At the last minute on Saturday night Greg (K9QI) called me and asked if I wanted to go to the Sterling ‘fest the next morning. I said yes having nothing pressing happening on Sunday.
The ride over was a bit more than two hours through some light fog and the hoar frost on the trees was spectacular – the temperature was hovering around 4 to 8 degrees Fahrenheit. David in the back seat was zonked out, catching up on his sleep.
We had been to this ‘fest a few years ago and it was as good as I remembered. Held in Challand Middle School and presented by the Sterling-Rock Falls ARS, it draws from Illinois and from close-by Iowa so there is a lot to see that is not from the Chicago area. All I bought was some small tools for work, but I had nice chin-wags with quite a few people. Greg bought some E.F. Johnson boat anchor heavy iron. And, Greg bought the gas and a nice breakfast at the ‘Red Apple’, a restaurant on the way out of town!
Rating of this hamfest is a solid A.
- Jakarta Mark, K9AM
by k9am on February 25, 2013
Last Saturday, February 23, we mounted up and rode down to LaPorte to attend the ‘fest. Greg – K9QI and David (N0CALL) and myself had a great time and met some nice people.
This event does not have an extensive menu but always has something on offer that we need. For example, the “banana mic” as pictured to the left was available for just three US dollars. It has seen better days but will soon be hooked up to one of my contraptions, uh, transmitter that is lacking a mic. Also some porcelain insulators were stuffed into my bag after paying a modest fee to the jovial ham vendor. I tarried and talked to a gent that was selling some of his SK father’s equipment and he indicated that he was helped out immensely on pricing by the local ham radio club because the father had the foresight to include their contact info in his papers. Hmm. Good idea!
After an hour at the ‘fest, we shoved off and stopped at the ’Round the Clock’ restaurant on Indiana Hwy 39 as we left town. Good omelets and a good Eggs Benedict according to David. He is piling on the lbs… Needs a diet I guess.
Jakarta Mark, K9AM
