W3F not happening this year

[The Slab Bacon]

Due to circmstances beyond my control, it is with a very heavy heart I post this message. With a last minute decision we have decided not to set up the special event station.

Evey year we have done this for the enjoyment of all who come to the fester. We set the station and AM corral up for all of youse guys to hang out and have fun. It has been a great joy for me to do this. this year has put a few obstacles in out way, but it looked like we were gonna pull it off.

With a surprizing lack of response from the rest of the AM community we still planned to have the station up and going. Only a VERY few people showed any interest in coming. Despite all of this John and I were still planning to pull it off.

the crippling blow came in an email and fone call around lunchtime today. John and myself got together for a meeting a few minutes ago and decided that, given the current circumstances it just wouldnt be possible to pull it off this year. We just will not be able to make the pieces come together this time.

If anyone is still planning to attend the fester, we will be there, maybe we can get together for a handshake and or a burger.        It is with a very heavy heart that I make this post.........................

                                                                    The Slab Bacon

[WA3VJB]

OK Frank, looking forward to walking around and talking some more.

John -- catch u there too.

I want to be among the first to thank you for your determination to run the show the past ten seven  years. That's quite an accomplishment, I hope you realize.

I believe I can speak for many of us who really appreciate your efforts.

UPDATE:  A few shots among those seen today at the fester/Saturday

[k3zrf]

Frank,

Que shako?

You guys are more than adequate to pull this off, QTF.

Sorry I (we) won't make it but counting on those who would.

Who chased the joy away??

Due to circmstances beyond my control, it is with a very heavy heart I post this message. With a last minute decision we have decided not to set up the special event station.

Evey year we have done this for the enjoyment of all who come to the fester. We set the station and AM corral up for all of youse guys to hang out and have fun. It has been a great joy for me to do this. this year has put a few obstacles in out way, but it looked like we were gonna pull it off.

With a surprizing lack of response from the rest of the AM community we still planned to have the station up and going. Only a VERY few people showed any interest in coming. Despite all of his John and I were still planning to pull it off.

the crippling blow came in an email and fone call around lunchtime today. John and myself got together for a meeting a few minutes ago and decided that, given the current circumstances it just wouldnt be possible to pull it off this year. We just will not be able to make the pieces come together this time.

If anyone is still planning to attend the fester, we will be there, maybe we can get together for a handshake and or a burger.        It is with a very heavy heart that I make this post.........................

                                                                    The Slab Bacon

[Vortex Joe - N3IBX]

Frank,
       I'm very sorry to hear about this. You know my present circumstances, and unfortunately, due to my wife's health issues, I was unable to attend this year.

I was looking forward to the next best thing, which would have been working "W3F" from home; as a lot of others who couldn't have attended would have done, and listening to the fun and general goings on. I would have been a hoot!

Many thanks for all the effort you, John, and others put into the preparations. I was looking forward to hearing everyone modulate your "I2K" - Invader 2000. Hopefully, things will happen next time around.

Very Best Regards,
                         Joe Cro N3IBX

 

[KD2NX]

Hiya Frank,

Maybe next year will work out better. I wanted to work W3F as well. I recall that you weren't too sure about this year to begin with, so your announcement doesn't come as a great surprise.

We'll just do the next best thing... I'll see you tonight on 75!

[W2INR]

 I couldn't make it this year.

My wife and I went up to visit my son at college this weekend.

[Pete, WA2CWA]

I'm doing CQ CQ Contest on 6, 2, and 432.

[WA3VJB]

The Gaithersburg Hamfest this year matched my mood this year -- kinda down.

I did find a nice little portable for $8 and I spent another $4 on a set of four "C" alkaline batteries.

With some Caig on the volume control and band selector, it works great !

Date codes inside suggest 1960 or so, evidenced by the old style RCA logo too. Website searches for the RHM49E turn up references in the mid 1960s, which matches the style more closely, in my view..

Notice the band coverage -- 160-75-40 -- not that common among radios of this kind.

[WA3VJB]

The first AM station I heard was Tom, WA3KLR last night on 160, then these guys on 75m this morning.

Not a bad $8 radio, eh ?
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[W3RSW]

Well, I wasn't going to say much about the demise of W3F, understanding bad luck and the working world plight of others.
 
....other than I'm now a diesel horn aficianado/ both ways/ up hill/ in the snow/ passenger, freight, commuter/ every 10 minutes all night long.  So my mood matched Pauls...
until I found the 813 sockets, ceramic plate caps to match, 650pf-15kv doorknobs, etc.
AND the Eimac 4x1 aluminum blower ready socket.  Enjoyed seeing those who could make it.

But I was lucky. Yeah was on the road Friday and missed Franks e-mail, but was luckier than Bill who drove all the way from Ohio.

If Farfest survives into next year I'll be surprised.   ...with the Rodeo and all, we won't even be missed.

