[MRCA] Timonium Ham fest

[D. Platt]

Ted, W3PWW and I were there for a couple of hours and for the first time 
ever, did not sell (for reasons unrelated to the new setup).   I didn't 
see what Ray did, probably because I wasn't looking for it and, truth 
told, probably wouldn't have known what most of it was it was if I had.  
Ted bought some battery tubes and I got a few small odds-and-ends.  My 
observations are as follows:   I'd been listeneing to the chatter on 
several venues since the beginning of the year and got the sense that 
many were not going to attend as outdoor tailgating was cancelled.  
"They" said they weren't prepared to load, un-load, re-load, and return 
home with their wares.  I assume they did not go as I truly did not see 
as many of the usual suspects.  I found that all three rooms in the Cow 
Palace were were not filled.  There were many tables and void areas 
going to waste, especially in the premium tailgate rooms.  The 
commercial room seemed about half-filled with the food vendor.  From all 
this, I assume there was little pressure from those regular 
outdoor-types who might have been disposed to sell indoors, given the wx 
forecast, etc.  That said, the cheapo indoor tailgate area was a bit 
more filled that last year.   The were some very nice vintage amateur 
rigs for sale.  A few were reasonably priced and were sold while we were 
there.  I don't think that $1200 Drake L4B did, however.......  hi!   I 
almost bought a unknown condition SX-96 for $40.  Got home and regretted 
it.......   I will say nothing more other than I sincerely hope that 
they are able (and willing)  to offer outdoor tailgating next year, 
although multiple venues on the same day and the competition for outdoor 
space may be simply  too much.  The joker in the deck has always the 
weather, of course, and the new setup virtually nullifies that effect.   
I hope Timonium stays afloat as I've been going/selling  for over 25 
years.  I've no idea what the club needs to walk away with, sufficient 
to continue.

Jeep K3HVG

On 3/31/2012 10:30 PM, Ray Fantini wrote:
> A quick look at the Timonium ham fest. Everyone knows that this is the first year that you were not able to tailgate outdoors and that it’s now Saturday only, no longer a two day event. With that in mind many have predicted the demise of this event. It is held in the same building that they have always used for indoor sales, the Cow Palace and the number of indoor sellers appears to me to be around the same number of indoor sellers that they had back three and four years ago. The last couple years there were not as many sellers in the building as there were today. I also noticed a lot less of the professional or full time sellers that usually frequent the ham fest, in the past the sellers of new equipment were located in a separate building and maybe that’s still the case. -snip-