Let's Walk Around a Local

[@LifeAtTerminalVelocity]

I’m not sure why they are dying but I can tell you that I find it difficult to find a bargain at them. If people keep pricing their ancient gear like it is brand new why would I bother going to the Hamfest and not just buy it new and direct from the usual suspects online?

[@AA0Z]

True. I also see that but the local and regional hamfest are better about prices. For example there were two FT891s for sale at Winterfest, both were priced at 400 bucks. That's a really good price.

[@Pedro8k]

The best deals are done locally I would sooner sell or buy this way a dealer will buy low and then double It on there stand but a lot of older gear is too expensive if they won't deal walk away

[@bryantwalley]

The local fests in my driving area are very small. I try and get to them to support the hobby and always try to buy something. One thing that is a problem though is the ridiculous prices. People try and sell old stuff for new prices. A lot of it for way more than when it was new. It is what it is.

[@AA0Z]

Yeah, I hear you. Prices were decent. I saw two 891's for 450 bucks in the flea market. I thought that was a good deal.

[@stevest.martin3940]

Ham Fest are dying because the organizers are dying. I used to go to the Yuma Ham fest now it’s defunct because the organizers got too old.

[@AA0Z]

Yep. It's sad that the younger folks don't step up.

[@mtnhiker1440]

I bought this radio back in the 1960s for $500. I can’t part with it for any less than $495.

[@TangoOscarMikeN3WS]

2007 Superbowl half time show. They NFL wanted to cancel due to bad weather and when they asked Prince about it he said "Can you make it rain harder". Yes hamfests as well as Field day and other events are about the people.

[@AA0Z]

I totally forgot about that halftime show. Yes. What a great performance.

[@Bill-c5i]

I just went to a hamfest and there was a lot of people there. Most of the items were reasonably priced but I have been to some hamfests where prices were way too high.

[@K5YVY]

Great video Kyle, I always enjoy the social aspect, along with weird things I’ve never seen before, and of course finding a great deal is cherry on top.

[@AA0Z]

Thanks JB. I go just to hang out.

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

was that a speed run to demonetized video?

[@AA0Z]

Nope. Cleared all the checks of you believe that!

[@JeffGeerling]

Heh, it's always song roulette when you have any music from the real world!

[@AA0Z]

@@JeffGeerling Yes! Put it in....upload as unlisted and wait. Rick Beato plays 15 to 30 seconds of a song sometimes in his videos and says it's hit or miss with copyrights. I guess Prince's lawyers have bigger fish to fry....

[@JeffGeerling]

Someday I hope to make it to my first hamfest... just wasn't in the cards this time around!

[@AA0Z]

Yes! Let me know. I'll love to get a reaction! Next local is Halloween Hamfest in October.

[@digital.rancher]

Looks like a great show! Nice facilities too. Great job and Thanks for sharing!

[@AA0Z]

Thanks for watching!

[@Ken-W1KAL]

Congrats on 100 years MSM Radio Club W0EEE

[@AA0Z]

I think they have a really good club at S&T

[@PanSatyr]

That looked like a well attended Fest. At least 5 times larger than the Wheaton (WCRA) fest up north by me.

[@AA0Z]

It's a good hamfest. I think it could be better, but it does well.

[@CdnRockiesRadio]

Awesome Video Kyle! prince is a great guitarist but super weird dude lol. I'm finally off the YT hiatus and back making videos myself! I wish we had more ham fests up here instead of once a year.

[@LdHrothgar]

I was planning to come again this year but just didn't have the energy on Sat. I've been burning the candle at both ends for a while.

[@KS0JD]

Ham Radio A2Z is Tom WA2IVD. Love me some Ham Fests! Great time to socialize! 73

[@AA0Z]

Thank you. I totally blanked on his name.

[@KH07734]

The last 3 Ham fests I went to the sellers wanted outrageous amounts for old equipment. If you are going to charge amounts that are equal to the vendors on line or in stores than why would I buy from you with no warranty or guarantee?

