Richmond VA hamfest photos - 2/7/15

[K4NYW]

http://www.virhistory.com/ham/rich-15.htm

pretty good selection - fair amount of Drake, Heath, Hammarlund, Hallicrafters.
Some S-line, but only St James Gray was a 32V-3
Not much military - one R-390A (unsold), one TCS rcvr (sold)

Most of the usual NC/VA/MD boatanchorites were there - please chime in with your own observations...
cheers,
Nick K4NYW

[Steve - K4HX]

JN and Todd/KAQ were there, so I know that they had some good stuff!  I couldn't make it.

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

You missed a good one, Steve. No gun show this year so we were in the newer big building. I would estimate the tables were 80% or better filled, and the crowd was pretty dense and steady well into the morning toward noon. Johnny/JN did great, moving a bunch more of the equipment from Frank's estate, Joe/PJP made the trip down and moved a few items, too. I had just under half a pickup full of stuff, ended up bringing home only three boxes full. Was doing so-so but happy with the results in the last hour when this fellow showed up and started buying my stuff, then more, then came back for more. He bought so much I gave him a free radio so I wouldn't have to pack it up.

As Nick's photos show, there was quite a bit of surplus and classic boatanchor gear. Prices were mostly very good. Saw Nick/K4NYW, JP/K4OZY, John/K1VVC, Tim/W3TIM, Hallicrafters Johnny, Herman/K4HC, and numerous other folks.

All I brought home was a set of Heathkit covers I actually got from Joe some time back but we both kept forgetting. Did manage to drop and break two of the Lumiline bulbs I brought to sell.

Some sad news, though. That nice family-owned Mexican place where we used to have lunch went out of business.

[W1RC]

Sorry I missed it.  Sounds like fun.  Next Saturday is the AARA flea known as Marlborough in MA.  I expect to see most of the usual suspects there.

73,

MrMike

[KA0HCP]

Tightly packed crowd that started to ease by mid-morning.  Having everything in one room seemed to generate a higher level of activity which kept even the small vendors busy.

It was nice to see Jim from Radio Works, despite his recent announcement that he was downsizing his operation in order to enjoy retirement.

I had some nice conversations with vendors and personal sellers with contacts for various parts.   One great find was a fellow with meters for $5 each.  Perfect for my  next homebrew, a Doerle regen.

Sorting through a box of ceramic standoffs for about 15 minutes trying to obtain a couple matched sets I finally offered to buy the whole box, which the vendor surprisingly agreed!  We both walked away happy.  

The bizarre moments for the day were attributed to the Comicon (comic books) show next door with young people in their late teens and twenties dressed up as comic book, and Japanese anime' characters.  One fellow dressed in lab coat, goggles, bow tie and lineman's gloves drifted into the hamfest and was browsing the parts.  He offered commentary and advice about the safety of various components to nobody in particular.  I hope he isn't allowed near any power sources.  LOL.

Overall, the move to a single big hall was a great move.  Attendance was announced at something over 2,500.

p.s.  The final grand prize turned out to be a $1,000 in 'Frostfest bucks" which could only be spent at the show. Quite odd.  I would rather have any piece of equpment.  *shrug*

[W1ITT]

Although I'd rather walk off with a "fistfull of dollars", the Frostfest Bucks idea isn't such a bad thing.  Having been a third of Hosstraders for 34 years, I know that it pays to take care of your exhibitors, because they are the big attraction.  Now that internet sales are a big factor, it may be more cost effective to just sit home and let the clicks come in, rather than pack up, spend the time and fuel, buy a motel room, and pay the entrance fee at a hamfest.
I'll bet that whoever wins the FrostFest Bucks will run about the event spending like a drunken sailor, thus making the vendors happy.  After all, it's "free money".  And it's no good for groceries, heating fuel or a new dress for Momma, in any event.
If the vendors go away with their ledgers in the black, they are more apt to return next year, and that makes everyone happy and keeps the hamfest hopping.
I think the only thing that Joe and Bob and I didn't have a unanimous vote on during the Hosstraders years was prizes.  I voted nay, but wasn't so opposed that it worried me.  The thing I don't like about prizes is that there are so few winners.  If they had been available in those days, I think it would have been fun to buy about 50 or 100 of the Baofeng 2m/440 HTs and trot them out like candy.  It's not a Hilberling rig, but they are kinda fun for what they are, and lots of people would go home with a grin.

[KA0HCP]

Sure, I immediately recognized the desire of the directors to support their vendors, but awarding such a prize a 1 p.m. when vendors are already starting to pack up creates a rather pressured situation.

[Pete, WA2CWA]

p.s.  The final grand prize turned out to be a $1,000 in 'Frostfest bucks" which could only be spent at the show. Quite odd.  I would rather have any piece of equpment.  *shrug*

Sounds like a lot of extra work for everyone. Winner runs around frantically trying to spend his winnings; then whatever the vendor(s) sell to the winner have to paid by someone in real money; whoever is holding the real money then has to get to the vendors to pay it out.

[W1ITT]

It would be nice if the Bucks were awarded earlier in the event.  But I suppose the bearer of the Bucks would have a real good reason to return next year.
One thing we learned in the 34 years of running Hosstraders is that you'll never please everyone.  If as many people who profess to have better ideas on how to run a hamfest actually ran one, there would be three every weekend all year long, and that's in each call-area alone.  The guys who do the work, and a good one like Richmond is harder to pull off than it looks, aren't having half as much fun as the rest of us who waltz in and out. then head off to an eatery and hang with our pals,  Public grousing about the way they do things tends to lead to burnout, and the club could conceivably fall below the critical mass of workers and planners necessary to continue the event.

However, anyone who has been there may continue to grouse about the rest rooms at Dayton.

[Steve - K4HX]

 

However, anyone who has been there may continue to grouse about the rest rooms at Dayton.