Doing the Dayton Dance

I have been going to the Dayton (Ohio) Hamvention (for amateur radio) since 1997 when I first became a ham operator. It is the granddaddy of all hamfests--maybe in the whole world. And it happens in the middle of May.

When I was just a regular ol' radio operator, the Hamvention was fun. I went with my local club guys, and we had a good time. Then, I became Indiana's SATERN Coordinator (Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network), and with another operator out of Ohio, we set up a booth at the 'vention...then a forum...and things blossomed from there. The Ohio operator eventually dropped out, and I ended up coordinating the whole SATERN at Dayton experience...and it gets tricky! For three years, another fellow took it off my hands, but he asked for this year off, so I took it again. Ugh!

What irritates me about the whole thing is that I KNOW when the Hamvention is. You'd think there would be no last-minute crunch, right?? When I was still teaching, I was under horrific pressure. Since I took the Dayton Friday and Monday off, I had to prepare lesson plans, then have my car packed so I could depart for Dayton right after school on Thursday and get to the venue before they closed in order to set up the booth. (In those days, Dayton was on EDT, but Indiana never changed to Daylight Time, so OH was an hour later there than here. Now, Indiana also does Daylight Time, so it isn't as bad.) Setting up the booth, connecting with others that were coming for SATERN, picking up credentials for everyone, finding the University of Dayton dorms for lodging, figuring out who was going to get parking passes, etc...getting there in time for the Hamvention to open on Friday, and making sure the booth is manned while everyone gets to enjoy the rest of the flea market and vendors, etc....is stressful! But you know what is the most stressful (as well as the most preventable)? Every year, it is a toss-up whether or not my SATERN uniform shirt will fit! It's iffy, and I'm never comfortable knowing how bad I must look if I've gained weight...and this year, I have!

So, tomorrow is crunch time. I have written to all of the forum speakers, sent dormitory addresses to the people staying with us, put in for our booth space and forum speakers. I have arranged for my lawn to be mowed tomorrow, and will do laundry and pack. I take a television and some SATERN/Salvation Army CDs. Some literature. A radio and lapel microphone. Extra batteries. A luggage cart to move stuff with. Clothes, makeup, medicine.... (Oh! Medicine! I discovered that two of my prescriptions have run out and now have to call the doctor's office in order to make sure that refill orders are sent in. Remind me to do that tomorrow, will ya?) I will be taking some stuff to Staples to run off copies. Let's see...what other steps does the Dayton Dance require???

I will return on Sunday absolutely pooped and just wanting peace and solitude. I hope the weather cooperates with us. Although our booth is inside, the Dayton experience is often weather-driven. When it's raining outside, the hamfesters come inside, and we become shoulder-to-shoulder with folks that may or may not have showered! You get the picture...

To paraphrase a poem, "If winter comes, can Dayton be far behind?"