[@AA0Z]

I agree. Move on. There are bargains out there! I saw two FT891s for 400 bucks in the flea market. That's a great price!

[@KH07734]

I'm waiting on someone who doesn't like their newly bought Yaesu 500 and wants to dump it on me for about 350... @@AA0Z

[@FromthehamshackwithNJ4Z]

Great Guitarist, better than Hendrix not as good as Eddie Van Halen. But what the heck do I know. The biggest problem with local hamfests is the vendors are finding it hard to justify the costs of exhibiting at a small hamfest. Attendance sometimes falls as most hams can get what they want on line from the vendors as well. They are becoming more about social then hardware. I would like to see some of the smaller hamfests add speakers and classes to their event in hopes it will draw more people. I have chaired the local hamfest effort for 5 or 6 years (turned it over to a new person in 2023, who did an awesome job) and it is well worth the effort if you have great club members like ours to help pull it off.

[@AA0Z]

We lost a lot of vendors over the years. Like you said they just don't find them profitable anymore.

[@tyronewalker5764]

Just started my study guide and the ham fest are dying?😢

[@FEPLabsRadio]

First! You had me at Purple Rain! I agree with you - he was a wizard.

[@AA0Z]

Totally underrated....

[@denniskimrey4129]

Looks like a great hamfest. May have to put that on my bucket list to attend. Just across the State so not to far.

[@AA0Z]

Come on over!

[@rftech1608]

great turnout at that hamfest. I do enjoy seeing my friends and make new friends. I miss Prince he was great!

[@AA0Z]

Yes it was a great turn out.

[@scottgarvy]

They seem to be well populated in SW Michigan.

[@AA0Z]

They are alive and well!!!!

[@maddogusmarines]

I just went to Hamcation. It was far from dying. It was packed!

[@thedamned6248]

Yes, Prince was one of the most underrated guitarists ever. He was extremely talented.

[@devinhedge]

That solo… totally changed my opinion about him forever.

[@arnoldgrubbs2005]

Great video Kyle! Was there last year and had a great time and got some good "treasures". I Was planning on going this year, but my friend who was going to ride along again this year found his wife came down with the "rona" virus a week ago. Maybe will be able to go next year if weather plays nice!

[@AA0Z]

We'll see you next year!

[@45auto]

I've only been to a couple small hamfests. Didn't take long at all to see it all but still glad I went. Hope to get to the Houston Hamfest in a couple months.

[@Norm_KC9]

I should see you there. I always try to make it to the Houston Hamfest.

[@Norm_KC9]

Excellent job and awesome t-shirt!

[@AA0Z]

Love the t-shirt also.

[@k9kj]

Wow! Very well attended!

[@AA0Z]

Well attended!

[@SevenFortyOne]

Was the guy that yelled "no filming" joking with you or serious? I had a guy yell that to me when I was filing at a ham-fest once and he was dead serious. I got a full lecture on privacy laws and consent to be recorded as I shut off the camera and walked away.

[@LdHrothgar]

He was joking, you should have given the guy at your ham-fest a full lecture on how he was wrong. ;)

[@AA0Z]

No he was joking, but yeesh about your situation. Yeah, probably just best to walk away.

[@SevenFortyOne]

@@AA0Z glad to hear that!

[@KaL_Terow]

You find these whiners everywhere. Some years back, I had a guy at a club come to my table to complain about pictures I was taking, cause he "didn't want me to take pictures of him". Of course, I completely ignored him... guess he didn't want his wife to know he was there 🤷🏽‍♂️

[@nc4tn]

Money’s getting tight too.

[@Pedro8k]

If you make the effort to drive there and pay the admission i expect there is something to see with stalls with equipment on to buy not just demos of something or someone with a laptop to take orders I can do that at home online or go to a ham shop instead

[@AA0Z]

Some people take the effort to drive there pay the admission fee just to have an opportunity to see their ham radio friends they haven't seen since the last hamfest.

