Best Hamfest For A CB Radio User Within 4 Or 5 Hrs Of Houston

[DJboutit]

What is the best ham fest to find a good amount of cb radio euipment within 4 or 5 hrs of Houston TX??

I know the Ham Com in Dallas is pretty good what about the fall Belton Hamfest is there a decent amount of cb radio equipment for sale. Any other good hamfest for a cb radio user?? I just got back from the tideland hamfest most of the stuff for sale was junk only 2 people selling anything that could be used for cb radio this hamfest is not for cb radio users.

 

[midnight special]

seen your youtube video,, i am here in florida so cant help ya but you can look on the arrl site for upcoming fest,,, here at any fest most cb stuff will be in the tailgate area, and some times you have to ask what they got because they keep it hid till they think someone might be interested,,, good luck out there,,,, 73 midnight special

 

[DainBramage]

... hamfest is not for cb radio users.

as a general rule, I tend to agree with that

 

[fourstringburn]

Fleabay has plenty of used CB's for sale...

 

[Atlasta]

True, but I've seen a lot of 11m gear at hamfests. Amplifiers are a common item. I've seen a lot of FT101s too. You might get lucky and find an unmolested HR 2510.

Hamfests are a crapshoot, but can be a lot of fun too..

FWIW,October 23 & 24 the Mohave County (AZ) Amateur radio club will be having it's 9th annual hamfest in Kingman, Arizona. More info here: http://www.kingmanhamfest.com/

 

[DJboutit]

That hamfest in AZ is to far away from me

 

[Turbo T]

How far is Plano? I was there last year for their ham fest. i believe I saw some good CB gear there.

 

[2RT307]

I have geard Belton is a very good fest, but have never been myself. Check the parking lot vendors the most. They seem to have more CB stuff. Although I have seen Lincolns and tge like in the inside vendor sections.

73,
Brett

 

[DJboutit]

Plano is about 4 1/2 hrs away

 

[phantom309]

You know my biggest problem with wanting to get my ham license is with some of these answers.

I have been studying for some time and I might like to attend a ham fest or other similar event. But the second I mention I enjoy talking on the cb and can't see myself ever stopping, that is the very same instant so many ham operators talk down to me, refuse to offer any more help and talk to others like I'm not even there.

It really is frustrating when you have a legitimate interest in something but so many of the people involved with it are ignorant pompous pricks.

I know it's not all of them just a portion, kinda like all cbers aren't trash talking rude buttholes. Just a portion of us.

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

You know my biggest problem with wanting to get my ham license is with some of these answers.

I have been studying for some time and I might like to attend a ham fest or other similar event. But the second I mention I enjoy talking on the cb and can't see myself ever stopping, that is the very same instant so many ham operators talk down to me, refuse to offer any more help and talk to others like I'm not even there.

It really is frustrating when you have a legitimate interest in something but so many of the people involved with it are ignorant pompous pricks.

I know it's not all of them just a portion, kinda like all cbers aren't trash talking rude buttholes. Just a portion of us.

Standard disclaimer:This shall not degrade to a CBer versus ham thread with all the emotions that it entails. We all know how those threads end up and I seem to have misplaced my LOCKED THREAD padlock icon so I can't use it for now.

And just like you categorize most hams as ignorant pompous pricks CBers are categorized as folks with COMPLETE disregard for the rules and wouldn't know good audio from dirt. They also have no intention of conforming to the way things are conducted on the ham bands and just want to continue their errant ways on ham radio. See? Ain't stereotyping a bitch? Face it, right or wrong the proliferation of dirty signals on the bands caused by class C splatter box amps and disregard for the rules leaves a bad taste in a lot of hams mouths. Many of them have had problems with illegal CBers on the 10m band as well. Unfortunately you are guilty until proven innocent in this case. If someone wants to become a ham then go for it. What is wrong with simply keeping the CBer inside and out of sight when you are discussing what you want out of radio? In some cases this is the best thing to do as it avoids the stereotype issue. Me personally I couldn't care less if a new ham is/was a CBer as long as he conforms to the way things are on the ham bands and leaves the 11m shenanigans to 11m. Years ago here we had a well established 2m repeater virtually taken over by a bunch of CBers that recently had gotten their ham tickets. Some ran power microphones on their 2m FM radio and over-deviated to the point of insanity. When a ham told them to back off the audio as they were dropping out of the repeater due to overmodulating, they were told to go F themselves. They had a ticket just like he did. They used 10-codes on the bands as well as played music now and then and had the dirties signals heard. Eventually most of them disappeared for one reason or another but that REALLY left a sour taste for CBers getting their ticket around here for a while let me tell you. In the end it really is a case of a few spoiling it for the rest but how do you know how a newbie will be until after he is on the air? That is the reason you get the attitude you see from some hams.

 

[phantom309]

Not to hijack this thread, First let me say as an over the road trucker I know all to well what you are talking about, and I agree with you completely.

That said if a person comes to you and asks about ham radio just because that person has a back ground in cb doesn't make them a screw up.

When I I get my ticket will I make mistakes on the radio, I can pretty much guarantee that I will. I can only hope that if that happens that I will be corrected and given the opportunity to learn from that and not get warning letters and fines from the fcc for making a mistake. UUnfortunately I have heard from more than a few that if they catch you they with bust that person instantly and report that person to the fcc for reprimand.

Can't exactly say that gives a person that warm and fuzzy feeling.

I'm not saying you or even anyone one this site has said this to me because they have not. I have asked questions inbthe ham section and so far everyone has been more than helpful.

Didn't mean for it to come across as I was grouping all hams in the same boat. I guess that was poor wording on my part and I'll take full ownership of that.

73

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

. UUnfortunately I have heard from more than a few that if they catch you they with bust that person instantly and report that person to the fcc for reprimand.

Well to be honest I think there is a bit of exaggeration on this part. Not from you but from whomever said it. Hams are supposed to be self policing and the FCC is far too busy and understaffed to worry about any little infraction committed on the bands just like on CB. I'll bet the people you heard that from did not even have a license. There is a volunteer group called Official Observers that monitor the bands and sent out notices of rule violations however these have no legal standing whatsoever. none. Period. If the violation is severe they may also forward a complaint to the FCC. At the very most this may result in a letter being sent to you from the FCC stating the complaint and asking to hear from you. If you continue to violate the rules the FCC may send an agent to inspect your station. Basically it starts off and escalates based on your response. If you continue to be an asshole on the air then the FCC WILL crack down on you. stay legal and you will never hear from them. they couldn't care less if you went 12 minutes without ID'ing when the law says 10 minutes or if you accidentally called a DX station outside your general class frequency band limits.

 

[StrangeBrew]

Seems there are jackasses on both the ham and CB side, just try to not be a jackass and you should be alright on all the bands.

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

Seems there are jackasses on both the ham and CB side, just try to not be a jackass and you should be alright on all the bands.

That pretty much sums things up right there. Go for your ticket if you enjoy radio. As for the old farts that don't like CBers, conveniently omit that little fact or just ignore them altogether. There are plenty of hams out there that couldn't care less what your radio roots are as long as you realize that things are done a little differently on ham radio and be willing to accept those differences.