GOOD DEALS AT DAYTON

[toddnbarbie]

Has any one got any news on any scanner deals at Dayton today?What is new? Any other info that every one would li
ke to share?
Todd

 

[Michelle0H]

I was going to head down there tomorrow, but not at $25 entrance fee! YIKES!! :x

 

[Dubbin]

It is crazy that you have to pay for the whole weekend, even if you're only going to be there for one day :?

 

[Thunderbolt]

I was going to head down there tomorrow, but not at $25 entrance fee! YIKES!! :x

Whoa! That is unreal. I can this price for the whole weekend but not just for one day.

 

[KR4BD]

I just returned from the Dayton Hamvention. I have gone to most Dayton Hamventions in the last 30 years. Yes, the $25 admission seems high, but I can tell you, as a former member of the Dayton Amateur Radio Association, that they make very little money on this event. In fact, for some years in the past, they didn't even cover all the expenses. There are a lot of costs involved in running such an event which most people don't even think about (security, medical staff, advertising, rent of the facility, transportation, etc.). All members of the Dayton club VOLUNTEER their time. If tickets are bought in advance, the charge is only $20. This admission is good for ALL THREE DAYS.

In all honesty, there is so much to see between the seminars, exhibits, retail areas and huge flea market, you can't see it all in one day.

There were many deals on trunked scanners. I saw every brand of scanner offered and Radio Shack was selling their digital handheld scanners for $449. By my math, the savings here would more than pay for your admission. If your interests are limited to scanners, it might not be a good deal for you. However, if you are also a ham or computer buff, there are also all sorts of goodies at very reasonable prices. Yes, the crowds are huge (30,000 or so) and you might get "turned off" by this "crush" of people. However, after attending for many years, I have figured my way around and how to deal with the crowds.

The weather today (Saturday) was rainy and cool, but my son and I wore ponchos and walked virtually all the flea market where you can find all sorts of scanner stuff from antiques to modern, replacement batteries, antennas, etc., all at good prices.

Don't let the price of admission scare you! I had a great time and so did my (relatively inactive ham) 21 year-old son who is a student at the University of Dayton.

Rumors continue to persist each year that the Hamvention is going to move, or be discontinued, but it was announced today that they will have it again next year at the same place (Hara Arena) in Mid-May.

 

[Dubbin]

The weather today (Saturday) was rainy and cool, but my son and I wore ponchos and walked virtually all the flea market

I was there also and it was the biggest waist of my time and money (only because of the rain). The outside flea market was a total bomb because of the rain. There wasnt even 1/8 of the outside vendors open or even there. The only scanner I saw outside worth even looking at was a 2006 but the guy wanted $475 for it :roll:

 

[KR4BD]

Dubbin--

Sorry you found Dayton to be a bust. I managed to see a lot of stuff in the flea market, much of it under plastic, to prevent rain from getting to it or, inside tents. I will agree it was lousy weather and many vendors packed it in, but the "hardcore regulars" WERE doing business outside. By the way, I was outside before noon, but I understand the rain got worse after that time. At noon, I went inside where there were certainly lots deals on new scanners (Radio Shack, R&L Electronics, to name two). If you went to the INSIDE exhibits, you HAD to see something worthwhile (Computer stuff, radios, antennas, accessories, etc.)

 

[Dubbin]

Im just saying that the outside was a bust. This is the first year I went that it rained Normally I spend the whole weekend there, but this year I just didnt have the time.

 

[RFfreeTLD]

The Radio Shack booth had Pro-96s for $449 . . .

 

[mikewazowski]

I don't know what you guys are complaining about, the weather was fine on Friday. Got a bit of a sunburn to boot. Got most of my shopping done.

Saturday was a different story but since I had done the fleamarket on Friday I didn't mind staying in.

I picked up a BC296D that I had preordered from Scanner World. Spoke with Gommert from Butel and saw some nice new products.

The $20 admission doesn't seem like much when I consider the money I save in the fleamarket area. Picked up a Motorola charger for $80 that normally retails for $150. That alone was enough to pay for my ticket and then some.

 

[Dubbin]

I don't know what you guys are complaining about, the weather was fine on Friday.

I had to work Friday, Sunday would not have left me enough time to check EVERYTHING out, so Saturday was the best option for me.