Ewing Township, NJ Hamfest - Worth Going to?

[Carl WA1KPD]

I am going to be in the area this weekend and may get a few hours free to go over there.
Is it worthwhile? It seems to be associated with the DVRA.
Thanks
Carl
/KPD

[WB2YGF]

Carl, DVRA Hamfests have been very poor for quite a few years.  I was surprised to see they were having the Hamfest on the same weekend as the Trenton Computer Fest. After doing some research, I discovered  it is PART of TCF.  (I NEVER miss TCF.)  It the oldest and largest computer show in the US.  Combining with DVRA may make it an even better event, but I can't say how much of the flea market will end up being Ham Radio related.

The downside is the $15 gate, but then, it's 2 days long and you are getting MUCH more than a Hamfest.  Free talks all day.  You won't see it all in a "few" hours. 

http://www.w2zq.com/?page_id=21

http://www.tcf-nj.org/web/

http://www.tcf-nj.org/tcf_2009_speaker_grid.pdf

TCF2009 - 34th Annual Trenton Computer Festival
 
The world's original personal computer show will once again take place at The College of New Jersey. The Trenton Computer Festival (TCF), now in its 34th year, will be held from Friday, April 24 through Sunday, April 26, 2009. This year's festival will include a Professional Conference, Robotics Competition, Micromouse Contest , Keynote Speaker Address, and flea market, indoor exhibit and sales area, and general speaker/tutorial session.

Created in 1976 by Sol Libes of the Amateur Computer Group of New Jersey and Allen Katz, professor of electrical/computer engineering at TCNJ, the current festival has stayed true to its origins as an annual educational event. The public and personal computing fans can be sure to find plenty of bargains on new and used hardware and software, numerous talks, forums, tutorials, user group sessions, national exhibitors demonstrating their newest products, and much more...2000 Pennington Road, Ewing, NJ 08628-0718
 

[WB2YGF]

Yikes Carl.

I hope you didn't go to TCF.  I had no idea the whole thing would fall apart this year.  What a turkey.

Last year:
*  Large outdoor flea market adjacent to the parking lots and parking garage.
*  Large indoor flea market in a large basketball court/gym area.
*  Classrooms with exhibits near gym area, with additional classrooms for talks.
*  Flea Market professionally run by MarketPro.


This year:
*  Original outdoor flea market lot replaced by new building under construction.  Small outdoor flea market on the other side of the campus.  Take shuttle or hoof it a LONG way.
*  Building adjacent to new outdoor market for all indoor activities.  Nice auditoriums for speakers, but hallways crammed with vendors.  Hot, stuffy, nearly impossible to squeeze through the halls to get to the talks or to see what's being sold.  A small fraction of the usual vendors.
*  MarketPro not running the show.  When I arrived at 9AM everything changed around from last year but NO signs posted on campus.  Wandered around asking for directions.  1-1/2 hours later, I noticed all the big signs piled up high on a table indoors.  Un-effin-believable.

Left after 2-1/2 hours disgusted.  Went to MarketPro show at NJ Expo Center in Edison.  Show about the same size as the old TCF indoor venue.  Appears MarketPro had taken nearly all the vendors with them.   What a disaster for TCF.

I have attended TCF for every one of their 34 years.  This is probably the last.

PS:  The only thing I saw radio-related was the guy with the pile of CB radios that seems to turn up at all the hamfests. 

[Carl WA1KPD]

Hey John
Yep we did go but no problem. I went with my brother in law who is  WE1X from Yardley. Agree with your report all the way around. We parked in a garage and hoofed it a long way. The layout was very strange. Nicest pice of gear I saw was someone walking out with an OLD Heath AF generator!

Saw the guy with the CBs too.

Oh well, next weekend is Nearfest.

Appreciate the reply anyway. We had a good time talking and catching up
73
Carl
/KPD