[Boatanchors] Ham-Com in Plano, Texas

[David Stinson]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "lee" <pulsarxp at embarqmail.com>
Subject: [Boatanchors] Ham-Com in Plano, Texas


>.... I was told the Commercial Vendors had to go elsewhere.  I
> am not sure where.  Outside? In the halls?  Can anyone on here tell 
> me what
> happened and where the Commercial Venders set up their booths?

The large hall that usually houses the entire fest was completely
filled with commercial vendors.  The inside halls were some vendors,
but mostly the clubs and organization booths, like QCWA and 10-10.
Don't see why ARRL would book the entire hall,
unless they were "sub-leasing" or something.
Didn't see any evidence of that.
ARRL had a bunch of rented cars in the parking lot area
roped-off for them.  Makes me wonder about their budgeting.
Regular "flea market" people had to use a smaller secondary
hall which housed only 25 tables.  The day they became available,
they sold out almost at once.  I had one of those.
Everyone else was forced to outside tables, and most of these
went un-sold.  No one wanted to pay for a table out
in the 97 degree heat.  Those outside tables never do
sell well, but this year was particularly scarce of sellers.
This probably was a combination of upset over all
the inside space being gone instantly and the heat.
The "tailgate" flea was also smaller than expected and
pickings were thin for a mil-radio guy.  There were a pair
of BC-348-C rigs which had been converted to the
"-S" model (by adding the LF range) and had the
secondary tag from Belmont mounted on them.
Good attendence at the AM Forum but the presentation,
though appreciated, seemed a little "thin."
Still great to see all our old acquaintances, of course.

73 D.S.