[@nickjohnson410]

I'm not a radio enthusiast by any means. This channel and others like it have been floating through my recommended for a while and I love tech so I watch. I actually looked into it too and I will tell you why no one wants to get into it... The FCC. They make it so complicated to that it is just not worth it. I also grew up in a town with a large Pirate radio station that was the absolute best radio I ever listened too, and it was illegal... You can't have fun on air.

[@AA0Z]

Getting a ham radio license is rather easy based on everything else in corporate America. You should work in healthcare and see all the regulations!!!

[@SteveHacker]

Your thumbnail wording, “Why are hamfests dying”, isn’t very congruent with the content of the video, is it?

[@AA0Z]

You didn't watch to the end of the video, did you?

[@SteveHacker]

@@AA0Z … I absolutely DID watch to the end, which is WHY I said your thumbnail text is incongruent with what you said at the end of the video…

[@AA0Z]

@@SteveHacker You didn't listen then. At the end of the video I explained why local hamfests are important and we should be promoting them so they don't die. Go back and watch the end of the video again.

[@KaL_Terow]

I agree with you. It seemed he was showing that a lot of people came to the event instead...🤷🏽‍♂️

[@shackinggreg346]

Best Prince song is Batdance

[@AA0Z]

Lol

[@fknjollyamerican1776]

Imma try make the one in Kansas city this year I've never been to one but really want to check it out

[@AA0Z]

Sweet! Let me know how it goes!

[@fknjollyamerican1776]

@AA0Z will do this will be my 1st looking forward to it and to see the range of things for sell

[@bryantwalley]

Prince is indeed a musical legend. It was a very sad loss for the music community.😢

[@AA0Z]

One of the greats.

[@Deploracle]

He could play basketball too .. in platform shoes (according to Charlie Murphy).

[@davidg5308]

Saw his Yamaha "purple piano" at NAMM last week - of course, he had awesome equipment! Btw, Harrison was by far the most musically adept of the four, and therefore my fav!

[@patrickbuick5459]

The prices are about supply and demand. It may not be worth that to you, but it might be to someone else. It remonds me of the story about a guy getting his daughter to take his old car around to different places to see how they valued it. Of course, it was a classic, so the wrecker, used car dealer, etc. valued it quite low, but the classic car club valued it way higher. I have been on both sides of that coin and I hate them both, but selling is worse because people figure they should lowball me and get mad when I don't capitulate. An example are FT-857D radios, some old, many having issues, discontinued. Garbage, right? Not for POTA, SOTA etc that want small, portable 100W shack in a box. High demand, reducing supply, prices high.

[@AA0Z]

There was a FT-891 for 400 bucks. That was a good deal to a lot of people. It is all about supply and demand.

[@victorcharlie7491]

Looked like a nice ham fest, tnx man!

[@AA0Z]

It keeps up.

[@jackamelar1455]

It seems the mega swaps maintain or grow attendance. The local hamfests keep getting smaller. My gripe is those who take days off from work, travel to Hamvention with the associated costs, and yet can't seem to find the time to go to the local hamfest 10 miles from home.

[@richarde735]

Small local Hamfest’s are dying because it’s just old junk. I can get a better deal online for any new equipment. then any educational opportunities are easily found and accessed online as well. Our local Frost Fest has been canceled for three years now beginning in 2021 (it was squeaked in before Covid in 2020)

[@AA0Z]

I totally disagree. Case in point, there was a brand new FT891 for sale, 450 bucks. Try and find that online? Maybe you should move since your local ham radio community doesn't understand (or you) the point in why hamfests are good for the ham radio community.

[@BouncermanDotCom]

I don't think the ARRL has done Amateur Radio any favors, and I believe hamfests are a byproduct of that.

[@AA0Z]

You don't think the ARRL does anything for ham radio?

