Rockchester Hamfest

[KB2WIG]

The Rochester fest is this Saturday, 7 to 4. Anyone other than myself going??

http://www.rochesterham.org/Hamfest.htm


klc

[W2JRO]

I was thinking about it, but will probably pass.
I haven't been to the 'fest since the last year it was held at the "dome"...that's probably at least 5 years ago. I had heard the new location they had was pretty good and then they moved to the RIT campus last year?

This 'fest used to be a 2 day'er years ago and was the biggest one in the Northeast with the possible exception of DeerField...now. only 7-4 on Saturday?...too bad..
I'll go one of these years, but it won't be the same for me...I know the fairgrounds were in bad shape at the end, but that's where the glory years were.

[WB2EMS]

I'm thinking about it. The last year at the dome was dismal, but a few years later at the fairgrounds in Greece seemed to be pretty good. I don't know how it was since the move to RIT, and am concerned about no indoor space, but fortunately the weather looks good.

I too remember the glory days at Rochester, having grown up just east in Webster and having some of the 'coolies' as elmers. Would be nice to see it come back somewhat. What happened to the site in Greece? That one was fairly nice and it seemed to be doing well there.

[KB2WIG]

I don't know 'boute the Greece thing. Maybee they over extended financially ? ??

Back to reality,  I only went to the fairgrounds once. It was ok. Things change, the Dome was da Bomb but thats over. I went to the 'last' one at the Dome and 'did' it in about 1/2 hour. Very disappointing.

The weather is suposed to be nice, so I'll take a drive down the road and see what is  going on. Its a bit closer then Nearfest is. I bet there is not going to be a beer tent.

klc

[WB2EMS]

Yeah, the last Dome one was pitiful. We drove 2 hours to spend 45 minutes time on target and 2 hours back. Took a few years off after that. The best fester around here is usually Elmira in the fall. But the Greece one showed some life, so we'll give it a try. Aiming to get there around 7:30 tomorrow plus or minus. I'll be monitoring 147.57 simplex if you want to give a call - might be fun to have an eyeball QSO.

[KB2WIG]

b there or b²


klc

[VE3AJM]

Any news yet about what this years event is like etc.?

I didn't miss Rochester at the fairgrounds for over 15 years from the early 80s. It was a 3 day fest that was the best hamfest that I have ever attended. It was held 2 weeks after Dayton then.

I recall hanging out and camping there with Dale VE3AAM and Al N2SHG, and bringing back a whole lot of mod iron back across the border. The Super Duper or Wegmans grocery/beverage store was right across the road.

Al VE3AJM

[KB2WIG]

Well, in reverse order. No Wegmans nearby and no beer tent. The Goldern Carrol was a mile or so away from Rochester Institute of Tec.( where the fest was held). All you can eat for $9.99.

There was a row of port a potties; 6 or 8 if I remember. There were handycap toylets inside, along with water and a snack bar.

The fest was held in about 1/2 of a big parking lot. The other 1/2 was parking. No trudging down a dirt path to the grass parking lot.......  All this was nice. Being that the lot was painted, the spaces are well laid out. But it aint yer fest of yesteryer. All I saw was the flee market. I didn't get there untill ~1030, so I don't know what moved early. Still, it was a nice little fest; much better than the last one at the dome.  No make up or ceramick frogs. But there was a rug for sale.

My wife came with me; first time since the 1999 collins-in-the-truck-interview.

I'll probably go next year.


klc

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

TNX fer the report, K - glad you got to take it in. This is one of those great 'fests from the past that fell on hard times, apparently through club politics, locations changes, and who knows what else. Never got to attend back in the day, though MrMike offered to haul me along a few times. Always had something else going on.

Reports in recent years were pretty nasty, but it sounds as though they might've gotten things squared away. Small & good is better than large & crappy. Timonium is proof of that. They had several buildings full of mostly unrelated junk, like large boxes of used clothes, kids toys, bicycles, chinese tools, and yes - ceramic lawn frogs accompanied by grubby white plastic lawn chairs. 90% of the radio stuff was in the tailgating area, which then did away with.

Hope it continues to improve, there aren't a lot of great hamfests left these days. Even NEAR-Fest, which is probably the biggest and best in the northeast and one of the largest on the east coast, is about half what the original Hosstraders 'fests were at the peak. The aging population is the biggest enemy at this point. Apathy seems to be subsiding a bit, at least.

Enjoy 'em while you can!

[W2JRO]

My wife came with me; first time since the 1999 collins-in-the-truck-interview.

I'll probably go next year.


klc

That had to be the year of the KW-1 in the truck... I was there too... in fact, I did a quick QSO while there.
I was on the audio clip of the event that was floating around, with my old call...WV2N.

