skipp025 wrote:
>
> Re: Dayton Hamvention and other Amateur Flea Markets/Events
>
> > As I've told a number of people - it looks like they
> > are trying to run it into the ground.
>
> Why would you say that? As someone semi in the know about
> the Previous 5 to 10 Dayton Flea Markets I've mentioned
> some of the issues in play right here on the group. They're
> trying like he11 to make people happy and go the extra
> mile at Dayton.
Read the rest of my previous post. In years past, confirmations of
spaces was done the year before. This year, we can't even get a reply
from them, and it's less than two months away.
> In case you haven't noticed, the larger ham radio flea
> markets in general have been smaller in size. I can see
> clearly see the smaller size of/at many of the long time
> Amateur Events I attend each year.
That's true in my area EXCEPT for the largest ones in the area. Sure,
all have suffered some, but many smaller ones are belly-up (or near so).
The larger ones are slightly smaller, but are still large. Dayton was
always jam packed all three days until the past several years. There
were never spots open on Saturday - now there are nearly sections of
several hundred spaces open with the exception of a few cars
(literally).
I personally blame eBay. Yes, really.
They wanted to charge Mendelson more for his 97 spaces. He was
(reportedly) willing to pay it, but wanted the extra three spaces to
make it an even 100. Dayton refused. That is (again reportedly) why
Mendelson was not there last year. Is that "going the extra mile"? There
have been spaces open the last few years. Would it have hurt to give
someone who paid for 97 spaces 100 of them when you have hundreds of
spaces open?
> > It's not dying fast enough for someone...
>
> Actually attendance in general was up over some
> previous years
Not vendor attendance. There were even SECTIONS of the inside left
unused that were occupied in previous years (and none of them, or very
few, are LMR dealers). That was not the case two years ago (maybe
three). I bet this year they are close to having an entire building left
unused. I hope not, but I fear that will be the case.
I'm looking forward to 'discussing' the quality of the TS-2000 driver
transistors with the Kenwood reps. >8-(
> > When you have THREE CARS in an entire section (the
> > west one - farthest from the arena) on Sunday, that
> > says something.
>
> Yes it does... there are far fewer people doing two-way
> radio as a business. One of the first years I was there
> all those sections had non-stop Surplus Radio Dealers
> dumping 800MHz trunking radios by the truck load. If
> no one buys radios that are useless, the dealers don't
> come back. Also the weather was pretty bad for 2 years
> straight. Pouring rain for two of the three days...
The weather is always bad - it's Dayton. :-)
You either freeze or burn or drown.
(sometimes all three the same weekend)
> The only trouble last year was Mendelsons trying to
> strong-arm their own space deal at the last minute.
> His last minute strong arm tatic didn't work like he
> thought it would...
I wonder just WHO lost, though...
It takes two to tango, and there are two sides to every story. Mendelson
did a fair job at getting his side out. I made my comments above before
I read this part of your post. As for 'last minute', I question that.
Reportedly, he always sold many tickets throughout the year, but did not
do that last year due to the issue between him and Dayton. If that is
true, it says it was much more than a last minute issue.
> > I understand getting a reply from the committee is
> > like pulling teeth this year. In past years,
> > confirmations were received the year before. I know
> > people who are STILL waiting on space confirmations
> > and we're within two months.
>
> I believe the Committee is not who you're supposed to
> contact... more like the Flea Market Chairman/contact?
Whoever we have been in contact with for the last umpteen years. I don't
do the contacting - I just hear that 'we haven't heard anything back
yet'. There is ALWAYS an issue of getting two passes for the two spaces
we have. It's worked out every year.
> This year is a new Flea Market Chairman. Last years
> Chairman my good friend Tom is just an email away. If
> you hang out here I'll send him your comments and get an
> answer. Wait for a follow up post in the next day or
> two (from me).
I would really appreciate that. Last I heard, we haven't heard a word
from them/him.
Joe M.
Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Repeater-Builder/
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
