Hamfests are getting depressing

[MTS2000des]

Sorry to be the Debbie Downer, but after attending an unnamed hamfest today in a major city of thousands of supposedly active hams, I think we are truly seeing the end of hamfests as we knew them.

First off, the weather was great. Not a cloud in the sky. Warm but not boiling hot. The boneyard was sparse. What I did see was lots of people with eBay/retail prices on stuff at a flea market. No thank you.

Only ONE manufacturer (Icom) had their products on display. They didn't have any flyers or catalogs. "Go to the website" I was instructed. Sorry, but when you come to a trade show, people expect to walk away with something.

Not a lot in the way of forums. But then, I get it, "just go online".

A wise man once recently said that and I quote, "people are less entertained by people" as they spend hours staring at a small 4 or 5 inch screen talking to people that don't really give two lumps about them.

Maybe I'm just caught up in what hamfests were like 20-25 years ago before GREEDBAY and Al Gore invented the Internet. It was great: you hung out with friends, spent HOURS getting a good walk on traversing a huge flea market, got to see all the new radios from ALL the "big three" (back then) and stayed for a forum or two.

It was usually a two day event. You couldn't do it all in one day. You came back on Sunday for more abuse. Deals were usually better as folks didn't want to haul it all home.

Today most people were packing up and leaving by NOON.

It's time to re-invent the idea of a hamfest. A radio communications expo would be more like it, but it would cost way more money and no one would participate because, well, "people are just less entertained by people and you can just go online for all that".

My how we've certainly evolved. NOT.

 

[k3ygc]

was this rochester? it was today..

 

[MTS2000des]

Nope much further south. Atlanta.

 

[newsphotog]

What are your solutions?

 

[jackj]

Fulton County, Ohio ARC's swap meet was today. I had planned to attend buy we had our youngest granddaughter staying with us and she had to go home today.

My plan was to buy a new, dual band HT. I guess I'll take your advice and look on-line for a good buy.

Jack
N8BSR

 

[northzone]

Yet here you are online

 

[N8IAA]

Nope much further south. Atlanta.

That hamfest hasn't been good for about 3-4 years. I even forgot it was this weekend.
Glad I didn't stop at the local candy store today. It would have been empty too:roll:
Larry

 

[treborx]

I am not sure I could be upset at a dealer for not wanting to load their car with 500 lbs of gear and then have people make low-ball offers on it.

 

[MTS2000des]

Yet here you are online

Captain Obvious, this is Radio Reference DISCUSSION forums, is it not? Sheesh. Anyway...

What are your solutions?

Hamfests should evolve more like industry trade shows, IWCE if you will.
Problem is, that takes lots of money. Ham radio doesn't generate revenue to support such a show.

Instead of just giving exams, how about classes given on site? Forums on how to build an antenna, install a mobile radio, programming modern radios, basic to advanced operating, EMCOMM, et al.

A show like IWCE with active forums, lots of vendors showing off their gear, more of an exposition than just a flea market of people asking retail prices on a table in the hot sun.

But I realize this is my pipe dream. Maybe there are just too many of them given the current climate. Large shows like Dayton have a huge draw, we have a decent one in the fall in Lawrenceville, GA just north of town that historically does well.

IDK, just something I've noticed. Lots of hamfests that USED to be well attended, last all weekend, are dwindling to nothing spectacular.

I am not sure I could be upset at a dealer for not wanting to load their car with 500 lbs of gear and then have people make low-ball offers on it.

That's not the point, we are talking about a flea market. It's all about the VENUE and pricing should be accordingly. Remember that there are no warranties, guarantees or anything at such a venue.

If someone wants top dollar, put it on Ebay, pay the 13 percent this guy whines about and one can expect top dollar. One can also expect all the hassles that go with selling online like shipping, Paypal taking their cut, all the risks of chargeback/scams, etc.

But it's really annoying to see nothing but overpriced used stuff being sold $25 below RETAIL at a flea market when one can just walk over to the HRO booth and buy the same rig with a full warranty from a dealer.