[Steve - WB3HUZ]

Lots of discussion on the air last night as to why this once great fest (more than 10,000 attendance) has fallen so far. It seems many fests have gone down hill, but others, notably HossTraders, seem to keep rolling along (although I'd be interested in hearing from those who have attended Hosstraders over the years if attendance has slipped). So the question is why? I have a few thoughts on why, but just that thoughts, nothing concrete.

 - Aging ham population - less likely to want to drive and/or walk (or be even able to do so).

 - Moved 3 or 4 times in the last few years, although, attendance was down after the initial move from Gaithersburg to Bowie, MD. It should be noted moving locations hasn't seemed to hurt HossTraders.

 - This year in particular, the fest was just five days after Labor Day and the long weekend. It's likely many people travelled over Labor Day and weren't inclined to do another road trip just five days later.

 - Less interest in fests due to more Web based outlets, eBay, etc.

 - Increasingly worse traffic in and around the Washington, DC area. Gaithersburg is just 15-20 miles northwest of DC.

 - Alien brain implants (just kidding).


What do you guys think?


Gaithersburg, The Good Old Days

1997




More photos at http://www.amwindow.org/pix/htm/modgb97.htm


1994





1996





1998 - The Last Year at Gaithersburg

Slide Show!  http://www.amwindow.org/pix/htm/gburg98.htm

[k3zrf]

Probably Alien brain implants 

[Steve - WB3HUZ]

Yep. Seems people would sooner P&M about gas prices than come up with ideas to save fests. Oh well.... Guess we can just blame it on the ARRL. That gets us off the hook.

[Vortex Joe - N3IBX]

It would seem to me that the fate of some 'Festers are left up to the shzt Godz. Sometimes they let shzt happen, and sometimes they don't. Who are we to question their divine rights when it comes to their shzt?

Hopefully, we'll all be in favor of the shzt Godz next year and they'll make shzt happen! Look at it this way, it gives us all plenty of time to take care of other shzt to have the time to all get together with the special event station to all do our shzt!

As a bonus; it'll give Jay, N3WWL plenty of time to plan to make it down

Joe N3IBX

[Steve - WB3HUZ]

I agree "shzt" does happen. This may have been the cause of no special event station this year, but it does not account for the lack of interest in the station or the extremely small hamfest attendance. It begs the question, shzt or no shzt, why put on a special event station if no one shows up?

[K1JJ]

HuzMan sez:

"I agree "shzt" does happen. This may have been the cause of no special event station this year, but it does not account for the lack of interest in the station or the extremely small hamfest attendance. It begs the question, shzt or no shzt, why put on a special event station if no one shows up?"

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Hola Steve,

I was really surprised when told of the attendance numbers last night. When I last attended Gaitherburg in 98? there was maybe 10,000 people there.

Last Spring Hosstraders was also sparser than normal. There were rare times when you could look down an isle and see no people except for maybe QIX buying door knobs and heat sinks...    In contrast, in the past on Sat, the crowds were so thick you could not get near some tables and were bumping into people.

But, Hoss was still a great time and the AMers came out in full force. That's what counts - a good time. I know you're thinking of coming up and joining Gary and me for flesh shushi Thurs nite and on to the fester... so if the WX is reasonable let's do it, OM!

Later -

T

[David, K3TUE]

Have you ever been standing at a party (beer in hand) not realy noticing what is going on around you until you notice everyone around you just noticed too - silence.  Then, give it a sec and it picks back up again like no big deal.  I'm hoping these attendance swings are just that - a momentary lull.  Time will tell.

[WA1GFZ]

I don't know about the rest of you guys but the older I get the more I have to do and it cuts into Ham Radio time. I remember the days of playing radio 5 nights a week and now I'm lucky to have time for 2.
I suppose I like to hang out with my kids and do other things.
I remember Hostraders taking in 7000 in some years. Today it is further north which keeps some away.

[Steve - WB3HUZ]

I think you hit on something. Hamfests have to about more than chasing the almighty deal. That depersonalizes the whole thing and once the deals go away, those chasing them don't show up. Hamfests started as social events, not money grubbing, deal chasing flea markets. Maybe it's time to increase the social aspect of fests. I think socializing is part of what brings so many AMers to HossTradrers.

I'm all over the sushi fest on Thursday B4 HossTraders, KAYMOAN!

HuzMan sez:

"I agree "shzt" does happen. This may have been the cause of no special event station this year, but it does not account for the lack of interest in the station or the extremely small hamfest attendance. It begs the question, shzt or no shzt, why put on a special event station if no one shows up?"

--------------------------------------------------------

Hola Steve,

I was really surprised when told of the attendance numbers last night. When I last attended Gaitherburg in 98? there was maybe 10,000 people there.

Last Spring Hosstraders was also sparser than normal. There were rare times when you could look down an isle and see no people except for maybe QIX buying door knobs and heat sinks...    In contrast, in the past on Sat, the crowds were so thick you could not get near some tables and were bumping into people.