Back to this years fest..Since I'm assuming since it was all outside, there were no big name vendors there.
I remember at the dome, HRO, Ham Station, and Delaware Amateur supply were there every year.
With internet sales and lower fest attendance, it doesn't make sense for the big vendors to make a trip to any but the biggest fests.

Maybe I'll go next year anyway. I'm hoping to get to deerfield this fall and I always make it up our local Saratoga NY fest

[KB2WIG]

" The aging population is the biggest enemy at this point. "

Interesting point. One would think that as the retirement numbers go up, there would be more free time available for these thinks. Unless we're dropping like flies on a hog.

 While talking to a tailgater who had a few Gonset Communicators, I actually spotted 3 youtes. They looked to be about 12 to 14 YO. One was carrying an Eico RF Generator. They walked up to us, and asked about the communicators. The OM selling the stuff told them that there wasn’t a lot of 2m AM in the area and that 6m was sparse also. He asked the youtes if any had a license, and one actually did. Shazham!  He said that he was building stuff. The others were also. Another one had a scope. After chewing the rag a bit, the OM asked if the kid had an audio generator to go with the RF gen? The answer returned was “No”, so the OM gave the youte a heath kit audio generator. The 3 walked away happy. I can’t remember the OM’s call, but it was somewhat familiar and he used to check into AWA nets. So there is some hope for the future. We just have to support any interest in radio, and AM in particular.

The Saratoga fest was nice sized; I haven’t been there since ‘02 or there about. I may go to the Deerfield fest; but I won’t tell anyone so they can’t keep me out.

klc

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

That's good to hear. I always see a handful at the different 'fests too, but very few compared to when we were all snot-noses out there gobbling up all the old gear & parts bargains we could find.

You got it right, though: it's up to us how and where ham radio goes. If we put in the effort to foster interest, there will be more youtes attending the 'fests and getting on the air. If we sit back and make excuses like 'kids aren't interested, they've already got cell phones, video games and the internet', many of them will never know what amateur radio is.

[WB2EMS]

2nd data point. We got to the fest about 8 am. Parking was across the moat from the parking area where the tailgating was, so you had to walk around to the cross over, no biggie.

There were about 4 good long lines of tailgaters, and it took over an hour to make the rounds, so that wasn't too bad. It seemed smaller than the last time I saw it a couple of years ago in Greece, maybe half that size overall, but maybe that's deceiving because everyone was densely packed into the rows as opposed to being spread out over the grass. It was definitely bigger than the last year at the dome. If I had to guess, I would say it was about the same number of folks who used to be down at the north end of the parking lot at Rochester, down past the end of the buildings in the lot.

There seemed to be a fair selection of stuff.  I saw a nice looking 75-A4 and a matching transmitter, saw some heathkit lunchboxes on 11, 6 and 2 meters. Several gooney boxes and some other boat anchor receivers, national etc. Didn't see much in the way of antennas, no scientific stuff, not a lot of off topic stuff (no ceramic frogs). The variety of stuff was not as diverse as some other good fests.

There was as  mentioned a good long row of porta-potties, I think closer to 20 than 8. No lines or waiting while we were observing, plus you could go inside to the 'global village' cafe and use the indoor facilities. We got inside a bit before 11 and they were just starting to serve the lunch menu. We had some small pizzas and they were fairly priced and tasted good.

We came to do a quick pass through, but ended up finding enough goodies and wanting to go back and make some deals that we didn't get done till noon and came away considerably lighter in the wallet. The good thing is that modern gear doesn't weigh as much. I have memories of dragging power supplies and boat anchors from the middle of the dome lot to the parking area as a kid. 

Between us we scored an FT90 to go on a two wheeler, a couple of TV USB sticks that run as vhf SDR receivers, a 12 volt supply, various connectors and antenna bits for Chinese HTs, some misc switches and connectors and a soldering iron, and a mini smug radio, a flex 1500.  We would have bought more but we ran out of money!!

Glorious weather. As mentioned, no real vendors, just one lady selling antennas out of a trailer. If it had been a rainy, windy day it would have been a far different experience. But it gives me hope.

The demographics, not so much. Looking around we saw very few people below 40 years old. Most of those were child conscripts minding the tables while dad wandered around. I had a newbie ham along and at 45 he was at the low end of the age range and he noticed it. Very few YLs.

I do applaud the folks at the Gonset table who supported the young folks they ran across. That kind of stuff is what is going to make the difference. We may lament that the 'kids these days have no interest', but when I look back at my early days as a ham, the local club ran a course and put an ad in the paper to recruit new hams. Us kids were nearly outnumbered by the number of volunteers who came week after week to teach us morse code and radio theory. These were experienced men, many of them engineers from local firms like General Dynamics and Xerox, and they freely shared their knowledge and experience with us and it shaped my life and career and I still use things they taught me then.

