Thread: Hamfest Newark
View Single Post
Old 29th Sep 2019, 3:42 pm   #15
Techman
Dekatron
 
Techman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Lincolnshire, UK.
Posts: 4,985
Default Re: Hamfest Newark

That chap inside was just about the only one with valves, and a very few at that, and all telly ones. I was asking him about his home brew valve tester which he said he'd got from this forum, although he said he wasn't a member. He was just about to show me it working when he realised he hadn't got any power to it. After checking the plug on the back of the tester hadn't fallen out, he followed his cables back only to find that someone had pulled his plug and made off with his extension lead to power something else. I asked him if he had any EY51 EHT rectifier valves, he said he had, but hadn't brought them with him as they were for old 405 TVs and who would want them? doh!

Then there was the other chap selling soldering irons and I heard a chap asking if he had any spare bits, again, he said he had, but hadn't thought to bring them as he needed to limit what stuff he brought with him due to lack of space on his two tables in the hall which he was repeatedly telling the person asking had cost him £150.

It was certainly heaving on the Friday with a long queue that eventually got split when they allowed pay at the gate folk to go through the other gate for pre-booked ticket holders. I had to park way over on the grass, which was a long way to lug a boat anchor of a power pack which was the only actual item I bought, other than a few bits and pieces and components.

There was only one line of outside stalls again this year, unlike what I remember when there used to be several lines across the grass. There were several empty tables right at the end of the line. The Friday was certainly well attended and it was a job to get near some of the outside stalls, and inside the hall it was heaving with folk.

You could argue that Saturday would be a better day due to people being at work on a week day, so not able to go on Friday. However, not so, I looked around and all I could see was pensioners (and that includes me now), so nobody of working age - it was a case of 'spot the young person', I think that just about says it all!
Techman is offline