But, Hoss was still a great time and the AMers came out in full force. That's what counts - a good time. I know you're thinking of coming up and joining Gary and me for flesh shushi Thurs nite and on to the fester... so if the WX is reasonable let's do it, OM!

Later -

T

[WD8BIL]

Definately Brain Implants !!!!

[Vortex Joe - N3IBX]

Definately Brain Implants !!!!

That's quite a message!

[Steve - WB3HUZ]

No way Buddly. There has to be a brain to implant!

[Bacon, WA3WDR]

1) Everything has to make LOT$ OF BUCK$ nowadays.  Hamfests are traditionally not big profit centers.  As a result, the traditional Montgomery County Fairgrounds Gaithersberg fest got axed years ago, and has been a 'maybe' ever since.  Computer fests are much more popular and profitable.

2) The years keep going by, and we're getting older.  We're going to pack up and lug five hundred pounds of gear across two states, and then get $300 bucks for it?

3) E-Bay.  So much easier; more money, too.

4) Our lives are more complex, and we have less time for hobbies.

5) Hamfests have been on a decline for many years.  I remember articles about it more than ten years ago.

I don't want to go to a hamfest to save hamfests.  If I go, it is to find cool stuff and see radio friends and enjoy.  If it is an obligation, then it's a job, and that tends to make it a drag.

The paradigm should change.  Buy parts on E-Bay, Digi-Key, Mouser, Marlin P. Jones, etc.  Then build something, and set it up in a low-cost public venue, for people to see and hear.  A cool station at a ham gathering is something to gather around.  Add digital receive processing, cool antenna tricks, etc, and people will  learn from it as well.  Of course it can be a place for pre-arranged exchanges of equipment while we're at it.

But even if only a few people show up at the fest, just get on the air with the stuff, and be a ham.  This hobby is fun.

[Steve - WB3HUZ]

Good points Bacon. Several touched on the social/human interaction parts, not just chasing bargains. Doing techinical exchanges and showing off stuff is good too, as it generates a more sustainable interest in the hobby.

I'm not into saving fests just to save them. I've long thought there were too many fests in the DC area anyway. Every rinky-dink club seemed to have one, just to pay for their (private) repeater. What a waste. A few, "good", reasonably sized fests through out the year would work just as well, and would likely be attended to the point of being worth while.

Yes, there needs to be a good reason or reasons to attend. I'm just looking for what some of those reasons might be. If there are none (or not enough), then let a particular fest or all fests die. It won't be the end of the world.

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

Yep, we beat this up pretty well on the air Saturday night with Bacon Frank, the Vortex, etc. Then we thrashed it s'more on Sunday during the day: 'UJR, 'PJP, Jackson Bob and a few others. Along with the good points made by many, I'll add:

 - fewer of us selling, more enjoying the socializing aspects.

2005 spring hosstraders was one of the best I've been to, including the original Deerfield site. I got some great deals on stuff I didn't even know I needed, got rid of some stuff I knew I didn't need, and had a great time eating/drinking with the gang. Wx was nice, and it made for an overall great 'fest for me and others too.

But for the most part, I'm really not looking for much more stuff - I've got more than enough now to move. In fact, too damned much. So when I go now, it's mainly to see old friends and shoot the sh*t, maybe listen to Brent go on about Class E stuff to get free beer. Some of us roam around browsing the boxes under tables, looking for pieces-parts, old manuals, stuff like that. As I said to Frank t'udder night, the 'gotta have everything with toobs in it' phase has passed. I think Frank referred to it as 'full acquisition mode'?

Another side of it for me was taking stuff there time after time, VERY cheaply priced, and hauling it back home repeatedly. Yes, it does bring more on epay, but you then have to deal with shipping and the other crap. I'd prefer to deal in person and see/test the item. So either others prefer ebay or, like me, have enough stuff and just go to hang out with their mates, maybe spy the odd GPR-92 under a table for $5 and so on.

How do I know it was cheaply priced? Because one guy had the nerve to say "I've always wanted one of those, and that's a really good price. But if I was to buy it from you, I'd have to haul it back to my car, and I don't wanna." That's right up there in my book with the fools who stick high prices on their stuff and threaten you with "I can sell it for that on ebay" or similar. So...tell me again why you hauled it here?

I think for the most part, we're getting pickier about how we spend our time and deciding that roaming around in a pack like old dogs is more fun than sitting behind a table all day. Fewer of us selling = less cool stuff to buy = less attraction to some. I'm going to bring some stuff to Hopkinton to get rid of this October, but all free stuff. Odds and ends that have accumulated through deals, stuff that is too good to toss but not worth the hassle of trying to get $1-$5 for. Then I get to lighten the load a bit, and still roam around with the pack of old dogs.

However, I think wx continues to be the biggest enemy of Hosstraders. A few more dollars for gas isn't a big deal, but a bad forecast seems to stop people in their tracks. From what I've seen, attendance isn't down a lot unless the forecast is bad and people wimp out (what would Hosstraders be without a little rain? more FUN). And the fest has more good junk than any fest I've attended.