First time to Oshkosh - meeting likeminded people

Biggles1998

Biggles1998

Pre-Flight
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Mar 23, 2013
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72
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Essex, UK
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Display name:
Mike_L
HI.

I've had the great opportunity of getting over the Oshkosh this year, after many years of dreaming to do so, albeit i'll be on my own. ( no wife and kids in tow )

So since ill be at the show for 3 days ( wed, thru fri ) it woudl be really good to meet up with anyone and talk flying, or just be sociable and soak up the atmosphere, and then i'll be flying back to the UK on the Saturday from Chicago.

drop me a note if you don't mind meeting up, meeting people would make the whole experience so much more

cheers - Mike
 
Like minded people. Um....how about the many tens of thousands of people at the show?
 
Yeah, but stopping someone on the Tarmac to chat may be a little bold.. Even for me.. Lol
 
Actually, Jay's party is a mismash of the most unlike-minded people you'll find. But it's still a great place to meet people and talk and have a few beers (or wine, we always also bring wine).

Back in the old days, we'd meet at the base of the old tower for lunch regularly, but that's kind of fallen apart (especially since our ringleader died on the way home from the show one year).

Drop by Vintage and stick your head in the ops building (across from the hangar cafe) and ask for Margy. She'll be there and she'll know where I am usually. If it's not night-airshow night, you'll often find us hanging out drinking wine at our campsite, which is about half way through the little band of woods behind the hangar cafe. Look for an encampment of about two dozen green Cabela Arctic Guide Dome Tents.
 
I'm planning to be at OSH for the first time too & would welcome the opportunity to meet up with you and talk airplanes. We also plan to be at the HOPS party hosted by the Honecks.
 
Biggles1998 said:
Yeah, but stopping someone on the Tarmac to chat may be a little bold.. Even for me.. Lol
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Actually it's not, you'll see.

At least once, if not more than once a day, I'll be gawking at something at OSH and remark out loud about it, and the person standing next to you also gawking will say, "yeah, that's amazing" and the conversation has started ...

I believe my last conversation with a stranger started with "Hooooooly hell!" watching the jet powered biplane climbing straight up.

It's a little weird at first until you realize everyone in sight is more aircraft nut, than not. It's actually pretty hard NOT to start a conversation.
 
Biggles1998 said:
Yeah, but stopping someone on the Tarmac to chat may be a little bold.. Even for me.. Lol
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Don't be afraid to shed your British reserve when you arrive in the USA. As Nate noted there is nothing to fear about chatting up perfect strangers about airplanes or any other contemporary topical goings on at Oshkosh (stay away from asking about Hillary or the Donald though).
 
I'm voting for Clinton:
GeorgeClinton1.jpg
 
Oh.. dilemma.. I've only just realised that its not far from green bay and the packers, I've always wanted a cheese hat.. LOL.. now only to pick one up and use it as my drinks / food holder, something soft to park my backside on when my feet get tired, and then maybe an ice bucket if it's way to hot .. LOL... ( then use it for my pillow for the journey home ) ...
 
Speaking of shirts (and ball caps) I have had numerous conversations that lead to friendships over the years from whatever aviation cap or t-shirt I was wearing at the time.
 
iflyvfr said:
I'm planning to be at OSH for the first time too & would welcome the opportunity to meet up with you and talk airplanes. We also plan to be at the HOPS party hosted by the Honecks.
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What days are you at the show? Be good to meet up before the HOPS party maybe.

Mike
 
Biggles1998 said:
What days are you at the show? Be good to meet up before the HOPS party maybe.
Mike
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I'm not sure just yet. I think we will likely do a few days at OSH, then head down to the Cessna 150152 Club annual flyin in Clinton, Iowa about 150 nms south to see old friends there. That event is Wed - Fri so IF our plans fall together, I like Jim's idea of meeting at his forum. But if not then definitely plan to go to Jay's party.
 
