I blogged a couple days ago about Ham-Com, the big Texas hamfest deciding to call it quits. Well, today, I got a Twitter DM from a friend who asked:
The HamCom cancellation has me wondering if the same couldn’t happen to Dayton? Big venue, very costly, and I’d say there’s better than a 50-50 chance they won’t be able to have it again this year…
Would cancelling Hamvention 2 years running be its end?
I replied:
Good questions. I’m thinking (guessing?) that Dayton has enough support to ride it out, especially if the other big hamfesets (i.e HamCation and Visalia) fold. The question—at least part of the question—is how desirable or worthwhile the in-person experience is. As you probably know, I’ve been teaching online classes. They get the job done, but they’re not as satisfying for me as a teacher as in-person classes, and I think in-person classes are a better learning experience for the students, too.
My friend went on to say:
When all this started I was REALLY (secretly) happy as a clam that all the global events I could never visit were suddenly within reach of my desktop. But it has gotten old to me. Video meetings at work and something ham radio related every weekend and I feel in need of a vacation from ham radio events online! :-)
I also noted, “Going to Dayton or Ft. Wayne or HamCation is about more than just going to webinars or seeing products on a screen. For example, you can’t “twiddle the knobs” of a new radio virtually. Well, maybe you can, but it’s not really the same experience.”
I’m kind of surprised that no one’s formed a company to organize these events on a for-profit basis. Dayton, Ham-Com, and Hamcation are all run by volunteers, and run pretty well, but at some point, volunteers run out of steam. I think most knife and gun shows are commercial ventures, aren’t they? It is, therefore, conceivable that someone could form a company to run hamfests. Maybe the economics aren’t there, though. There are probably lots more gun enthusiasts than there are ham radio enthusiasts.
I certainly hope that Ham-Com’s fate isn’t a harbinger of things to come. Events like Hamvention, Ham-Com, and HamCation are not only a lot of fun, they connect us in ways that’s just impossible online. I can certainly understand being hesitant to attend Hamvention this year, but if you’re not going this year, make sure to put it on your calendar for 2022.
I have a 2021 Hamvention ticket coming to me, and I reserved a spot in the Dayton KOA this year, just in case. Fingers crossed, that enough vaccine will reach us old farts (over 65) in time for us to have a Hamvention this year. After all, we’ve all heard that hams are all old farts, right?
Maybe they will only let seniors and first responders in since they would be the only large cohort that has been vaccinated by then?
The only way that I’m going to Hamvention is if I’m vaccinated by then. Not sure they’ll get around to me by then, though.
>>>The only way that I’m going to Hamvention is if I’m vaccinated by then.<<<
^^^This. Too many "Whoopsies!" in my circle of family and friends the last couple of months. No fatalities yet, fortunately, but it's only a matter of luck so far. And it's all been centered around completely avoidable/postponeable social occasions too. Hamfests can wait.