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Author Topic: Hamfests returning?  (Read 1444 times)

WB8PFZ

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Hamfests returning?
« on: September 06, 2020, 05:27:12 AM »

The gun shows have started back up. I am wondering if any hamfests could be close?
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W1ITT

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Re: Hamfests returning?
« Reply #1 on: September 06, 2020, 07:40:07 AM »

My concern with hamfests restarting is the self fulfilling failure prophesy.  That is that "everyone" thinks that "nobody" else will go because of Wuhan virus concerns, they decide it wouldn't be worth it, and then they don't go.  Concatenate this with other potential attendees making the same decision, and the hamfest fails to draw a good crowd and then even those who went are disappointed.  This same effect can also occur due to weather worries, real or imagined.
Depending on the venue, the organizers may well be on the hook for a significant amount of money just to open the gate, regardless of how many attend.  It's going to be difficult to regain the momentum needed to restart the events.  This is the first year in about half a century that I have not attended a ham gathering of some sort.  I hope next year pans out a bit better.
73 de Norm W1ITT
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WB8PFZ

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Re: Hamfests returning?
« Reply #2 on: September 06, 2020, 08:11:47 AM »

Or the wife or significant other says get that junk out of the basement before it goes in the garbage. I can't wait.
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W6QW

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Re: Hamfests returning?
« Reply #3 on: September 06, 2020, 02:08:09 PM »

Norm - Unless there is a proven vaccine and/or therapeutic,  there will be a dichotomy of attendance concerns.  Attendees, based on their prevalent age demographic,  may be reticent to come in contact with others in a closed environment and may stay away and vendors will be reticent to spend the money to set up booths if there are insufficient attendee potential.

As such, I think your question may have a less speculative answer in the spring time, as I see it.
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N8AUC

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Re: Hamfests returning?
« Reply #4 on: September 06, 2020, 02:32:57 PM »

I would dearly love to see hamfests open up again. But I don't think it will happen until next spring at the earliest.

Around here (in Northern Ohio), hamfest season usually winds up with the Cleveland Hamfest, the last weekend of September. That's been cancelled for this year, because the fair board wouldn't commit to honoring their contract. Hamfest season usually starts up around Valentine's Day with the Mansfield Mid-Winter Hamfest, which out of necessity is an indoor event. The folks down in Mansfield usually put on a fine hamfest, and their chili dogs have always been legendary. It will be interesting to see what happens with that one. I think if they hold a Mansfield event in February, I'm going to attend, unless its some kind of frikkin' blizzard or something. (In the last 30 years, that has happened exactly one time!)

But what I'm REALLY looking forward to is Hamvention 2021. If that is held, I'm definitely going, unless some bureaucrat decides to try and shut down the world again, which would totally suck.

Some people claim that the virus will magically disappear after election day. Well, maybe, but I don't think so.

Some people think we'll have an effective vaccine by October or November. Well, maybe, but I don't think so. Heck, we can't even make a flu vaccine that's better than 40% effective in any given year, and they do THAT every year. Then there's the red tape that the drug makers have to go through to even release a new medication. I just don't see all those pieces falling into place this calendar year. But, I could be wrong on that, so we'll see what really happens. I'm not holding my breath for it though.

In the meantime, the hamfest fund continues to grow, waiting for the day when hamfests really do return. I think they will eventually, and I really I hope they do. But I wouldn't bet a nickel trying to predict exactly when that happens.

73 de N8AUC
Eric
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W6UXB

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Re: Hamfests returning?
« Reply #5 on: September 06, 2020, 08:04:12 PM »

Thank you Sir, pragmatism is a virtue, 73 Geoff

I would dearly love to see hamfests open up again. But I don't think it will happen until next spring at the earliest.

Around here (in Northern Ohio), hamfest season usually winds up with the Cleveland Hamfest, the last weekend of September. That's been cancelled for this year, because the fair board wouldn't commit to honoring their contract. Hamfest season usually starts up around Valentine's Day with the Mansfield Mid-Winter Hamfest, which out of necessity is an indoor event. The folks down in Mansfield usually put on a fine hamfest, and their chili dogs have always been legendary. It will be interesting to see what happens with that one. I think if they hold a Mansfield event in February, I'm going to attend, unless its some kind of frikkin' blizzard or something. (In the last 30 years, that has happened exactly one time!)

But what I'm REALLY looking forward to is Hamvention 2021. If that is held, I'm definitely going, unless some bureaucrat decides to try and shut down the world again, which would totally suck.

Some people claim that the virus will magically disappear after election day. Well, maybe, but I don't think so.

Some people think we'll have an effective vaccine by October or November. Well, maybe, but I don't think so. Heck, we can't even make a flu vaccine that's better than 40% effective in any given year, and they do THAT every year. Then there's the red tape that the drug makers have to go through to even release a new medication. I just don't see all those pieces falling into place this calendar year. But, I could be wrong on that, so we'll see what really happens. I'm not holding my breath for it though.

