This year the Dayton Hamvention has decreed that
a maximum of two (2) vendor passes per flea
market space will be allowed. As they do every
year, they've also repeated the rule prohibiting
trading or selling outside regular show
hours...including setup day. The difference this
year is it appears they may attempt some sort of
actual enforcement.

I emailed them and asked specifically about these
two rules. The query I sent appears below, followed
by their response.

Those who may be contemplating getting a space this
year, or are expecting to have a vendor friend get
passes so they can get in on setup day, might
consider emailing to the address at bottom to
express their, er, opinion.

--Mark

********My query:
Please answer two questions:

1) Why do you have a rule against trading and/or
selling at any time other than show hours? (I
assume the rule also applies to Thursday, setup
day).

2) Why have you limited people who have bought
spaces this year to a total of two vendor passes?

--Mark

********Hamvention response:
Hi Mark..

Here's the deal on the two ticket limit...

We have found that there are simply too many
people in the Flea Market area on Thursday, setup
day, when people and moving vehicles are vying for
the same space in the aisles. This causes our local
safety officials, and our insurance carriers to get
nervous about the possibility of accidents. As you
know, we already have a pretty strictly enforced rule
about no moving vehicles in the Flea Market during
the show open hours which is the result of these same
concerns.

The second problem is that we have had many complaints
about trading occurring on Thursday, which is
prohibited by our rules. We do not believe it is fair
to the 20,000+ visitors who must wait until Friday to
get into the Flea Market to be unfairly disadvantaged
by a portion of the 3000 vendors and friends who have
had the privilege to get in early, and choose to not
only break the rules, but to disrespect the greater
number of potential customers who can't get in. I
observed several instances of trading on Thursday last
year, enough to convince me that corrective action
was needed to create a level playing field for
everyone.

Some of you have written to point out that you simply
cannot set up yourspaces with only two people per
space. My personal experience as a Flea Market vendor
for many years is that more than two people PER SPACE
simply get in each other's way.

The bottom line is that we have several requirements
put on us in order to have a successful Flea Market,
and this change is our way of meeting those
requirements.

We hope you will see this as a path to a better,
safer, and more fair for everyone Dayton Hamvention
Flea Market.

Thanks for your understanding.

Regards,

Tom.

Please reply to :

Tom Holmes, N8ZM
Flea Market Chairman
2005 Dayton Hamvention

It looks like Tom's personal opinion is interfering with
his ability to do his job.



wrote in message
news
This year the Dayton Hamvention has decreed that
a maximum of two (2) vendor passes per flea
market space will be allowed. As they do every
year, they've also repeated the rule prohibiting
trading or selling outside regular show
hours...including setup day. The difference this
year is it appears they may attempt some sort of
actual enforcement.

I emailed them and asked specifically about these
two rules. The query I sent appears below, followed
by their response.

Those who may be contemplating getting a space this
year, or are expecting to have a vendor friend get
passes so they can get in on setup day, might
consider emailing to the address at bottom to
express their, er, opinion.

--Mark

********My query:
Please answer two questions:

1) Why do you have a rule against trading and/or
selling at any time other than show hours? (I
assume the rule also applies to Thursday, setup
day).

2) Why have you limited people who have bought
spaces this year to a total of two vendor passes?

--Mark

********Hamvention response:
Hi Mark..

Here's the deal on the two ticket limit...

We have found that there are simply too many
people in the Flea Market area on Thursday, setup
day, when people and moving vehicles are vying for
the same space in the aisles. This causes our local
safety officials, and our insurance carriers to get
nervous about the possibility of accidents. As you
know, we already have a pretty strictly enforced rule
about no moving vehicles in the Flea Market during
the show open hours which is the result of these same
concerns.

The second problem is that we have had many complaints
about trading occurring on Thursday, which is
prohibited by our rules. We do not believe it is fair
to the 20,000+ visitors who must wait until Friday to
get into the Flea Market to be unfairly disadvantaged
by a portion of the 3000 vendors and friends who have
had the privilege to get in early, and choose to not
only break the rules, but to disrespect the greater
number of potential customers who can't get in. I
observed several instances of trading on Thursday last
year, enough to convince me that corrective action
was needed to create a level playing field for
everyone.

Some of you have written to point out that you simply
cannot set up yourspaces with only two people per
space. My personal experience as a Flea Market vendor
for many years is that more than two people PER SPACE
simply get in each other's way.

The bottom line is that we have several requirements
put on us in order to have a successful Flea Market,
and this change is our way of meeting those
requirements.