When I look around today, I see very few folks who are doing that kind of mentoring for kids. We've been working to reinvigorate the University ham club here, and finding a small but very interested group. We have had success getting them out and around for things like fox hunts and other activities. But it's hard to get folks to show up to teach and share their knowledge, but we do have a few.

A good enough fest, with potential to grow. I would hope they can find some sort of setting for indoor vendors - we can't plan on good weather every year here in the northeast. It would also be nice to have the ability to come camp on site for an early start.

My fester plans are for Ithaca (at trumansburg fairgrounds again) and Elmira. It would be nice to get to NEARfest sometime and see everyone.

[kb3ouk]

Seems like at most of the hamfests I've been to lately, I was one of the younger ones there (I'm 19) that actually seemed to be there for the hamfest and wasn't just brought along because they had to come. Until this year, I was never at a hamfest, until my girlfriend's dad invited me along to go to Timonium with them, and I end up dragging a Central Electronics 10B home (I should also mention that she thinks it's neat that I'm into the same hobby her dad is). I've been to three more since and usually find something to drag home (books, tubes, parts, etc.).

[W1RC]

Ah yes, the Rochester hamfest, aka RaRa..........brings back loads of fond memories.  First time was in 1966 and used to go every year faithfullyask most as some kind of pilgrimage.

It was undoubtedly the biggest hamfest in the Northeast, no question.  A lot of the Canadians amateurs from Montreal (of which I was one), Ottawa and Toronto/Hamilton  which is where the majority of hams are in Canada would religiously attend the event every year without fail.  

The flea market was huge with tons of stuff.  It commenced at daybreak Friday. This was before computer junk became an issue.  There are several high-tech companies in the area with the attendant ham population and their stuff.

I recall when it was three days but we didn't usually stick around for Sunday.  The flea market had been picked clean.  In the later years (1990s and into the 2000s) the AM community would leave on Saturday,afternoon and head for "Sorry-excuse" and Gary N2INR (now W2IiNR)'s place for a rollicking Rolling Rock party.  We'd crash then all have breakfast together on Sunday morning then head our separate ways towards home.

In fact Rochester was still bigger than NEAR-fest even when Hosstraders was at its peak.  There were several incidents involving the NY tax Nazis and the weather often put a damper on the event.  The fester fell on hard times around 2007-8 and there was a very unpleasant incident involving a renegade who refused to acknowledge the move from the Dome Arena/Monroe County Fairgrounds and held the Web site hostage causing confusion and nearly destroyed the event.

It has never been the same since. Still, I 'd like to go back one day......

73,

MrMike, W1RC

[Opcom]

 large boxes of used clothes, kids toys, bicycles, chinese tools, and yes - ceramic lawn frogs accompanied by grubby white plastic lawn chairs.

Sounds like the "Pulga" here each weekend in Gran Prarie, but it doesn't call itself a hamfest, doesn't even know what one is.

A shame some hamfests allow this sort of non-electronics junk. If there is an admission fee and a preponderance of such garbage, the guests may feel cheated.

Has the ceramic frog replaced the gnome? Which is tackier? No matter, none is as tacky as the plastic pink flamingo.

[W1RC]

........ aren't a lot of great hamfests left these days. Even NEAR-Fest, which is probably the biggest and best in the northeast and one of the largest on the east coast, is about half what the original Hosstraders 'fests were at the peak. The aging population is the biggest enemy at this point. Apathy seems to be subsiding a bit, at least.

Enjoy 'em while you can!

Todd:

I am sorry that you were never able to come along with me when I went to Rochester when we both lived in Vermont.  It's not a particularly easy trip as much of it is two-lane highway (US Route 4).  We always had a lot of fun and the trip used to be well worth the time and expense because of the large assortment of good stuff and the great gang of guys and gals that made the trip well worth the effort.

You are absolutely correct.....they're fading away and fast.  NEAR-Fest at its best will never come close to Hosstraders, at least in the number of people who attend.  Hosstraders at its peak topped 5,000.  NEAR-Fest averages around 1,500 and is doing very well indeed when it reaches 2,000.  Even if our costs don't increase if it drops below 1,000 for more than three consecutive events we're in trouble.  

However the good news is that the NEAR-Fest team, of which you are a founding member, has successfully created an event that goes beyond where Hosstraders left off.  Hosstraders was never intended to be more than a flea market whereas NEAR-Fest is best-described as a full-service Hamfester. It is the largest such event in the Northeast (defined as New England, NY, NJ, PA, MD, DE.  I am pretty certain we are the only multi-day event left in this area.

I think that if you live in Boston the nearest multiple-day festers that are bigger would be Dayton OH and Orlando, FL.  I think we're pretty much on par with Shelby NC.

