Yesterday, my friends Paul KW1L, Rick K8BMA, and I drove down to Toledo for the Toledo Mobile Radio Association (TMRA) hamfest. This is generally a well-attended event, so I schlepped a bunch of stuff down there. Some of it was my junk, some of it odds and ends from the estates I agreed to liquidate.
We had a lot of fun, and I managed to net about $250 from the stuff I sold. More importantly, though, I met some great people. One fellow came up to me to thank me for publishing my study guides. I always enjoy meeting readers, and as always, I told him to call me should he ever hear me on the air.
Another fellow, who purchased a copy of my Tech study guide, mentioned that he had let his Extra Class license expire and now wanted to get back into the hobby. I told that should be easy enough, now that all he is required to do is to pass the Tech test. In addition to selling him the book, I gave him my card and told him to contact me if he had any questions about any of the material.
Towards the end of the event, a kid I guess to be 15 or 16, came up to the table with his father and expressed some interest in the RD-5R DMR radio and another analog HT that I had. I had priced the RD-5R at $25 and the other radio at $10. He shyly said something like, “I don’t want to offend you, but would you take $22 for both radios?”
When I replied, “Well, how about $25 for both of them?” he said, “Well, I only have $22 left.”
At that, his father said, “I’ll front you the extra three dollars,” and pulled out his wallet. And, as it turned out, the kid only had $21, so the total sale amounted to $24. Paul, Rick, and I got a laugh out of that.
As he collected the radios, I asked him what his call sign was. He replied that he hadn’t gotten his license yet, but he was going to take the test soon. I gave him my card and told him to make sure to get a copy of my free study guide. And, once he gets his license, to call me if he ever heard me on the air.
I was about his age when I went to my first ham radio swap meet. I hope that he has as much fun with ham radio as I’ve had over the years.