We hope you will see this as a path to a better,
safer, and more fair for everyone Dayton Hamvention
Flea Market.

Thanks for your understanding.

Regards,

Tom.

Please reply to :

Tom Holmes, N8ZM
Flea Market Chairman
2005 Dayton Hamvention

"sparky" wrote in message
...
It looks like Tom's personal opinion is interfering with
his ability to do his job.


With respect to and of the Dayton Hamvention, such rules, or lack thereof,
are why I look forward to the Shelby, NC hamfest on Labor Day weekend each
year.
It is a busy, busy hamfest, and the grounds are open 2 weeks prior to the
actual 'Fest to allow people to obtain flea market space. The flea market
is on a fairgrounds and basically open air. Spaces are available on a
first-come, first-served basis. One picks out his space(s)--a maximum of 4
and picks up the little numbered flags and takes them to the 'fest
headquarters on the grounds and gets his tickets. On the week prior to the
actual weekend people are already arriving to set up campers and tents, and
by Wednesday, the hamfest is unofficially underway with trading and
dickering in full swing. By Friday as people continue to arrive, you can't
tell it from the "official" hamfest! The atmosphere is friendly, exciting
and everyone seems to have fun. On Saturday, you can't stir 'em (the
crowds) with a stick! About the only restrictions are on the use of golf
carts--only handicapped may use them during the actual hours of the 'fest.

I am somewhat puzzled at the Dayton 'fest and restrictions on free trade.
Why hamper the free trade between those who can be there? Is there some
jealousy of those who are not tied down to a 9-5 job?

I mean no disrespect to the Hamvention's policies, and I realize their
situation is certainly different from that of a rural fairgrounds. Once in
my life, I hope to visit the Dayton 'fest, but I wouldn't be all that happy
as a flea market vendor IF I wanted to trade, etc.

I am not associated with the Shelby folks, but they have a very nice hamfest
that has been going on for 50(?) years. So if you have never been to Shelby,
NC, I would suggest you come. The atmosphere is relaxed, friendly, food is
reasonable and plentiful, there are acres and acres of tailgate space (it
fills up rapidly the week before), there are few, but reasonable
restrictions related to safety and local laws, and you can trade to your
heart's content from the prior Monday before until the grounds close late
Sunday evening!!! People come every year from Florida,
Georgia, Tenn, Mississippi, Illinois, and Michigan--to name a few--and
remain for the entire week if they like. Plenty of RV hooks and
camping/tenting space. There's table space in several buildings, and covered
space in the cattle barn. Come see them next Labor Day!

73

Jerry





wrote in message
news
This year the Dayton Hamvention has decreed that
a maximum of two (2) vendor passes per flea
market space will be allowed. As they do every
year, they've also repeated the rule prohibiting
trading or selling outside regular show
hours...including setup day. The difference this
year is it appears they may attempt some sort of
actual enforcement.

I emailed them and asked specifically about these
two rules. The query I sent appears below, followed
by their response.

Those who may be contemplating getting a space this
year, or are expecting to have a vendor friend get
passes so they can get in on setup day, might
consider emailing to the address at bottom to
express their, er, opinion.

--Mark

********My query:
Please answer two questions:

1) Why do you have a rule against trading and/or
selling at any time other than show hours? (I
assume the rule also applies to Thursday, setup
day).

2) Why have you limited people who have bought
spaces this year to a total of two vendor passes?

--Mark

********Hamvention response:
Hi Mark..

Here's the deal on the two ticket limit...

We have found that there are simply too many
people in the Flea Market area on Thursday, setup
day, when people and moving vehicles are vying for
the same space in the aisles. This causes our local
safety officials, and our insurance carriers to get
nervous about the possibility of accidents. As you
know, we already have a pretty strictly enforced rule
about no moving vehicles in the Flea Market during
the show open hours which is the result of these same
concerns.

The second problem is that we have had many complaints
about trading occurring on Thursday, which is
prohibited by our rules. We do not believe it is fair
to the 20,000+ visitors who must wait until Friday to
get into the Flea Market to be unfairly disadvantaged
by a portion of the 3000 vendors and friends who have
had the privilege to get in early, and choose to not
only break the rules, but to disrespect the greater
number of potential customers who can't get in. I
observed several instances of trading on Thursday last
year, enough to convince me that corrective action
was needed to create a level playing field for
everyone.

Some of you have written to point out that you simply
cannot set up yourspaces with only two people per
space. My personal experience as a Flea Market vendor
for many years is that more than two people PER SPACE
simply get in each other's way.