[@BouncermanDotCom]

@@AA0Z Mmm...went back and re-read my statement, and no I said I don't think ARRL has done Amateur Radio any favors. As a "League" (in one case) or "Association" (in the other case) I compare them for the Amateur Radio community, the way I compare the NRA for the gun community. Has the NRA done anything good for the association and the community as a whole? Absolutely! And I think that in it's beginnings it had all of the right intentions. After a period of time, someone else in the group took leadership role and soon piece by piece began giving up the people's rights. Further down the road they began disenfranchisement of the community and members. When they noticed that the people were beginning to notice, they put on a big horse and pony show to get people to like them again, when they had higher money and membership again, everything was great again. More time went by, and the disenfranchisement began again until today; where the only ones truly supporting them are the die hards that will no matter what the NRA are does, those nostalgic who blindly hope the NRA will return to their roots, and those who want to do something good but never get past their ignorance because they can't be bothered to read through NRA history. Today the NRA from the top down is little more than a collection plate for a bunch of people who do nothing and get paid. While they are 2 different groups based on 2 different subjects, it doesn't negate the fact that they seem to be walking a very similar path.

[@toddhowell2299]

I love that t-shirt. e e

[@wolfhawg]

Prince didn't own a cell phone.

[@AA0Z]

Ok

[@davenewmyer3735]

He helped several others with their careers...

[@AA0Z]

Who are you talking about?

[@BanditsBest686]

expensive to run, we vendored a show last year at a small show was dirt cheap to run tables...they moved locations and now its like twice as expensive and twice as far best to stick to the big shows, smaller ones aint worth it anymore with gas costs, and venue costs for some to go

[@AA0Z]

we need to support the small shows. Not everybody can get to a big show.

[@BanditsBest686]

@@AA0Z lol i have been, i unsubbed from most larger shows...their content is snakeoil salesman like at this point, tryna sell you on "collecting" some junk, or buying some sponsored product thats also junk

[@sndtubesmarx]

I want my hotdogs!!!!!!!

[@AA0Z]

Go take a dump first!

[@BrianWM8G]

The hot take on Prince at the George Harrison memorial concert is that he took over the stage during While My Guitar Gently Weeps to showboat and turn it into the Prince concert.

[@forgetyourlife]

No one likes Prince more than Prince.

[@swilliams2229]

he did a damn good job of it too

[@HamRadioQso]

Can’t buy used gear here. Been looking since October for used. If you do find one it’s at a new price it’s stupid. No wonder people don’t want to get into ham radio. And the high prices people ask are from people who already have a lot of money

[@AA0Z]

Sounds like you haven't been to a hamfest in a while.

[@HamRadioQso]

@@AA0Z 4 last year. 1 this year. Can find used. Just stupid hi prices. Example. Ft 450d used. $650. 891 - 700. That’s just a start. I need to go to bigger ham fest. Not the tiny small Ones

[@AA0Z]

There were 2 FT891 at Winterfest for 400 each.

[@HamRadioQso]

@@AA0Z that’s cheap. Shame it’s a 14 hour drive for me. I woulda grabbed one for that price.

[@tlebryk]

Stop having them on Sunday mornings when many hams are at church. They used to be on saturdays. Also, wintertime is somewhat problematic in sone regions

[@AA0Z]

I'm not sure what world you live in, but most hamfests are on Saturday. I can't think of a hamfest that only has floor hours on a Sunday.

[@HamOperator-r4z]

Prince was not a HAM

[@AA0Z]

Prince was not made of ham.

[@ik04]

Prince was a musical genius.

[@Frisky0563]

Same old junk with big prices. No, thank you.

[@AA0Z]

How do you know? You weren't there.

[@swilliams2229]

I love old junk. The high prices help protect me from it being "my old junk".....sometimes....not always. KF0KA

[@lupacchinobros]

Its dying because ham radio has reached its peak. Technology is the same. Yaesu puts out the same crap...nothing is innovative.

[@AA0Z]

LOL! They said ham radio reached it's peak 20 years ago and it still continues to grow. You should maybe start living in the 2000's.