Dayton 2010 - The Pilgrimage

.The Pilgrimage: Dayton 2010
May 14, 15 and 16, 2010 - Posted Here July 18, 2010
Photographed By Luther Guise - K5NOB and Norm Styer - AI2C. Reported By Norm Styer - AI2C

The endless long farming fields of Ohio. Photograph by Norm Styer - AI2C.

It's a long way across Ohio. Photograph by Norm Styer - AI2C.

The Pilgrimage: The anticipation is high and it's a long ~450-mile drive
through West Virginia and across Ohio; finally, there are signs.

Finally some signs for Dayton and it's only 1530 hours on Thursday afternoon. Photograph by Norm Styer - AI2C.

Several Loudoun Amateur Radio Group members made the annual pilgrimage to Dayton this year. Some drove and then went on to other cities and events. Jim Stowers - K4FW flew out in his POA - Personally Owned Aircraft then went on to visit some college friends. John - W4AU drove with Gary - NC4S and Norm - AI2C as Shotguns. Nancy - N1NCY and Paul - N4PD, Sally - K4NOB and Luther - K5NOB, and Marcia - KJ4GYH and Dodson - AJ4EY were there. Maybe there were others. Oh, yes, our very good friend with the Propagation Xtal Ball, Lee Wical - KH6BZF attended. It was great to have another Eye-Ball QSO with Lee. Some stocked up on antenna and other small parts while others ordered up some big ticket items like a new Alpha. Of course, most made it to the Contest Dinner and the DX Dinner. Gary - NC4S and John - W4AU even won a few door prizes. This year, the DX Dinner's prize list topped $50,000. Everyone get lucky.

Sally Guise - K4NOB arriving at Hara Arena - Dayton. Photograph by Luther Guise - K5NOB.

Sally Guise - K4NOB arriving at Hara Arena - Dayton

The Brown's and Guise's on Friday morning. Photograph by Norm Styer - AI2C.

Sally Guise - K4NOB, Luther - K5NOB, Marcia - KJ4GYH and Dodson - AJ4EY

The Friday Noon Lunch Meeting of the Loudoun Amateur Radio Group. Photograph by Norm Styer - AI2C.

Norm - AI2C, Sally - K4NOB, Luther - K5NOB, Paul - N4PD and Nancy - N1NCY

Paul and Nancy. Photograph by Norm Styer - AI2C.

Paul - N4PD and Nancy - N1NCY

These are big fovorites in Ohio and Pennsylvania. Try One! Photograph by Norm Styer - AI2C.

Good for all day !!! Photograph by Norm Styer - AI2C.

The Great Tailgate

This is first pickin' on Friday morning. No one around. Photograph by Norm Styer - AI2C.

Gary Quinn - NC4S was packin' a pack for some big stuff. Photograph by Norm Styer - AI2C.

The Evening Contest Dinner

Well, these are three fine gentlemen. Not everybody dresses this fancy but we always do and alway feel like we match the European evening style. Photograph by Norm Styer - AI2C.

Norm - John - Gary

Gary Quinn - NC4S of Lovettsville, Virginia at the Contest Dinner 2010 at Dayton. He is one fine gentleman. Photograph by Norm Styer - AI2C.

Gary Quinn - NC4S of Lovettsville, Virginia at the Contest Dinner 2010 at Dayton. He is one fine gentleman. Photograph by Norm Styer - AI2C.

The King !!!

The 4U1ITU - 4U1UN QSL Bureau

The dedicated QSL Manager Crew for the UN stations. Photograph by Norm Styer - AI2C

The QSL Crew From The ITU Stations - 4U1ITU & 4U1UN

The QSL Cards of 4U1ITU and 4U1UN. Photograph by Norm Styer - AI2C

THe AI2C confirmed QSOs with 4U1ITU and 4U1UN. Photograph by Norm Styer - AI2C

This was a nice surprise. A dedicated QSL Manager Crew from Geneva had all the logs for 4U1ITU in Geneva and 4U1UN, the United Nations Headquarter station in New York City. Both count as valid and separate DXCC counters. And, they were so nice to just take your callsign and make your QSL cards while you waited. One fellow did ask, "Do you really want them all printed?" You know the answer, "Yes, of course, all 24, please." I draw your attention to all those CW QSOs. This brings back some old memories of the time in the Spring of 1966, when Kay and I visited the ITU in Geneva and operated the 4U1ITU in the CQ WW WPX SSB Contest as Multi-Single. We had a ball with over 2000 QSOs and finished second or third in the World. I'll have to go look at the records. Anyway, I still remember being on 10-Meters on Saturday night at 11:00 PM local working "The States." Those were the day.

Human & Other Lightning Rod

Hey, this is Dayton. Photograph by Norm Styer - AI2C.

The Balloon Flight

A local balloon club flew. Luther - K5NOB caught this launch. They just made it up.

Just Clearing The Crowd

How About This One For Your Backyard?

I'll take two. Well, maybe 3. Photograph by Norm Styer - AI2C

And, remotely controlled. Photograph by Norm Styer - AI2C

The ARRL Kit Builders

The ARRL set up a kit builder's workshop. Photograph by Norm Styer - AI2C

Let Us Hope This Is Not Our Last One !!!

This was another great adventure. Seeing so many old friends, putting a face with an on-the-air callsign, walking the endless rows of stuff, wondering what that is or what they thought about displaying this or that, picking between the Contest, DX and Antenna Forums and not missing anything, the super DX and Contest Dinners, and finally finding the gadget you came for. It's all worthwhile. In January 2011, I'll make plans to attend Dayton again. It was nice riding with you all. Best Regards, Norm Styer - AI2C.

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