Ok, so it maybe wishful thinking that I'll be able to keep this updated, but I've created a little blog to look back upon when I'm old and gray.. Anyone's is free to read and follow, for what it's worth.. Cheers..

https://mikelynnweb.wordpress.com

Mike
 
Biggles1998 said:
Ok, so it maybe wishful thinking that I'll be able to keep this updated, but I've created a little blog to look back upon when I'm old and gray.. Anyone's is free to read and follow, for what it's worth.. Cheers..

https://mikelynnweb.wordpress.com

Mike
Click to expand...

It is a private password protected address...

Thanks,

Jim
 
Yes, it now works much better. Bring along your HT if you have one; fairly active ham radio group at The Show. I think we have reciprocal operating privileges with the UK, don't we? Mostly first contacts on .52 simplex. There is an Oshkosh repeater. Get the frequency and PL on my Oshkosh frequencies page www.rstengineering.com .

jw
 
Thanks for the info, I do have plans to bring either my handy or maybe at a push my 817, I was going to put a whip on the hire car and call out on the drive from Chicago, anything to help pass the drive time and keep me alert after a 8 hour flight.. I've found some frequencies and already programmed a section on radio, just got to get the air frequencies, which I think have changed this year from what I can tell..
 
Years ago many of us brought 2m (or in Margy and my case 2m/70cm dual band) rigs. But that's kind of been obviated by cell phones.

I've found the airband frequencies to be relatively stable over the years. If you bring an airband transceiver, for gods sake, lock the thing out of transmit. Nothing more disruptive than to find some guy inadvertently keying crowd noise all over the airboss frequency.
Most of the rest of the show operations are up on the 450 business band. I have some of those freqs but frankly it's pretty boring stuff. We do not put sensitive stuff out on the radios. The best you'll typically here is someone asking for a chairman or security to respond to a location or to give us a call on the phone.
 
Biggles1998 said:
Oh.. dilemma.. I've only just realised that its not far from green bay and the packers, I've always wanted a cheese hat.. LOL.. now only to pick one up and use it as my drinks / food holder, something soft to park my backside on when my feet get tired, and then maybe an ice bucket if it's way to hot .. LOL... ( then use it for my pillow for the journey home ) ...
Click to expand...

You can get the cheesehead stuff at the "Shopko" store in Oshkosh if you don't want to go to Green Bay and back.
 
flyingron said:
Actually, Jay's party is a mismash of the most unlike-minded people you'll find. But it's still a great place to meet people and talk and have a few beers (or wine, we always also bring wine).
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The attendees of the HOPS Party have always been united by two loves:

1. Aviation

2. Beer.

Ron and Margy keep trying to introduce wine to a beer party, but it's an uphill battle.

As with most of America today, so long as we avoid politics everyone is like family. Actually, even with politics, we are just like family -- but we are at each others throats.

If you don't like flying or beer, there's alway simple, bready food, provided by Amelia's Landing Hotel. I'm not sure it's worth hiking to the North 40 for, though, without sampling the amazing beers we get from all over the country. Remember, "admission" to the party is a 6-pack of GOOD beer -- points awarded if you can't see through it -- from your hometown.

(If you can't fit beer on the plane, don't worry, we won't run you off the site. There's always plenty to go around!)

Hope to see you at OSH!
 
Hope to meet you OP and everyone because we're going.

Hey, where are you guys replenishing your suds? Do you buy it off site and carry it in or is ther a dispensary on the grounds?

We're still kinda new at it, we will be in VAP I thought I read no alcohol somewhere, or is that just during the show? I guess what I'm wanting to know is, where are you getting beer, how are you getting it in, and where can you guzzle it?
 
While the EAA has a no alcohol policy, within someone's campsite (and even some larger community camping compounds), they've always looked the other way to alcohol consumption (as long as you're not drinking it out near the flightline during the airshow). We've had no problem lugging in alcohol from offsite, or carrying stuff from vintage up to the North 40 for Jay's party (as long as it remains closed enroute).
 
FredFenster said:
You can get the cheesehead stuff at the "Shopko" store in Oshkosh if you don't want to go to Green Bay and back.
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Shopko.. Wicked, where's that, as I've got to do shopping for the family back here, especially the wife for stuff out of target, and I'm looking to get some big sky carver stuff from millers clocks, which I've found are a local dealer.. My feet aren't going to touch the ground.
 