Hopefully we will hold constant at 1,500 paid attendees plus or minus weather.  

My cohorts and I work hard to bring to the radio hobbyist community the "old time" hamfest we all know and loved.  We need everyone's support to keep going so we're asking the community to please try to make it a point to attend your,oocal 'fester at least one every year.  Otherwise soon it will also become just a fond memory.

It is our hope to keep NEAR-Fest going for the next generation.

73,

MisterMike, W1RC




 

[Steve - K4HX]

The Richmond, VA FrostFest had close to 2500 in attendance this year.  It's a one day event.

[Pete, WA2CWA]

........ aren't a lot of great hamfests left these days. Even NEAR-Fest, which is probably the biggest and best in the northeast and one of the largest on the east coast, is about half what the original Hosstraders 'fests were at the peak. The aging population is the biggest enemy at this point. Apathy seems to be subsiding a bit, at least.

Enjoy 'em while you can!

However the good news is that we have successfully created an event that goes beyond where Hosstraders left off.  Hosstraders was never intended to be more than a flea market whereas NEAR-Fest is a full-service Hamfester. It is the largest such event in the Northeast (defined as New England, NY, NJ, PA, MD, DE.  I know we are the only multi-day event (with the possible exception of Sussex NJ) left in this area.

I think that if you live in Boston the nearest festers that are bigger would be Dayton OH and Orlando, FL.  I think we're pretty much on par with Shelby NC.

Hopefully we will hold constant at 1,500 paid attendees plus or minus weather.  

73,

MisterMike, W1RC

The Sussex hamfest is only a one day event. Someone told me their 2012 event topped over 1500. Boxboro, in your area, while probably not as big, is a two day event. When visiting the Butler hamfests (one day events), near Pittsburgh, they always seem to be large with lots of attendance. As a vendor, even a large attendance doesn't always guarantee a good investment of time and money. Smaller, more localized hamfests, can be a boon to many vendors. There seems to be less tire kickers and less belly bumping buddies wasting your time.

[WA3VJB]

Mike ya know what's sick?  The "later years" are themselves about 20 years ago.

I went to dig up a few snapshots compiled from having made the pilgrimage many times from Maryland, and came across a sound file that does even more to remind me of the good friends and good times we have had.

It's not from Roach-chaser, but bear with me to divert the thread a little.

It's from Lake Ariel, Penna., 1994, where Ron, WA3WBC organized a Rolling Rock event hosted at the home of Jim, N3LHP.

I think you'll enjoy it.

Ah yes, the Rochester hamfest, aka RaRa..........brings back loads of fond memories.  
//
In the later years (1990s and into the 2000s) the AM community would leave on Saturday,afternoon and head for "Sorry-excuse" and the party at Gary N2INR (now W2INR)'s place for a rollicking Rolling Rock party.  We'd all have breakfast together on Sunday morning then head out separate ways towards home.
//
MrMike, W1RC

[W1RC]

Mike ya know what's sick?  The "later years" are themselves about 20 years ago.

Paul:  The "good" years at Gaithersburg were about 20 years ago too. Cynthia and I have plenty of fond memories of those years seeing the Mid-Atlantic gang every September.  I still have many treasures from that place.

Found a wonderful picture of Timmy, Gary and Dave at Rochester circa 2000 or so....think you and Pam were at that one too.

Tim's "bug-eye" sunglasses, originally the faceshield from a jet pilot's helmet, around 2000 at Rochester Hamfest NY.  Left to right: Tim, Dave K3ZRF (SK), Gary W2INR

We sure, miss those days and all the good times.  It was always well worth the long drive.

73,

MrMike, W1RC

[WA3VJB]

Hey those guys don't look like the typical Hammy Hambones running around the Hamfest ...

Must be them dang AMers

[W3RSW]

God bless the middle guy.
..well, ok, the other two too. 

[W2JRO]

Mike:

Yeah, those were the days... shortly after 2000, it all starting going downhill at the dome..

First, it was the non-ham stuff there (although some of it was there before 2000)
then it was dumping of gear left by some tailgaters.. I distinctly remember one year seeing a couple hundred military surplus handsets abandoned where a vendor was just hours before
Then, the turmoil at RARA when the site was changed.. it's really too bad...

Our local club used have a bus that went to the fest in the 70's to early 90's..one of the last bus trips I did I bought a sb-220 and managed to put it in small space I had in front my seat. the bus pulled up real close to the dome when leaving... I appreciated that years later when I bought a Viking II from a guy that was set up in one of the first rows near the road and the dome entrance and I had to lug it back to my car... anyone who knows the layout of the dome realizes it was a haul....

[Steve - K4HX]

Mike, that photo is from 1994.