Fred,
 
I don't think we need a formal motion to do this. Many, if not all of us speak to vendors at hamfest. I speak to as many as I can but at the large hamfest it is difficult to speak to many vendors.  If a vendor has a problem or input they don’t hesitate to bring it up with me.
 
I see the vendors at hamfest are very busy and it will be hard to schedule a meeting or have a meeting.  Initially they are moving in and setting up, cover up and leave. During hamfest they are busy and quickly leave at the end of the day, and  they pack up and when the Hamfest is over they leave as soon as possible. We have the ARRL booth to work and forums, so cannot take time away from our members.
 
At the second and third largest hamfest in the US, which are in my Division. Orlando HamCation with 23,000+ attendees has ~350 vendors. Huntsville hamfest with 7,000 attendees has ~180 vendors. My smaller hamfest with attendance of over 1000 has 25-50 vendors.
 
If we have a motion saying we will meet with vendors and miss some they will be upset. If we take up time with some vendors (time away from their customers) they will be upset. If we are not in the ARRL booth for our members they will be upset.
 
Because of busy vendors, we cannot meet with every vendor and don't need to take time away from ARRL duties I don’t think we need this motion.
 
Thanks,
Greg, W4OZK


On ‎Wednesday‎, ‎July‎ ‎10‎, ‎2019‎ ‎10‎:‎46‎:‎35‎ ‎PM‎ ‎EDT, Fred Hopengarten <hopengarten@post.harvard.edu> wrote:


Upon further reflection, I have modified my proposed motion to include Orlando (the ARRL National Convention) and HamVention. I’m open to adding Visalia, if we can’t squeeze in enough meetings in Orlando and HamVention.

 

I welcome thoughts on whether the meetings should be one vendor at a time, or a group meeting to solicit input. My own thought is that vendors will be more candid and forthcoming if meeting alone with a few Dirs or VDirs.

 

The latest version of the motion is attached.

 

Notes:

·         I should have remembered, and I am grateful to N2RJ and K3RF for calling to my attention, that “personal investigations” are legal once again, now that the Code of Conduct has been repealed. If not done already, I hope Dan Henderson or Carla Pereira will scrub the CoC from the ARRL web page.

·         Please note that this is an experiment. The motion does not call for the creation of a permanent committee, nor  continuing meetings. If the benefit is weak, in comparison to costs (of all kinds), the idea can be abandoned.

 

The latest version of the Vendor Meetings motion is attached.

 

 

 

 

 


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