The bottom line is that we have several requirements
put on us in order to have a successful Flea Market,
and this change is our way of meeting those
requirements.

We hope you will see this as a path to a better,
safer, and more fair for everyone Dayton Hamvention
Flea Market.

Thanks for your understanding.

Regards,

Tom.

Please reply to :

Tom Holmes, N8ZM
Flea Market Chairman
2005 Dayton Hamvention

On Tue, 18 Jan 2005 11:16:49 -0500, "Jerry"
wrote:

So if you have never been to Shelby,
NC, I would suggest you come.

I'll second that. I've never been to Dayton - it is too long a haul
for someone who is on call 24/7 (I'm a boatanchor buyer, not a
seller), but Shelby is about a 3-1/2 hour drive away. There aren't
quite as many boatanchors as there were several years ago, but there
are still a lot of them. Shelby is considered by all the flea market
fans that I know (and yours truly) as the best hamfest in the
southeast.

Dale H. Cook, Chief Engineer, WWWR Roanoke VA, WCQV Moneta VA, WKBA
WZZI Vinton VA, WKPA WLNI WZZU Lynchburg VA, WMNA/WMNA-FM Gretna VA,
WOWZ Appomattox VA
http://members.cox.net/dalehcook/starcity.shtml

"Dale H. Cook" wrote in message
news
On Tue, 18 Jan 2005 11:16:49 -0500, "Jerry"
wrote:

So if you have never been to Shelby,
NC, I would suggest you come.

I'll second that. I've never been to Dayton - it is too long a haul
for someone who is on call 24/7 (I'm a boatanchor buyer, not a
seller), but Shelby is about a 3-1/2 hour drive away. There aren't
quite as many boatanchors as there were several years ago, but there
are still a lot of them. Shelby is considered by all the flea market
fans that I know (and yours truly) as the best hamfest in the
southeast.

Dale H. Cook, Chief Engineer, WWWR Roanoke VA, WCQV Moneta VA, WKBA
WZZI Vinton VA, WKPA WLNI WZZU Lynchburg VA, WMNA/WMNA-FM Gretna VA,
WOWZ Appomattox VA
http://members.cox.net/dalehcook/starcity.shtml

Aw RIGHT! Then you know what I am talking about! I found the restrictions
at Dayton to be strange. Seems to me that would do more harm than good. To
my mind, the crowding says 1) Ya got a good thing going, 2) If you find it
necessary to "restrict" sales and inhibit the free exercise thereof,
because of safety and fire regulations, then it is time to MOVE the thing
somewhere else that CAN handle the crowd! I also find the idea that a
hamfest would limit vendor passes, or not allow sales outside the allocated
days because *some* people can't come kind of silly; why penalize those who
have done their 30 years and have well-deserved time to come all the way to
Dayton? Nobody's begging to come, right?

If I ever make the trip to Dayton, it will only be to look around..I say
IF!! Many more restrictions like that, and wonder how many people will "just
never get around to going to Dayton"?

Dale, when you come down to Shelby this fall, look us up! My buddy, K4EDK
and I will be in the same spot we have had for 4 years! Jim LOVES all those
old boat anchors and brings AM transmitters, parts, and stuff every year.
He started hamming in 1955 and I rag on him all the time about my back
hurting lugging that stuff around for him! LOL! Come down the hill at the
Shriner's Pagoda (towards the lower gate that they usually close during the
hamfest). Look for the first NON-paved lane going down towards the rear
latrines (where the pavement circles in a "U" and comes up to the guy that
sells the tents. Follow that unpaved lane from the Shriners to the first
PAVED cross-lane (blocked off for vendor spaces) We will be the FIRST spaces
on the right--look for an older, black Silverado truck with a BIG 3"
screwdriver. US old guys that aren't restricted by a desk usually show up
NLT Tuesday prior the 'fest and start buying and selling soon after. By
Wednesday, it looks like the "real" hamfest, and nobody gets upset!! The
gates are wide open, and even the skinflints can come buy and trade without
having to buy a ticket! (That may change because Shelby seems to be lasting
longer and longer since there's as much stuff going on before Friday as
Saturday) I wouldn't blame them for it.

Shelby is my favorite 'fest and the atmosphere is relaxed, there's plenty of
room to expand. There's acres and acres that can be used for flea market
area. It could prolly HANDLE Dayton's crowds. Heck, I have to have a golf
cart to get around the thing as it is! LOL!

73

Jerry
K4KWH