Over the past several years I've seen some conventions and hamfests shrink in size and duration. (The NE Div convention has actually expanded...) A few weeks ago I went to the VT State Convention where they had more than 400 people (down from 600 ten years ago but stable the last few years) - but it opened at 8am and was supposed to end at 1pm, but most vendors began to pack up around noon and it was deserted by 1pm. (They also had a bunch of forums and had a table that helped to sell ARRL publications.) In the last couple of years I've started to see even shorter events - 3-hour auctions, afternoon/evening tailgate sales, etc. I just received the request below and it has stretched things even further - just 90 minutes. I'm inclined to not approve this (see below) as an ARRL hamfest. But, I'm wondering what the rest of you do when you get requests for very short events (assuming you do). When designated as an ARRL hamfest, we say their event will "receive special benefits such as free prizes, handouts, and other support." For "average" hamfests, I think our support is described in the Convention and Hamfest Planner: (http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/hamfests/convhf.pdf) "Headquarters will provide editorial support in QST for the event, will provide for advertising in QST at rates below commercial rates, and will on request provide publications to be used as awards or prizes." I'm thinking that anything less than a half day shouldn't be considered. In this case, I don't know if they want PR in the hamfest database (too late for QST I think) or the publications (exactly what do we provide these days?). -- Tom
ARRL Division: New England Event Type: Regular Hamfest Event Name: xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx Tailgate Party Event Date: xxxxxx, 2005 Event Time: 1830 to 2000 local Event City: xxxxxxx Event State: xxx Event Sponsor(s): xxxxxxx Event Facility: xxxxxxx; Event Facility Address: xxxxx Directions to Event: xxxxx Special Features of Event: Sellers $5.00 Buyers free Exams being given: NO Exams Talk-In Freq: xxxxx Advance admission fee: 0 At-door admission fee: 0 Table fee: 5.00 Event Web URL: xxxx Public contact name: xxx Public contact call sign: xxx Public contact address: xxxx xxxxxx Public contact phone: xxxx Public contact fax: none Public contact email: xxxx Chairman name: xxxx Chairman call sign: xxxx Chairman address: xxxx xxxx Chairman phone (day): xxx Chairman phone (eve): xxx Chairman email: xxxx Funds available: $100.00 Funding source(s): xxxx Anticipated attendance: 50 Profit disposition: xxxx Form submitter name: xxx Form submitter call sign: xxxx Form submitter email: xxxx Date/Time submitted: 12-Mar-2005 1343Z
===== e-mail: k1ki@arrl.org ARRL New England Division Director http://www.arrl.org/ Tom Frenaye, K1KI, P O Box J, West Suffield CT 06093 Phone: 860-668-5444