On the very chilly first Saturday morning in February of 2019, many SVARC members were up well before sunrise, and on the road. Where were they headed? Off to the Richmond Raceway in Richmond, Virginia. What would be the reason for otherwise seemingly sane people to leave the friendly confines of a warm, comfortable bed before daylight to brave the single digit temperatures for a two-and-a-half hour (plus or minus) drive to our Commonwealth’s capitol city? That would be the Richmond Frostfest, of course!
What’s the big deal? This is the first hamfest of the year in this region, and it seems to be popular among SVARC members because the Berryville Hamfest is probably the last hamfest that most SVARC members attend, and they are there to work rather than enjoy the hamfest. So, it’s a long stretch between hamfests for many members, and maybe a sense of overdue applies to the obsession we share.
Getting There
While today started with temperatures deeply below the freezing mark, the black early morning starry sky yielded to a minimal sliver of a reddish-colored, waning crescent moon, rising not long ahead of dawn’s daylight cresting the eastern horizon. On today’s journey, I was accompanied by Mick, W8BE, and Gary, K4GJF. After the obligatory breakfast / coffee stop at a Dunkin’ Donuts drive-thru in Stephens City, we were off to the race track.
Shift Colors, Underway
As the morning progressed and we traveled east, the high stratus clouds to the east softened the light in the eyes making for a pleasant, stress-free ride with minimal traffic winding down U.S. 522, I-66, and U.S. 17 making our way down into Stafford County to intersect with I-95 around Fredericksburg. We were early enough to where the traffic on the fifty-one mile stretch of I-95 from Fredericksburg down to Richmond’s Chamberlayne Rd./ U.S. 301 exit moved consistently at reasonable highway speeds.
By the time we arrived in Richmond, the skies had cleared and the temperatures had risen to the freezing mark. The bright and sunny day promised to climb out and make the term ‘Frostfest’ halfway a misnomer. Considering the weather over the prior week, It would be hard to believe anyone wasn’t enjoying the moderation toward more mild conditions.
KG4Y and Company, Arriving
It was about 8:25 AM when we arrived, and found parking to be efficient, quick and easy. A very short line existed at the ticket booth, and waiting in line for less than sixty seconds, a $10 (US) bill was exchanged for a common, old-fashioned generic ticket like SVARC uses for the 50/50 raffles held at the end of each club meeting.
On-Goings Inside
Prize Drawing Drum – Priority!
Upon entering and showing our tickets to volunteers watching the doors to gain admission, the three of us had decided to find our way back to the ticket stub collection point to get our stubs entered in for the 8:30 AM and subsequent drawings. The table was found in it’s usual location along the back wall. After finding a pen and filling out the drawing stub, wading through the line to the ticket drum ensued, and that order of business was completed quickly. Our reason for haste was that the prizes they were giving away even at this early hour of the hamfest were very nice things.
The People You Meet At Hamfests
We walked around looking at the tables, making our way up and down the aisles, and inevitably running into friendly SVARC member faces among the crowd, and some of our EMCOM associates and friends from Warren County’s EMCOM group. This hamfest was mostly a social event for all of us that traveled together, so it was nice to catch up with folks that we ran into. There were probably ten or more people that each of us ran into that we knew personally there from SVARC and the northern Shenandoah Valley area.
Of course, a hamfest doesn’t go by without hearing someone’s negative story about the event. I endured hearing the story from one ham at the hamfest who brought up the ‘blizzard’ year, where he couldn’t make it in to the hamfest, and many others couldn’t because the governor declared a state of emergency. However, the hamfest organization wouldn’t return any money for the table space he reserved that he wasn’t able to occupy. This was followed by the typical ‘never again’ statement about getting tables at this hamfest.
The Stuff at Hamfests
While shopping for ‘stuff’ was a fairly minimal objective among our travel group, we were all looking to replenish consumables, such as PL-259 and Anderson Power Pole stock. The mix of vendors was predictable, with several of the same folks we see at the Berryville Hamfest. Quick Silver Radio was there, as well as the Ham World dealer that comes up from Talladega, Alabama. What I believe to be a a new comer – Debco Electronics – from Cincinnati, Ohio was also present. There were the usual collection of club tables, and many other tables of folks pedaling what has become the typical wares found at hamfests. There were the obligatory vendors selling hand-knit apparel and gluten-free food mixes. Also mention-worthy, Gold Medal Ideas, the personalized apparel vendor from Illinois that comes to the Berryville Hamfest, was present. Per the floor plan document, it appears that all tables were occupied per the plan.
There wasn’t much in the way of any super deals, but that seems to have become the nature of hamfests in recent years. The number of tables seemed to be a little less than last year, as the aisles seemed wider this year. Still, there were plenty of bodies and often waiting to get to the front to see what was at a table.
Intel – The Things You Learn at Hamfests
Another interesting take away was that the 2019 Manassas Hamfest will have a new location and date this year, occurring on a Saturday, June 15th, 2019, at the Manassas Park Community Center in Manassas Park, Virginia. I have heard from various sources over the past couple of years that the Prince William County Fairgrounds venue was becoming an increasingly difficult venue to use for this hamfest. I am among those hopeful that a new venue and date will be just what the doctor ordered for the Ole Virginia Hams radio club to continue to put on this hamfest for many years to come. This one will be the 45th, making it one of the longer running hamfests in Virginia, and perhaps the region.
Calling It A Day
We wrapped up around 11 AM, each of us in the travel group spending well under $100 each on consumables and other parts needed to keep things going in our shacks. On the way back, was the obligatory stop for lunch at Cracker Barrel, which has become sort of a tradition when I’m driving. The temperatures had climbed into the low 40s at that point, and comments were made about my pickup truck needing a bath as it is covered in road salt spray. The remainder of the ride back was uneventful, and I was home by 3 PM. What a great way to spend nine hours of a Saturday in February!