[CQ-Contest] Dayton soon to be world's #2 hamfest

[Bill Tippett]

W4PA:
 >The total "official" attendance was 20,411, compared to 19,869 for 2004.

         The Shelby (NC) Hamfest is also near 20,000.  I agree
that Friedrichshafen is excellent.  I went in 1997 and it was a
delight to see so many Europeans, Asians, Africans, etc.  You
can also hand deliver huge quantities of QSL's to individual
bureau boxes for each country (KC1XX does this also).  Versus
$8 per pound via ARRL, this can easily offset the cost of a
discount plane ticket to Germany or Switzerland.The flea
market was particularly interesting since it was loaded with
high power RF parts from the old Soviet block.  I'll definitely
visit Friedrichshafen again one of these days!

                                 73,  Bill  W4ZV