SHELBY, NC Hamfest... A Ripoff

[KC4VWU]

Why? I got up this morning at 4 AM, finished loading up my stuff, and got on my way to arrive around 7:30. Upon arriving, I was instructed to enter the tailgating section at the lower gate, so I did and paid the fee only to drive around a small curve to find that they were having the day only tailgaters set up out in the back 40. What?!! You charge me premium price to set up in the boneyard field, that hasn't been used in the past two years, along with the other 5 that has shown up this morning!!? I got my tables out, but didn't set up anything till I found out why we were set out in no man's land for no through traffic to even look at our items. Walking up and into the main area, I saw a large, unoccupied area behind the bath house and a club member pulling up the marker flags for the spots located there. When I asked him if there were any open spots, he replied that they were not selling any more spots inside the main area for fear that any traffic entering would run somebody over. ARE YOU FREAKIN' KIDDING ME! Judging from the little amount of attendance that I saw then, about 8 AM by that time, I returned to my vehicle folded my tables back up and back into the vehicle, and left. I wasn't going to sit out in the sun, wasting what was left of the day just so 25 people could walk by and tell me how they ""used to have one of those."  Ripped off out of $25 by Shelby ARC, $25 in gas, 220 mile round trip, wasted most of my Labor Day weekend, and still have to UN pack the vehicle.

 Way to go Shelby ARC. I've attended that hamfest religiously since 1988, only missing 2, but this is it. You've ruined my Labor Day weekend I've been looking forward to for several months, but NEVER AGAIN! I will not be returning.

If this is the way they treat the customers, and yes the tailgaters at Shelby ARE their bread and butter, have always been, and especially NOW since all the manufacturers and most vendors have written them off and will not attend; that fest will quickly wither and die. "The grand daddy of them all" is starting to push up daisies!


---Phil

[K4NYW]

I sympathize with your righteous indignation. Hamfest organizers have a habit of shooting themselves in the foot with inflexible rule-keeping.

This year on Saturday the gates opened to the public at 0700. I drove into the main tailgate area at 0640 Saturday and there wasn't even anyone checking tickets at the back gate then.
Someone must have contacted the organizers during the morning because they did have a number of PA announcements urging people to check out the overflow area where you were.

There was plenty of open space in the main tailgate area and I'm sorry you got screwed. The crowds were still light when you got there at 0730 and it really wouldn't have been a problem to drive on up into the main area.

[flintstone mop]

Hamfests ain't what they used to be. It's been a downhill slide for the last 8 or so years. eBay and selling online seems to be the replacement to eyeball QSO's and making offers and deals and handshaking. The Butler fest is closer to me and that has been a no-man's land recently.

There's more of us, but they are the newer generation, and everything is done in a smartphone and no knowledge of RF needed.

Fred