[ADXA] ADXA Meeting March 8 NEW START TIME

[Dennis Schaefer]

After my accident last year, I told them I wouldn’t do much at the hamfest
this year.  I have worked pretty hard at ALL 30+ of them so far.   I’m
always available to give advice, though, even if not asked.

We had a change in hamfest chairman and the president, a very capable
new-ish ham had to take over late in the game.   He was going to coordinate
the forums himself but I emphasized that someone should be dedicated to
that.  With fitting everyone in, projector needs, signs, alleviating
confusion, etc, it requires manpower.   The person he appointed is great,
but  inexperienced.

 I  reiterated the key is effective  communication with forum presenters.

They had an old schedule that allocated 2 hours to ARRL so they assumed it
would be 2 hours.  It was from a year when we were a state or division
convention.  I told them that except in unusual circumstances, ARRL only
needed one hour - ask!

Here’s the basic problem.  The facility is  nice, and affordable, but has
only one meeting room.   It can be divided into two  small rooms, which
work only for small meetings.  There are two VE teams and they wanted to
occupy the room all morning.  I butted in and told the committee that
wasn’t possible.   I guess they settled on limiting the two VE teams to
 8-9:30.  With just one real meeting room, it’s  difficult.   We tried
using the stage the first year, and it was too noisy.

Parking is also inadequate, but that’s a different issue.   The other
buildings we have used have increased prices to the point that we would
take a financial loss.  The casino isn’t happening, so it seems our hamfest
will always be small.

There are three hamfest committee members on this group plus the prime
agitator.   The schedule may be the best the coordinator can do, but we can
again emphasize the need to communicate.   I think the hamfest will be
great, but inexperience and an  inadequate building  make things
“interesting “.

73,
Dennis/RZ

On Thu, Feb 27, 2025 at 6:18 AM <w5znjoel at gmail.com> wrote:

> ADXA Folks,
>
>
>
> I’m quite frustrated with the forum organizers for the Russellville
> hamfest. Maybe a level above frustrated. They are NOT responsive and cannot
> communicate with me worth a flip. When the forum schedule was first posted
> we were slated for 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM. I contact them and advised we did
> not need 2 hours, only one so schedule us from 11:00 to 12:00. Next thing I
> see on the website forum schedule is we are to begin at 11:30. I contacted
> them and said we should have been at 11:00. After my third attempt at
> getting a response I was told a meeting of the “committee would occur the
> following Monday and they would review. I have had NO, absolutely NO
> response back but I now see on the website that we are scheduled from 10:30
> to 11:30 with an Arkansas Repeater (vomit) Council meeting beginning at
> 11:30.
>
>
>
> So, I can only assume this will hold and our meeting will begin at 10:30.
> Please make note of this change.
>
>
>
> Very, very poor management by whoever is running the Arkansas River Valley
> Hamfest these days!
>
>
>
> 73 Joel W5ZN
>
>
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