[Elecraft] The Ham Expo: What it got right

[Wayne Burdick]

Clearly there were major technical glitches with the Expo. I won't rehash the well-earned gripes.

There's a mitigating fact many of you were probably unaware of: The two most critical technical contributors to the effort were laid low by Covid-19 over the week leading up to it. Despite this, most of the site's functionality was ultimately restored. Many presentations went on, and many received rave reviews. Of course I feel for those whose presentations were not accessible or were otherwise compromised.

Some of our material was deferred as well. Yet there was one very significant highlight: The Lounge.

For me, Elecraft's Airmeet lounge rooms really *did* recreate much of the ambiance of our booth/hangout space at Dayton. I had dozens of wide-ranging conversations with experienced operators, newbies, and friends. It felt like like a homecoming on the year after an apocalypse. 

So, while the Expo didn't go smoothly -- something the organizers have already fallen on their swords for, multiple times -- I believe it will also be remembered for introducing many of us to the benefits of the multiple small-video-group paradigm. No doubt this will become a fixture of virtual hamfests. And in physical hamfests to come, it can facilitate the active participation of those who have no choice but to remain virtually.

Merging the Airmeet platform with Vfairs was risky, but visionary. As we say around my house when things go sideways: points for style. 

I suggest we all take a deep breath and give QSO Today a chance to work out the kinks. I'm sure that next time, with lessons learned, the experience will be fully beta-tested.

73,
Wayne
N6KR