Kazu started assembly of boards and was preparing for a launch. There was just one critical component missing, a GNSS/GPS receiver. I had a stash of these still on hand from W6MRR's AVR based boards and we made plans for a rendezvous at the return of the Electronics Flea Market

This event is a long standing Silicon Valley tradition that has mostly been on hiatus for the last several years. If you've never found yourself in an empty parking lot well before dawn, as HAMs from all over come out of the woodwork to bond over coffee, donuts and the age old question of how many more of these things that I don't particularly need (right now) do I actually absolutely have to have? Kazu debated this with me for a few in our particular case of modules. I think they have 5 or 6 boards to build, and settled on 7 or 8 modules as a good number to have on hand.

This is the log jam of sellers still being processed at dawn as things started to get going around 6am in the main lot. Some people were already there at 4am, ahhhem, so I hear.

One of the many bags of mystery to be found, pro-tip, the good stuff is often at the bottom. As it turns out I have a feeling will be seeing a lot more of these.

Space grade high quality solar panels manufactured in Japan. Likely destined for use on a commercial satellite, and never even opened. They have been carefully looked after and stored for a weeee while, aged like a fine spirit. Among the undoubtedly long and prestigious chain of custody holders was Anchor Electronics the last standing brick and mortar provider of fine vintage, new and weird components.

I got a look at some of Kazu's latest handy work, a v0.2 tracker that's been under test.

After a thorough trip up and down and all around the fine wares on offer, it was time to call it a day and explore the wonders that I had acquired from a WWII era "Pipsqueak" to a doughnut shaped solar panel array. My pocket was a few grams lighter of cash and GPS modules bound for the sky, and replaced with pounds of new to me gear.