[CQ-Contest] 2005 Dayton Forum Wrap Up

[Cqtestk4xs@aol.com]

Let me see if I get this right......

According to some, to keep the Dayton Hamfest going, we contesters are just a 
very small minority and should be content to take whatever room the Dayton 
organizers give us.  We should not have the contesting forums off the Hara Arena 
grounds.  The reason......The contesting forums when held at the Crowne Plaza 
have a significant negative effect on attendance and walk-by traffic for 
vendors of new equipment at the Hara.  Huh?

If we are a small minority, why the hell would we have such a big effect on 
the attendance, and more importantly to some, a big effect on vendors?  The 
truth is, we contesters are a minority of 5000 or so out of all US hams according 
to the ARRL.  But, compared to the average ham, we spend much more freely.  

I am going to attend the 2006 Hamfest in Dayton, appreciate the hard work by 
the organizers and would like it to be a strong hamfest for many years.  
However, they can't have it both ways.  If we are treated like a second class 
minority, when rooms are assigned, and we are forced to do one of two 
things......squeeze into an undersized room when a larger one is available on the Hara 
grounds, or have a meeting downtown or wherever.

The Dayton group is aware of the problem.  It is up to them to act in time to 
assign an appropriate facility.  We contesters can react to the assignment.  
I'm sure K1DG and K3LR want to see the Dayton hamfest continue to be a strong 
one and would prefer to have the forums at the Hara Arena, but only if the 
rooms assigned are adequate to our needs.

See you all in 2006, I had a ball at Dayton in 2005.

Bill K4XS