I am pleased to advise that I shall be attending the 2025 International DX Convention in Visalia, California. I was last there in 2019 and it was great to meet with an ad-hoc group of SOTA devotees.
Perhaps we can do the same thing in 2025? It would certainly be nice to meet with SOTA folk, even if it’s just an informal get-together like last time. Maybe we could make it a more formal meeting - there are lots of special interest groups that arrange meets at these events.
Who would be up for that? Is someone in W6 that will be at Visalia willing to take on the organisation?
NK6A, a Sota dude, used to be on the Visalia planning committee. I’ll ask him and also KE6MT, the AM for California, who is a good organizer. I haven’t been there since the early 80’s, when I arrived in my P-51 Mustang out of Hollister. My first attendance was mid 70’s, when the convention was 30 miles up the road in Fresno. Ironically, my son-in-law grew up in Visalia and became a professional baseball player.
Bringing this back to the top as in a couple of days I start meandering my way from G/LD to W6/SS, aka Visalia and the International DX Convention. It would be great to meet any SOTA enthusiasts at the Convention and perhaps even have a bit of a SOTA get-together.
John, are you coming by way of SFO? Several of us SOTA types could provide a cuppa tea and a natter in one of the restaurants inside the terminal. I did that with VK3ARR and several others who were en route. Incidentally, Visalia was picked because it’s about half way between the San Francisco bay area and L.A.
Thanks for the offer but not this time Elliot. I’m travelling from TN with my pal W4CK to Fresno and post event we drive down to LAX, where I then continue to Big Island Hawaii and he visits friends along the coast. I do more usually route via SFO so perhaps another time.
That’s great Craig, let’s try to get together and hopefully others will join us. You’ll have a great time at Visalia - I have been many times over the years but this is my first one since Covid, so I’m very much looking forward to it!