You are right about they are not what they use to be. Around here you might
have one dealer for new equipment and a lot of boat anchors and that is it.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Colin McDonald" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 25, 2006 7:22 PM
Subject: Re: not off topic
of course, that is the other consideration....the ham fest here, and i say
fest because there is only enough interest for one a year here, is awfully
unaccessible and held in a very small basement room of a hotel.
They likely use it because its cheap and of course, its where its always
been for 20 plus years.
The tables are not set up in such a fashion that a blind person, with a dog
or a cane, can go from table to table with any apparent ease.
and since the room is very small, the crowd is terribly dense.
anyway, with out further belly aching, lets just say ham fests aren't what
they probably used to be.
73
Colin, V A6BKX
----- Original Message -----
From: "Pat Byrne" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 25, 2006 5:04 PM
Subject: Re: not off topic
> Hamfests in the midwest, near Chicago are changing as well. We have
> a group of the old farts and I don't think they really expect to sell
> their equipment. The "fests" are a social event and these folks
> spend all hamfest season together on most Sundays hanging out and not
> selling much equipment. It's fun for them and I don't have to do
> anything but say hi to them, comment on some of the truly old gear
> that I used and remember fondly then go on down the line to the next
table.
> I'm already one of those old farts, and if I could drive to the fests
> alone, I too might be guilty of bringing all that old, overpriced
> crap!! But I don't think I would overprice it. But that's my opinion!!
> Pat, K9JAUAt 05:00 PM 7/25/2006, you wrote:
> >our ham fests are now beginning to show true arosion.
> >We usually have at least 1 or 2 tables of ham fest sponsors such as our
> >local investors group, selling books, offering door prizes of an hour of
> >free financial councelling....and a free self help book on
investing....they
> >even go so far as to bring in non hams to work the tables? an abomanation
if
> >you ask me.
> >Also, our ham fest has the unseemly habit of allowing all the table
buyers
> >to have first grabs on any of the stuff before the doors open...so if you
> >buy a table, you can have first shot at all the goodies before the masses
> >come in...this means all the guys who are selling their worthless junk
and
> >computer garbage get to snap up the good radios and ham equipment or
trade
> >it for their computer stuff...so by the time we poor peaons get to come
in,
> >everything is pretty much crap and there are no good deals or good
> >radios/antennas, power supplies or anything of that nature left. and if
> >there are, they are way over priced.
> >I tend to find that the ham fests around here have old farts who think
> >their garbage is worth its weight in gold and would rather pack it all
back
> >home then deal on the selling price...so we end up seeing the same stuff
> >year after year after year cuz they refuse to sell it for reasonable
prices.
> >I have only been going for 3 years, but i have heard from other hams,
that
> >they have seen the same tables, with nearly the exact same equipment,
over
> >priced, on them for ten years in some cases.
> >when you want $300 for a table top short wave radio, or $150 for a mag
mount
> >5.8's wave that you can buy for $69 at the ham store, you aren't gonna
sell
> >much.
> >73
> >Colin, V A6BKX
> >----- Original Message -----
> >From: "Richard Fiorello" <[log in to unmask]>
> >To: <[log in to unmask]>
> >Sent: Tuesday, July 25, 2006 3:38 PM
> >Subject: not off topic
> >
> >
> > > Hi;
> > > Can't resist after a day at work. Have you gone to any recent ham
fests
> >and
> > > taken a look whether there are many decent radios or piles of software
and
> > > pc products? I'm afraid the pc wins hands down based on my
unscientific
> > > observations.
> > > As for the program to run your radio, I guess it depends upon the
radio
> >and
> > > what run means. Apparently you can download software from Kenwood but
> >never
> > > tried it or seen any list of key strokes. Ham radio deluxe has gotten
a
> >lot
> > > of interest and a list of keystrokes, some scripts or even a set file
or
> >two
> > > might be nice.
> > > I will never be Mr. computer and I'm a bit reluctant to jump into
> >relatively
> > > uncharted waters.
> > > Richard
> > >
>
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