 

[MTS2000des]

That hamfest hasn't been good for about 3-4 years. I even forgot it was this weekend.
Glad I didn't stop at the local candy store today. It would have been empty too:roll:
Larry

Larry you didn't miss much. I did score an Astron Power supply for $35 NIB, the SL12 series with a radio caddy above it, and a nice Sony ICF-7600D for $40 in cherry shape with all accessories. But these were the exception.

Most people I saw were leaving empty handed, I stayed till noon too. Most of the sellers were also packing up then too.

as much as I like the fact this show is 10 min away from me, I think the location is not good for most everyone else. After all, it is just outside the new Braves Stadium Crime Zone, and no one wants to fight Race to Waste stadium traffic to go to a small hamfest.

 

[AK9R]

[In the old days...]It was great: you hung out with friends...

That's about the only reason I go. Sometimes, I have enough stuff accumulated that I'll get a table and I'll price my stuff so I don't have to take it home. But, for the most part, I go to hamfests to see friends and talk to people. There's been many a hamfest where the only thing I bought was the ticket to get in.

 

[MTS2000des]

I'm with you W9BU, that's 99 percent of what I did today.
Seems like it would be much more fun to just have a ham get together without having to rent an expensive venue, hassle with getting up at the crack o' dawn, etc.

But I guess the idea that there might be that one golden gem APX7000 in a box of junk that someone else might score instead is what motivates people to attend.

 

[n9mxq]

AES "superfest" in Milwaukee was just as bad.. Drove over an hour, walked through everything in 15 minutes, and walked out with a new antenna for emcomm use...

 

[n5ims]

Hamfests should evolve more like industry trade shows, IWCE if you will.
Problem is, that takes lots of money. Ham radio doesn't generate revenue to support such a show.

Instead of just giving exams, how about classes given on site? Forums on how to build an antenna, install a mobile radio, programming modern radios, basic to advanced operating, EMCOMM, et al.

How about some topics like these:
* Web SDR with Raspberry Pi
* Foot Portable HF antennas
* What Red Cross Expects From ARES on Deployment
* SWR - Seeing Watts Reflected
* D-STAR: Why should I be interested?
* Perspective on the 630 Meter Medium Wave Band
* Prototype to Production: Ideas to Tangible Reality
* Practical Considerations for Amateur Radio Towers
* Adding Satellites to Your Portable Activities
* Or even "Lobbying 101: Grassroots Training”
(There are more, but my copy/paste fingers are getting tired)

A show like IWCE with active forums, lots of vendors showing off their gear, more of an exposition than just a flea market of people asking retail prices on a table in the hot sun.

Yep, how about venders like:
* Alinco
* FlexRadio
* Icom America
* Kenwood
* Yaesu
* MFJ
* Ameritron
* Cushcraft
* Ham Radio Outlet
* Main Trading Company
* RT Systems
* Rohn Products, LLC
* PowerWerx
(Just to name a few)

Oh, also how about an indoor, air conditioned swap area with say 140 tables or so.

But I realize this is my pipe dream. Maybe there are just too many of them given the current climate. Large shows like Dayton have a huge draw, we have a decent one in the fall in Lawrenceville, GA just north of town that historically does well.

IDK, just something I've noticed. Lots of hamfests that USED to be well attended, last all weekend, are dwindling to nothing spectacular.

If only there were still a hamfest with all of that. You might want to catch a quick flight to Dallas for next weekend (well, Friday and Saturday anyway). HamCom (https://www.hamcom.org/) just happens to have all of that (and more) and is June 12 & 13. There at a new location for this year with more space so the vendor area is larger and swap space has doubled (although it's all indoor this year so there's no more walking around a hot parking lot looking at folk's used stuff). The down side is parking that was free at the old location is now $5 (not their fault, the venue's owner forces that to pay for their fancy parking building).

 

[BamaScan]

Check Out http://www.hamfest.org

Huntsville, Alabama Ham Fest worth the drive.