When I hear the term "likeminded" - nowadays I throw up a little in my mouth. It smacks of wanting to be surrounded by a monoculture and conformity. There's a lot of wonderful variety out there to appreciate.
 
I would have thought that a gathering of aviation followers would have fit that discription but hey. Words are open to interpretation especially when distance and language are involved. . Whoever decided to call a boot a trunk?? :)
 
Jay Honeck said:
The attendees of the HOPS Party have always been united by two loves:
Ron and Margy keep trying to introduce wine to a beer party, but it's an uphill battle.
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So long as I'm there for a GOOD California Chardonnay and Cyndi is there for a single malt Scotch, that uphill battle will continue so long as we continue to attend :)

Jim
 
At the far end of the North40 (jump on the free shuttle) is the Mooney camp. There's a party tent, beer in the eskie, and Tuesday night is usually Scotch night, and the minimum age is 18. That's the minimum age of the Scotch. Of course as the Texas Wing of the Mooney Caravan continues to grow, there is likely to be a few excellent bottles of tequila on Tuesday night as well. And never mind election politics, just don't show up in a Bonanza shirt.
 
weirdjim said:
Yes, it now works much better. Bring along your HT if you have one; fairly active ham radio group at The Show. I think we have reciprocal operating privileges with the UK, don't we? Mostly first contacts on .52 simplex. There is an Oshkosh repeater. Get the frequency and PL on my Oshkosh frequencies page www.rstengineering.com .

jw
Click to expand...

I'm thinking about building a low power DMR repeater for the fifth wheel. There's plenty of room in the rear cabinets for a repeater and duplexer, and a mast could easily go on the rear ladder... And I'm upping the battery system to a minimum of 280 Ah on board... And maybe solar...

I have other uses for it when home, but it'd be fun to be able to toss it in the trailer.

The other question with DMR is whether or not to provide it with a data feed and link it back home via the club C-bridge, or make it a portable DMR-MARC attached machine.

Probably won't get it done in time for this year's trip, though. Probably won't get any of that done, actually. Ha. Just want more "toys in the attic".

The CS-700s came back from CS yesterday after the told me they self-identified as CS-750s and wanted the surgery done. ;)

Now they apparently TALK. (I forgot that was a feature they added. Turn the radio on and it yells out, "Channel One!" in some male dude's voice with a Brit accent. Ugh. Have to find the checkbox in the programming software to turn THAT off!)

Hey Jim... Got to operate an Icom 7851 for about an hour (as W1AW/0) at the Rocky Mtn Division ARRL convention last weekend (Icom loans them to ARRL for these things apparently)... Wow what a rig.

Never going to spend $12,500 (list, sells for about $9800 on the street I hear) on a radio for the shack, though. Wow. Holy crap.
 
Gsxrpilot said:
At the far end of the North40 (jump on the free shuttle) is the Mooney camp. There's a party tent, beer in the eskie, and Tuesday night is usually Scotch night, and the minimum age is 18. That's the minimum age of the Scotch. Of course as the Texas Wing of the Mooney Caravan continues to grow, there is likely to be a few excellent bottles of tequila on Tuesday night as well. And never mind election politics, just don't show up in a Bonanza shirt.
Click to expand...

Wish I could do the Caravan, but not this year. I will see if I can't parasitize the Mooney tent though...
 
Biggles1998, how are you getting there from Chicago? You should try to fly in with someone from there.
 
Hi.. I would have loved to try and hitch a fly in.. But logistically I think it would be impossible, with luggage and getting back out of Oshkosh on the Saturday for the long flight back.. At the moment I've got a small car hired which also means I can pop to target and Walmart to get all the things my wife is starting to collate on her list of things I've got to bring home..LOL...
Must admit I've heard that roadworks may delay my journey which I hope not.. I'll be peddle to on the floor with the radar detector on the dash. :)
 
I'll be the guy in the flight suit in front of the F-15C sweating my butt off. Feel free to stop by for a chat. If anyone's interested we can set up a specific time for POA to do a Q&A/tour of the F-15. Let me know if there's any interest, otherwise just stop and say hi. They have me scheduled to arrive on Monday and stay for the full week right now.
 
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