In the meantime, the hamfest fund continues to grow, waiting for the day when hamfests really do return. I think they will eventually, and I really I hope they do. But I wouldn't bet a nickel trying to predict exactly when that happens.

73 de N8AUC
Eric
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W9FIB

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Re: Hamfests returning?
« Reply #6 on: September 06, 2020, 08:12:38 PM »

Now that the government has control over people, things will never be the same as they were. The virus was a convenient excuse. Many other things kill far more people then Covid, yet there is no pandemic warnings for those. Look at cancer, heart disease, diabetes, other flu viruses, and many many others.

One only has to look at the Pelosi vs hairdresser to show how useless the shutdown was. If she is safe, we all are safe.

Open the swapfests now!
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73, Stan
Travelling the world one signal at a time.

N8AUC

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Re: Hamfests returning?
« Reply #7 on: September 07, 2020, 08:38:21 AM »

Now that the government has control over people, things will never be the same as they were. The virus was a convenient excuse. Many other things kill far more people then Covid, yet there is no pandemic warnings for those. Look at cancer, heart disease, diabetes, other flu viruses, and many many others.

One only has to look at the Pelosi vs hairdresser to show how useless the shutdown was. If she is safe, we all are safe.

Open the swapfests now!

OK, that Nancy Pelosi and the hairdresser thing simply pi$$e$ me off.
Yet another self-anointed elitist with a "do as I say not as I do" attitude.

I've heard it said that politicians and a baby's diapers need to be changed frequently, and for the same reason.
Nancy Pelosi (and there are others from both sides of the aisle as well) simply exemplifies the wisdom of that statement.
Please, please, please good people of California, please finally flush the toilet and get rid of that turd.
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N9LCD

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Re: Hamfests returning?
« Reply #8 on: September 08, 2020, 06:56:02 AM »

I wouldn't hold my breath for a COVID-19 vaccine.  I had the pneumonia vaccine shots and still came down with social pneumonia.  Why?  The vaccines don't protect against ALL STRAINS of pneumonia!!!  And the pneumonia vaccines have been around for quite a while. 

Any way, it was the worst THREE WEEKS of my life.

Let's not get our hopes up over something rushed to market.

As for 2021 ham fests, the ARRL has already logged cancellation of one fest in Indiana.  There's no indication of how many fests have been scratched before reaching the cancellation stage.

Many clubs probably will opt not to plan & organize a fest to avoid losses if a force majeure causes cancellation.  I belong to a large national group that was going  to have its 2020 Annual Gathering in Kansas City.  When the pandemic struck and travel dried up, they cancelled.  If they hadn't been able to reschedule for 2023, same venue and same speakers, they would have lost $600,000.   
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N8YX

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Re: Hamfests returning?
« Reply #9 on: September 10, 2020, 09:13:39 AM »

Hamfest season usually starts up around Valentine's Day with the Mansfield Mid-Winter Hamfest, which out of necessity is an indoor event.
That's the last one I attended before all the Covid hoo-hah struck
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KI4WCQ

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Re: Hamfests returning?
« Reply #10 on: November 29, 2020, 06:56:55 PM »

We may see fests by 2022.  Politicians are enjoying the control of freedoms too much to take their foot off the pedal too soon.  They need time to convince us that they were successful in rescuing us from the pandemic.
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N9LCD

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Re: Hamfests returning?
« Reply #11 on: December 13, 2020, 06:26:57 AM »

Quote
They need time to convince us that they were successful in rescuing us from the pandemic.

No.  They need time to convince us that they were successful in rescuing us from ourselves.
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W1VT

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Re: Hamfests returning?
« Reply #12 on: December 13, 2020, 08:42:17 AM »

A vaccine that keeps people out of the hospital is a huge win even though it may not prevent infections.
If people were  sick for a few weeks in bed that would not be causing the huge stress on our healthcare system  that we are seeing now.

Zak W1VT
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KG4RUL

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Re: Hamfests returning?
« Reply #13 on: December 13, 2020, 12:42:46 PM »

Back to the original question: Hamfests returning?  Even with vaccines being distributed, getting them to the majority of people is a half year away at best.  The real question is, given the above, SHOULD hamfests be returning?  NO!
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W9FIB

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Re: Hamfests returning?
« Reply #14 on: December 14, 2020, 03:32:45 AM »

Back to the original question: Hamfests returning?  Even with vaccines being distributed, getting them to the majority of people is a half year away at best.  The real question is, given the above, SHOULD hamfests be returning?  NO!

Simple solution...don't go. But don't rain on other people's parade.
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73, Stan
Travelling the world one signal at a time.
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