Unbelievable! We still have no Internet access at the Hara complex as of Saturday morning. A number of dealers are upset because they can't do order processing. Manufacturers who were counting on Internet access to demo Internet remote control features are up the proverbial creek. There is much hair pulling on the convention floor, but what can you do?

My sense is that attendance is up significantly. Saturday stats from dealers indicate a big surge in sales of HF gear, mostly lower-priced transceivers and antennas. No surprise there.

Despite the gorgeous weather, which normally draws everyone to the massive fleamarket, the inside aisles are crowded to the point where movement is often difficult. Your only hope is to stand patiently and wait for a hole to open--or wait for someone on a scooter to plow the way!

Last year's popular gee-gaw was the scrolling LED name badge. They're present in abundance this year, but the clear winner of the eye candy contest is the US Towers adhesive sticker. It is a circular logo about three inches across with a bright flashing LED.

And seeelected and deeetected (if you've never heard Arlo Guthrie's "Alice's Restaurant," you have no idea what I am talking about).

Rich Moseson of CQ Magazine bumped into me on Friday and delivered a press release declaring that ARRL's own, soon to retire News Editor, Rick Lindquist, N1RL, was going to be among several inducted into the CQ Hall of Fame.

As they say in Australia, good on ya, Rick!

A New/Old Player in the Scanner Arena: If you've purchased a VHF/UHF scanning receiver from RadioShack during the last 40 years, chances are it was made by GRE: General Research Electronics Corporation in Tokyo, Japan. Friday morning I shook hands with Nori Taniguchi of GRE, who informed me that they were going to begin selling direct in the United States starting this fall.

A few more curious photos uploaded with this entry, the last for the evening. The sun has set on Hamvention Day #1 and I have an unquenchable desire for a deluxe Cassano's pizza with extra cheese. Not just "extra" cheese, by the way. I'm talking call-the EMTs-I'm-choking-to-death cheese.

Tomorrow starts bright and early!

Let's try something new! Something outrageously wasteful of bandwidth, not to mention your precious time.

I've deviously hijacked the YouTube account of Katie Breen, our Membership Manager, and have posted a video for your viewing pleasure. The proprietor of Casa Di Mi Madre was appalled at how long it took to upload a 7 MByte file on her dialup connection. Thirty minutes passed before the precious "gossip line" was available again.

Ready? Okay, go to this URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYj3ey6OS_4

Assuming the Internet connection is repaired at Hara tomorrow, there will be more Hamvention video to come.

The gates of Hara Arena flew open at 9AM and the Internet connection for the entire complex went down minutes later. Did everyone try to grab connections at once? Is this an analogy to Super Bowl commercial breaks where everyone rushes for the toilets en masse?

The word is that the T3 pipeline to Hara is completely shot. Even local hotels are without access. I continued to take notes and snap photos, then dashed out of the arena at 3PM and made a beeline for the Casa De Mi Madre and their blazing 56K dialup connection.

Bear with me. There will be more to come shortly.

Let's hope Hara gets their Internet back in operation Saturday!

At last my hindquarters are firmly resting in the luxurious Recliner de la Semana at the spacious La Casa de Mi Madre Inn in Dayton, Ohio. Weather is presently overcast, but the clouds are supposed to move off this evening.

The Comair CRJ flight from Hartford (or "BDL" as you air-savvy folks call it) rolled away from the gate about 5 minutes late thanks to a couple of tardy passengers. I was seated next to an elderly lady who felt it was her duty to tell me--loudly--that she thought the late passengers were rude and should be kicked off the aircraft.

"I agree," I replied. "Kicked out the door and sucked into the engines! That'll teach 'em."

The lady stared speechless, then opened a small paperback book and pretended to read while casting glances in my direction. I plugged in my iPod and giggled quietly.

The flight was uneventful and my traveling companion was silent--until we began our descent to CVG (translation: "Cincinnati"). As the CRJ plunged into the cloud deck, the aircraft began bucking like an angry horse. Suddenly, the lady grabbed my hand and said, "Pray with me!"

I nearly jumped out of my skin. "Pray for what?"

"I think the plane is in trouble!"

"No, it isn't. As we go into the clouds there is a change in the density of the air flowing over the wings and..."

"You're not making sense."

I shrugged. "That makes two of us, lady."

By this time a flight attendant reached our row on her way to collect cups and napkins. The borderline-hysterical grandma began spinning her tale of alarm to the hapless woman. I watched the attendant's expression shift from bemusement to irritation in a matter of seconds. Finally, we broke out of the clouds to the sight of beautiful Kentucky bluegrass below. Grandma adandoned the need to pray, the attendant gratefully went her way and I turned to the window.

I think the ghost of Rod Serling was hovering somewhere behind us. I know I heard the Twilight Zone theme in my iPod.

As soon as I was settled in at the Inn, and after the obligatory kisses and hugs from the proprietor of Casa De Mi Madre, I switched on my handheld transceiver. It's only Thursday afternoon and the 146.94 repeater is hopping! I'm going to have to cruise the repeaters in search of some old friends.

17 hours until the doors open at Hara!