[NJARC] More CC-AWA observations on Rochester 2003

[John Dilks - K2TQN]

More on the AWA meet...... two messages .....

Unfortunately I was not able to attend again this year.
I hate to hear that Rochester is showing signs of fading.
The main problem I see with it is that except for the really
serious, diehard collectors and historians, IT IS TOO LONG.
The folks that are mainly interested in attending the flea market
have a hard time justifying being there for 3 days.

I think what they should do is move all the programs and forums
to Wednesday day and evening. Start the flea market at 8AM on
Thursday morning, AND ENFORCE IT. Split the auctions up,
have the tube, paper and amateur equipment auctions on Thursday
afternoon and evening. Start the flea market again Friday morning
at 8AM, again enforced. Have the main auction Friday afternoon.
Even the very best flea markets only last about 4 hours, after that
everyone is just standing around waiting for something new to show up.
This way the folks that are only interested in the flea market,
which is 50% or more of the attendees would only have to take
2 days off from work.

I've been involved in planning antique radio meets for over 25 years.
This is just my 2 cents worth.

Even if it was down somewhat, I REALLY hate I had to miss it.

Many thanks to AWA President Geoff Bourne for giving the
Carolinas Chapter the "AWA Presidents Award" this year.
I wish I could have been there to accept it.

73, Ron
--
C.R."Ron" Lawrence, KC4YOY
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
Your ideas have merit, Ron, but I personally hate to see any Meet shortened.
It is strictly personal, and many will disagree, but here is why:

A well-organized Meet like Rochester or any of the other big events is
packed with activities. As a serious vendor and shopper, I have a hard time
participating in everything as it is...ie., vending and attending most of
the programs, contest entries and viewing, auction consigning and
attendance, book browsing, networking with members of my home club,
equipment deliveries and meeting with people who had made pre-arrangements
with me, official dinners and lunches, etc. For those who take full
advantage of all of the Rochester activities and opportunities, there is
little time to do it all under the current schedule. I never seem to get a
chance to go through the flea market as carefully as I would like or to
attend all of the programs that I would like to.

Maybe your ideas are the way to go, if the big Meets are going to continue
to survive. But other options need to be explored as well. In my view, the
AWA needs to get the cost to attendees of the Rochester "Conference" way
down....down by 50% or more. This will attract more attendees and leave more
money in attendees pockets for an extra night at one of the motels. The
public MUST be invited to attend and membership CANNOT be a requirement for
attending. Please, no more excuses regarding why that is not possible....it
is an absolute necessity.

I was dismayed and shocked to learn (at the Rochester session re museum
operations) that $17,000 of the Rochester Meet receipts are turned over to
the AWA Museum. The AWA Museum needs to fund its own operations out of its
own pocket and through its own programs. Each AWA activity should be
self-supporting; otherwise one activity has the potential to take the entire
organization down. This is especially true with regard to the Museum, which
is a separate entity now. The OTB should be funded through OTB receipts. The
Conference should be funded through Conference receipts. The Museum should
be funded through Museum receipts and activities. That way, those activities
that have value to the membership will thrive, and those that do not will
die without taking the whole organization down. It is another whole issue,
but the Museum could be a more useful and important activity if it were run
with more imagination, innovation, and leadership. It could also be
self-supporting. If some of the financial burden were removed from the
Conference, then Meet costs to everyone could be reduced and chances for
growth and greater Meet vitality could be improved.

Regards to all,
Paul Farmer
Membership Officer
Mid-Atlantic Antique Radio Club (MAARC)

P.S. Ron, Having said all this, I would support your proposed revised
schedule if no better alternative can be found to breathe new life into the
Conference.