Are Ham Conventions Worth It?

I recently attended SEAPAC, a regional Ham Radio convention in beautiful Seaside, Oregon. Since I am only 15 years old I got my dad to take me.  He is not a Ham but said he didn't  mind.  He said that he liked that city anyway and would enjoy the long drives.

He took me and my little brother along (since that is what little brothers do).

My complaint is that it cost us $9 per person exept for my little brother who got in free since he was under 12. I thought this was a little steep since that price just got me in the door and entered into a raffle.

There were lunch banquets for $12 per person I also said it was not worth it.  The convention was neat since I got to meet people I have only talked to on the radio and got to share the hobby.

A question arose of do all local hamfests/flee markets cost this much.

 

Not all hamfests are costly. I recently attented the granddaddy of them all the Dayton Hamvention and it was only $20.00 for all 3 days and the shuttle bus was included in that price. Most of your local hamfests I found range from $3.00-$5.00. It's great to go to them to see all the latest and greatest gadgets. Being sorta new to the hobby I find hamfests to also be a learning experience.

Deb
KC8RVB

 

I think that hamfests are ok, they are a way that of all of us that are intrested in ham radio can get together even if we don't buy anything there.Its a form of encouragement. I say that becuse one time at a hamfest, I was a no-coder standing at this table with all kinds of hams(extra's), and at this point I had tried to study the code and so far couldn't pass it. They all sugested to me to try the "Code-Quick" method that they had on this table. so I figured if I worked for them it could work for me too and bought their tape system...It worked.
As far as the entrance fees goes, they very in price. When you look at the price you had to pay $9.00 Thats a reasonable price when you think about it, the club has to pay for the rental and insureance fees, plus who else knows what they have to pay for on top of this fee for food and drinks. What would spend at  McDonalds or some other fast food place and to top it off meet people who you have had a QSO on the radio,have a chance to get antennas and radios at bargin prices?

73,
Keith,N8PDH

 

Well, $9 ($7 if you pre-registered) for two days is only $4.50/day (or $3.50/day). Considering all the clubs that benefit from SeaPac and the prizes awarded I think it was a good investment on my part.

Mainly though I don't think you can put a price on the friends I made. I know some people here don't appreciate history, but I enjoyed the stories.

 

I too was at Seapac - whats funny is I came away thinking the same thing. I think the reason why is I went there to get all kinds of great deals on all kinds of electronics. I however ended up with an arrl morse code training CD - which I could have got from a local shop in Tigard. I was kinda shopping for a electronic keyer/key (the paddle kind).

What I found was a lot of really overpriced objects being sold by people who obviously had no idea what their worth was.

I mean - would you pay 55$ for a Bencher key that looked like it had been outside for a few years? I told the guy it would need another 100$ of parts just to work. He wasn't amused - 3 hours later the key was still there - hadn't moved same price.

Same with a lot of stuff - I even saw a few things that I could have got brand new for less money - like a mfj keyer combo (key and keyer) - some guy wanted 95$ for it.

And then exams - 9am one session - no walkins allowed. What a joke. I couldn't be there at 9am unless I woke up and left at 7am.

I can say the same thing about the sarex ham fair in Salem. At least I walked away with an Icom ps-15 for 80$ .

But next year there going to have to do a better job of hyping it because I'm not going unless there's something really special going on.

Don't get me wrong - I got to meet a lot of great people - that New York guy who teaches kids about ham radio, a person who showed me an antenna mount I could use for a HF antenna on my Nissan Sentra, and I met the designer of all those Elcraft kits - even got to play with one. Oh yeah - and the ARPS demo was pretty cool.

The more I think about it - I saw a lot of people who were my age (I'm 25, but I got my license when I was 15) - young amateurs radio operators, but there really wasn't much there for us.

 

Not a bad price. I go because I like to look for good deals. Yeah, I know there ore folks there who really value the stuff they sell.

Yeah, some want a lot. Offer them lower, if they say no, no skin off you nose, and he has to carry it back. It's not like a grocery store, you CAN offer lower and they MAY take it.

When I sell at a hamfest, I always ask about 10-20% more than I think I'll get. Sometimes I get it, sometimes I don't. either way, I've had fun and the other chap gets to brag he talked me down, when we both know what really happened.

Enjoy! Talk! Offer! Mutter under your breath as you walk away! It's a hobby!

73's
Jim N8AVX

 

OK I get the point I forgot to mention that I saw 2 great deals that I should have taken advantge of one on a stove the other on some old State construction radios but niether of those are ham related.

