I ended up buying two coaxial cables totaling $9.
AB7JK
Hamfests getting worse
Hamfests getting worse
I attended the Orlando Hamcation at it's amazing how many people were there and how disappointing the fest was from a buyers point of view. There werent very many tailgate items worth hauling away - let alone buying. What happened to all the good mid 1980's to mid 1990's transceivers. One table had a TS-120 that was receiving signals. I asked how much and the guy said it wasnt for sale. The other radios on his table were turned off so they probably werent working.
I ended up buying two coaxial cables totaling $9.
AB7JK
I ended up buying two coaxial cables totaling $9.
AB7JK
Hamfests getting worse
I digress...What I saw were a lot of Cleggs, non discript junk, cb gear, old underwear, faded Obama colored Kenwoods (sun washed) with flaky looking buttons that looked like they'd been in storage forever.
I don't know what motivates a person to pay $22 a night for a tailgate spot, haul most of the junk I saw out there, then sit in the hot Florida sun for three days and sell hardly anything? To top that off a lot of sellers were driving late model suvs or $30,000 motor homes. What's wrong with this picture?
AB7JK
I don't know what motivates a person to pay $22 a night for a tailgate spot, haul most of the junk I saw out there, then sit in the hot Florida sun for three days and sell hardly anything? To top that off a lot of sellers were driving late model suvs or $30,000 motor homes. What's wrong with this picture?
AB7JK
What's wrong with this picture?
Apparently you should not have been in the picture.
Next year, don't go.
K4ICL
Next year, don't go.
K4ICL
-
barry g. kery
- Posts: 12
- Joined: Wed Jul 05, 2006 12:43 pm
- Location: Bethlehem, PA
The only depressing thing I've seen with numerous hamfest is that fact that they are getting smaller. One hamfest just north of me has shrunk down to about 35% of what it was about 7 years ago.
As for the prices of used gear from tail gaters, it goes both ways. It's either they think what they have is gold or they are almost giving stuff away.
Two years ago I paid $25 for a Kewnood TM261, 2 meter rig. The paper on the speaker was torn but did work, just scratchie audio. They sold brand new little external speakers at the hamfest for $4.oo. So for a total investment of $29.oo I have a great mobile rig that I use in the shop.
Less dealers at hamfests around here also.
Barry G. Kery, KU3X
As for the prices of used gear from tail gaters, it goes both ways. It's either they think what they have is gold or they are almost giving stuff away.
Two years ago I paid $25 for a Kewnood TM261, 2 meter rig. The paper on the speaker was torn but did work, just scratchie audio. They sold brand new little external speakers at the hamfest for $4.oo. So for a total investment of $29.oo I have a great mobile rig that I use in the shop.
Less dealers at hamfests around here also.
Barry G. Kery, KU3X
Sorry, I am forced to diagree.
My club's hamfest last February, WASHFest 2009, sold out of tables 2 weeks in advance... we ended up squeezing a 2 extra rows of tables (ones we had removed over 10 years ago due to non-sales) to accomodate everyone, and sold all but one of those.
While we had some of the usual junque and computer parts, we also had a lot of nice, newer radios too; I can think of a few linears and KW level tuners I'd have loved to have taken home, but no shekels. And we had three brand new (to us) dealers, all of whom were quite thrilled with the turnout and assured us that they'll be back -- one already put in (and paid!) for their 2010 tables!
Last Sunday, the Breezeshooter's Hamfest had a visible increase in tailgaters and buyers. Granted, a good weather forecast (that held up, a real nice day as it turned out) didn't hurt... but the buildings holding the new equipment dealers were packed, and the flea market area was constantly busy. No empty stretches like I've seen in years past.
Sold most of the stuff off my table (wish I got to keep the loot, but it's for an SK's estate); another member of my club, who was set up next to me, was cleaned out completely. Heck, even the club member who's into Tesla Coils and such sold his Van De Graaf generators for what he wanted!
Sorry, no bovine excrement in sight, even though it was at the site of the Butler county farm show. We did get some fumes from the light aircraft, though...
If your hamfest isn't doing well, maybe you should be wondering what they're doing wrong...
73
My club's hamfest last February, WASHFest 2009, sold out of tables 2 weeks in advance... we ended up squeezing a 2 extra rows of tables (ones we had removed over 10 years ago due to non-sales) to accomodate everyone, and sold all but one of those.
While we had some of the usual junque and computer parts, we also had a lot of nice, newer radios too; I can think of a few linears and KW level tuners I'd have loved to have taken home, but no shekels. And we had three brand new (to us) dealers, all of whom were quite thrilled with the turnout and assured us that they'll be back -- one already put in (and paid!) for their 2010 tables!
Last Sunday, the Breezeshooter's Hamfest had a visible increase in tailgaters and buyers. Granted, a good weather forecast (that held up, a real nice day as it turned out) didn't hurt... but the buildings holding the new equipment dealers were packed, and the flea market area was constantly busy. No empty stretches like I've seen in years past.
Sold most of the stuff off my table (wish I got to keep the loot, but it's for an SK's estate); another member of my club, who was set up next to me, was cleaned out completely. Heck, even the club member who's into Tesla Coils and such sold his Van De Graaf generators for what he wanted!
Sorry, no bovine excrement in sight, even though it was at the site of the Butler county farm show. We did get some fumes from the light aircraft, though...
If your hamfest isn't doing well, maybe you should be wondering what they're doing wrong...
73
W3WN:
I can't dispute what you say. It sounds like you have some good fests in your part of "3" land.
My non-specific gripe was aimed at sellers whose claims would probably get then laughed-off of QTH or QRZ. I know sea stories are a way of life, but when you're trying to sell some gear, to quote Joe Friday, "The facts, just the facts".
I can't count how many different "planning and organizing' committees I've served on but I've seen some things that will sooner or later "kill" any event:
Lack of a clearly articulated "mission statement" or clearly defined "objective";
The event becomes more important than the attendees;
Planning and organizing the event becomes the sponsor's principal raison d'etre;
Complacency;
Ossified leadership at the organization and event level;
Lack of honest thought and review;
Disregard of the market and competitive factors;
Failure to "deliver";
Too much hype.
Believe me, I've seen it all too often.
N9LCD
I can't dispute what you say. It sounds like you have some good fests in your part of "3" land.
My non-specific gripe was aimed at sellers whose claims would probably get then laughed-off of QTH or QRZ. I know sea stories are a way of life, but when you're trying to sell some gear, to quote Joe Friday, "The facts, just the facts".
I can't count how many different "planning and organizing' committees I've served on but I've seen some things that will sooner or later "kill" any event:
Lack of a clearly articulated "mission statement" or clearly defined "objective";
The event becomes more important than the attendees;
Planning and organizing the event becomes the sponsor's principal raison d'etre;
Complacency;
Ossified leadership at the organization and event level;
Lack of honest thought and review;
Disregard of the market and competitive factors;
Failure to "deliver";
Too much hype.
Believe me, I've seen it all too often.
N9LCD