John S. wrote:

If it was so bad in years past, why did you go this year. My last trip
to Dayton was about 1995 and my impression of the used equipment for
sale outside was that it had been carted between too many other
hamfests.

I bought a fair amount of interesting Ham stuff for fair prices.


And there was a surprising amount of non-radio electronic
gear and parts. The inside was the usual glitzy trade show and one
vendor actually had bikini clad women prancing around.

Yeehaa! Too bad I didn't get to see it


In my experience hamfests in general are showing lower attendance
because of both internet-based competition and the ham radio hobby
itself being on the far side of the growth and maturity curve.

Now you've hit on something. I wouldn't doubt that a lot of people who
are "fed up" with Dayton are just tired of the whole hamfest thing in
general.

I've been going for three years now. There were less vendors this year
than last. But there was less crap than last year also. And a lot of the
crap that went missing this year was the people selling ancient
computers and old HT junk. If you wanted ham radio items, there was
plenty to be had. And I'd rather have fewer vendors selling more ham
radio equipment than more vendors selling IBM XT's and Old Handi-talkies
that some Fire department got rid of in 1990.

Interesting that with the high prices that Collins equipment has been
getting lately, a lot of them came out of the woodwork. I would suggest
that anyone collecting them keep their eyes open for good deals.


- Mike KB3EIA -