annual event, in April. I'm surprised they ditched the November event since that appeared the busier event.

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 17, 2018, 11:27:45 am
content: I'm surprised that an event at what I assume is a relatively expensive venue has lasted this long - most events at venues like this went years ago.

author: NivagSwerdna
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 17, 2018, 11:34:32 am
content: I attended the last one and bought a couple of small components! I also enjoyed my chat to the Telonics guy about Rigol scopes... and my chat about DMR.... but... the on the day discounts were rubbish. If they want to shift some new stuff on the day then they need to do offers... and if the margins are so small it isn't worth it then I guess they don't need to be there.There was also quite a lot of second hand stuff but the sellers seemed to know their value (and more) so those weren't going to sell... not to anyone sane (or could google values) anyway!

author: bd139
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 17, 2018, 11:34:55 am
content: Slightly inevitable really. Parts turn up next day for nothing, there are a ton more sellers on eBay and the sellers make more money not attending.Also all the new hams I spoke to the other day are into DMR, SDR, VHF HTs and digital modes which are driven by black boxes which you can buy sitting on your arse.

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 17, 2018, 01:19:33 pm
content: Quote from: mikeselectricstuff on January 17, 2018, 11:27:45 amYes, this kind of venue is disappearing, for the reasons you mention. In some ways that's a shame.Trader £52/table, clubs/individuals £32+£5 for electricity.For new stuff this kind of venue has all the problems of the high street. Touchy-feely is-this-right-for-me is the remaining benefit, and personally I'm unconvinced that sufficient for electronic items.For secondhand and fleamarket stuff this kind of venue is still good. It allows seeing that something actually works and allowsbrowsingfor things you forgot you need; the latter is more-or-less impossible on the net. For individual sellers it would be difficult for the taxman to claim you are a "trader" and ask you to justify that you aren't, unlike fleabay.BTW, there's a geek fleamarket in Didcot on 11th Feb....11 FEBRUARY 2108 HARWELL RADIO AND ELECTRONICS RALLY Didcot Leisure Centre, Mereland Road, Didcot, Oxon OX11 8AY (3 miles from Milton Interchange on A34) Doors open 10am to 3pm – admittance £3 (under 12s Free). There is free car parking with disabled parking and facilities. There will be traders, Special Interest Groups and an RSGB book stand. Refreshments available all day. Talk in on 145.550MHz (G3PIA). Details Ann (G8NVI) ann.stevens@btinternet.com.:[www.g3pia.net/radio-electronics-rally]I haven't been so I don't know what it is like. However, you could make a day out with a visit to the best (by far) model railway in the world:https://pendonmuseum.com/The photosreally don'tdo justice to it. Seehttps://www.flickr.com/photos/lizsmith/albums/72157637563988343for better photos.Looks like Pendon are doing workshops for photographing models, includingstereoscopicphotos.

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 17, 2018, 01:34:55 pm
content: Quote from: tggzzz on January 17, 2018, 01:19:33 pmThis is one of the things that killed many of the rallies in proper venues.The only one I still go to is Dunstable Downshttp://ddrcbootsale.org/as it's just a big field, and tables are a tenner, so you get a lot of people using it to clear out their own stuff, which is where a lot of the bargains are.

author: bd139
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 17, 2018, 01:43:14 pm
content: Quote from: tggzzz on January 17, 2018, 01:19:33 pmAdded to calendar. 47 miles dead straight drive from me, assuming the wheels don't fall off the car. Thanks for the pointer. Got my ticket now so feel like less of an imposter at these events.Quote from: mikeselectricstuff on January 17, 2018, 01:34:55 pmAnd I'm going to be broke this year. Also added to calendar

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 17, 2018, 02:04:43 pm
content: Quote from: bd139 on January 17, 2018, 01:43:14 pmDon't worry about that; so long as you either have grey hair or no hair, you will fit in.QuoteSeehttp://rsgb.org/main/news/rallies/

author: bd139
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 17, 2018, 02:33:22 pm
content: I have both grey and no hair at onceAlready an RSGB member. I have been avoiding that page

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 17, 2018, 02:49:03 pm
content: Quote from: bd139 on January 17, 2018, 02:33:22 pmDitto, and "oh good, this will be entertaining" respectivelyNever could be bothered to become a ham, even when I was working on WLANs and cellular systems.

author: bd139
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 17, 2018, 03:03:32 pm
content: Yeah I never bothered either. I was running pirate CB stuff for years, then years and years of small illegal transmitters and lurking on the ham bands building receivers. Decided to build a transmitter. Turns out people ignore you if you don't have a call

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 17, 2018, 08:59:06 pm
content: Quote from: bd139 on January 17, 2018, 03:03:32 pmAnd Hams get upset if you ask them what their handle is...

author: bd139
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 17, 2018, 10:22:12 pm
content: Best one I found is replying to a question with "10-4 buddy". Fortunately the guy had a sense of humor

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 11, 2018, 05:49:54 pm
content: As I noted in the TEA thread, I got to the Harwell rally today...Did you get there? I did, and found it to be much larger than I expected, at least the same table area as at Kempton. As a bonus, the "big new" sales organisations weren't there, so it was almost entirely a good old-fashioned flea market.I restrained myself to buying a ridiculous quantity of wire-ended neon bulbs, a big bag of bigger-than-normal resistors, six 50ohm SMA terminators, and a Tek 475 which sort-of-works but has 2 6062B probes, the service manual and a front cover. Total cost including entry was £29That makes me wonder whether I can be bothered to go to Kempton next April. I talked to someone that normally has a stand at Kempton, but he is not sure he will go either - both of us think the defunct November session is better.

author: bd139
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 11, 2018, 05:50:55 pm
content: Regretting not going now