[Milsurplus] Timonium, a one time great hamfest

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

On Mon, Apr 8, 2013 at 10:34 AM, Peter Gottlieb <nerd at verizon.net> wrote:

>  That happens enough times and it makes one think seriously if the time
> and expense of going to hamfests is worth it, at least from the tailgate
> purchasing standpoint.  Such seller attitudes play a definite part in the
> decline of hamfests.
>

I have to say, in my experiences the 'get that on ebay' attitude has
diminished as demand has waned. That and either bad online experiences or
just the overall combined hassle of everything involved with an auction
listing makes hamfests or private sales a lot more attractive to more
folks. A good hamfest is a lot like a county fair or something similar,
surrounded by a bunch of friends with a backdrop of items that interest
you.

Ebay remains an excellent tool to have in the toolbox, and *the* place to
find the odd piece or sell if you're looking for top dollar. Nowhere are
your chances better. But for me at least, the amount of 'stuff' that has
accumulated over the years requires drastic measures. My biggest problem at
hamfests isn't selling things, it's getting people to make an offer if they
don't like the price. Once they do that, there's a good chance they'll own
it. I don't want to haul it back home or I never would've taken it in the
first place. And my time becomes more and more valuable compared to
whatever dollar amount I might have involved.

~ Todd/KAQ