 

[teufler]

I think the public is better informed now, via the internet. We would like to go see and touch, but as we have researched the item, we have seen the prices and most vendors can not match what is available on the internet. If they have brought a radio or two, it gets carried back. Yes the fleamarkets have got alittle off target. The black velvet Elvis and Jesus stuff, I struggle to see what that has to do with radio.. Course we bring wives and others along to the hamfests who are not radiuo interested so black velvet might be their cup of tea.. What I see more at the hamfests, is vendors selling antennas, strobe lights, things that go along with te radios I own, but no new radios. The margins on new radios are not good. I have talked to vendors and when you do the math, it is surprising that they come at all. Gas for a round trip, a motel, food, table rental, possible a salary for a couple of helpers, their nut to crack is pretty high.$400 to $500 adds quickly and thats for a local show. The internet has allowed hams to sell their surplus stuff on Ebay, rather than pack it up and sell it to friends. Their is still some ham face to face, that is enjoyable. n5ims suggested some topics that are very interesting. As for getting Vendors, other than Dayton, its even getting hard for them to get out. Our local clubs hamfest, by the time we rent a hall, sell tickets, etc, what we have left is far less than we used to. Most members buy the tickets they sell so why not get xxx dollars from each member, put in a pile, than ther prize amounts we give for the drawings, we draw the members from the club. We will have more money left over. Ham radio is in a funk. I scan the repeaters every day and activity is logged via the software. We have three repeaters, and by the time you total what we spend on repeaters a year, we could give each member a cell phone and save money. course the repeaters are there for an emergency but that has not happened in the 40 years I have been a member. We have over 100 members and getting new hams, thru classes twice a year. The club is growing.

 

[MTS2000des]

Really appreciate the constructive comments, suggestions and ideas. I would love to see hamfests return to their grandeur, but I guess the reality is nothing will be as it was.

What I see more at the hamfests, is vendors selling antennas, strobe lights, things that go along with te radios I own, but no new radios. The margins on new radios are not good. I have talked to vendors and when you do the math, it is surprising that they come at all. Gas for a round trip, a motel, food, table rental, possible a salary for a couple of helpers, their nut to crack is pretty high.$400 to $500 adds quickly and thats for a local show.

This is dead on. Trade shows are an expensive proposition. Without charging a sky high "expo" admission price or some other way of offsetting the cost, my pipe dreams are just that.

Can't help but realize all the new ChiComm radios have cut tremendously into the "big threes" market share. Not to mention the wide availability of robust analog commercial gear that is close to free.

I am in no way condemning the manufacturers, they have to stay viable.

Ham radio is in a funk. I scan the repeaters every day and activity is logged via the software. We have three repeaters, and by the time you total what we spend on repeaters a year, we could give each member a cell phone and save money. course the repeaters are there for an emergency but that has not happened in the 40 years I have been a member. We have over 100 members and getting new hams, thru classes twice a year. The club is growing.

Similar situation in this city of 6 million people. Many of the "legacy" clubs have 100-250 or more dues paying members, yet the club repeaters (those that are usable) are silent most of the time. Even during the drive time, only a couple of repeaters have any activity, and it's usually the same 4 or 5 folks.

One thing I DID see at the show yesterday was a huge crowd of folks showing up for testing. Lots of younger looking faces too. It was the same way last year. Gotta wonder are these just "preppers" who are getting their ticket for that when that all else fails moment arrives and stashing it away with their cache of Baofeng/PoFung/AnyTone radios or what?

They sure aren't on any repeaters, or HF.

 

[teufler]

wELL the Market has taken a hit on the Chinese radios. I was looking at AES Las Vegas tonite and Yaesu has a couple of HT's that are in the $70.00 range. Now Yaesu, Icom, Kenwood have got the $300 and up ht's too but other than a built in GPS, or a digital mode, some of the Chinese radios offer more for less. I really don't understand why they sell so low as it is sort of over kill. As for the new "preppers" maybe, as new hams hopefully, we as hams have to be patient, we have to work with them and make them feel comfortable. We have to remenber what it was like for us when we entered the hobby.. I try to monitor the repeaters but the new alphabet call signs, it is hard to get used to. The Ham clubs have become eating clubs. They talk no where until the eat. We laugh about that but its true. They get together every day for lunch, then saturday for breakfast, then if there is a club meeting or board nmeeting , there is dinner then a snack after the meeting.

 

[N8OHU]

Not everyone that gets their license likes to talk on the radio; one lady in our local club is generally very active on PSK31 rather than doing voice on HF.

 

[teufler]

sign her up for field day because psk is a 2 pt contact just like cw.