 

Yeah I'm taking things too seriously . I just kinda wished I had my 9 bucks back - especially as the rent and everything else is due .
</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (n8avx @ June 03 2002,19:16)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Enjoy! Talk! Offer! Mutter under your breath as you walk away! It's a hobby!  [/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>

 

Yeah, I don't know just what functions and features they have at that event, but if it was just a "plain old" hamfest, they wouldn't be able to get $9. I'm going to what I've always known to be a really nice outdoor hamfest here in NJ on the 15th. I think they get $5, and I fess up that little bit reluctantly. So $9 sounds a bit much, but again, I don't know what activities were going on there.

On the other hand, if it was at a nice place, comfy, clean, and well set up - the value goes up. Someone had to pay for the place the event was held. And again, since I wasn't there, maybe it was a lot better than I'm picturing in my mind.

Would I go? I guess it would depend. I'll go to this one next week for $5 (plus a 45 minute ride each way) just to get the fresh air (it's in a really nice park), look at stuff, maybe snatch up a gadget or two, and to socialise with other hams I know. And maybe meet a few news ones too. One never knows.

Good luck, and 73,

Chris

 

Nine bucks is kind of steep when you're in High School, but you'll get used to it. I just joined the QCWA at the convention. A bunch of us, all around 40 years old, joined together just for the novelty of it, and because we've all been hams for at least 25 years!

It was worth it to me just to see people I don't see often enough.

There seemed to be less "stuff" than usual. Oh, well.

 

I've been in Amateur Radio for a bit over 50 years, and
the Seaside Convention is consistently the BEST I've ever attended. I wouldn't blink at $9. I was a program presenter there for the convention's first eight years (antenna related stuff), but had to quit because of an after-retirement job, but that ends this Fall and I'll be right back.

73! Ken Kopp - K0PP
k0pp@att.net

 

I have a been a ham operater for about 20 yrs and have been going to ham-fest ever since. Sometimes I ask my self why do I go? You well see the same over price junk over and over again. If they dont sell it at one ham fest they take to the next one and so forth.
I go I guess because I enjoy it having someone try and sell you a 20 yr old radio for the same price they paid for it 20 yrs ago. and thye keep telling me it works just like new but of course you have no way to test it out you just have to take his/her word for it.

I was also at Seaside and saw a FT90R going for 275.00 used when they where selling a new one for 285.00
Dave.

 

Let's see... You get to spend hours talking to people you seldom see and meeting new friends, check out the latest toys (er.., radios), attend technical forums and (every now and then) come across something you can't leave with out. $9.00 is not too bad, at least not for my way of thinking.

Just remember all the time, effort and expenses that go into a hamfest or any public event. Location Rental (including utilities, especially when a location is air conditioned or heated), event fees (can be pretty hefty in some cities), insurances (no club or club officer wants to be financially liable if some one spills a soft drink and then slips in it), and there are many other expenses that come up.

After expenses, a lot of clubs are lucky to get a dollar per person to go into club coffers. That isn't much when you consider all of the responsibilities and head aches that go with putting on an event.

As far as the prices, everyone want the most that they can get for their "stuff". It's not limited to hamfests. Visit a antique or craft fair some time. Heck, check out prices for a two hour concert. There will always be those that will try to gouge people for worthless items in every hobby or profession. But, there are also a whole lot of good people out there that are willing to deal with you fairly and that do not misrepresent what they have. Hamfests are no different than any other hobby event.

Go with the proper attitude, have fun, fellowship and thank the people who love amateur radio enough to invest so much time and effort and (usually) get very little in return other than the satisfaction that comes with seeing hard work pay off.

73 and see you at the next 'fest, K0XXX

 

Mike it's good to hear your thoughts and some times I would agree that hamfest get over priced.What I would like you to consider is that the club that put's on the hamfest do it for financial support for their club.They have no control of a person's pricing,they just rent them a spot.If you feel there could have been more manufacture rep's present or more forums for learning about diffrent things your intrested in they usualy want to hear from you to try and do more next year.They may not have it all the next year but mabe at least a couple of thing will change.Clubs all over rely heavly on there hamfest to generate funds for their activities and reapeters and want to give the best show they can arrange,so send them an e-mail or give them a call and let them know whats on your mind.It might do some good and then again it might not.Good luck and enjoy the hobby,Dave AE8U

 

$9! WOW. I attend the Belton hamfest in Belton, TX twice a year Cost: $1 each person. Lots of good deals, some not so good (like the $150 dublet my wife bought)

The idea of buying anything never enters our mind, normally. We go for the companionship of other hams. If we buy something that's great. If not, that's OK too. I spent $30 in the last three events. But gathered $1M in friendship. That's a good deal in anybody's book. Stick with it. I'll talk to you on the air someday.

BB, K5HDG