* * * * *
                                        
                               This is a HAMFest?
                                        
We got a good parking spot.

Not a good sign.

[Exhibitor booths outside?] [1] [2] Kelly [3], Wlofie and I had gone to the
45^th Tropical Hamboree [4] and unlike previous years, we got an excellent
parking spot near the front. And no, we did not show up at 7:00 am for this—
no, we ended up pulling into the parking spot around 11:00 am. The parking
lot was relatively empty this year.

Walking up to the main building, we saw something I hadn't seen before in my
years of attendance—an outdoor flea market. Nothing huge, but as a sign goes,
this could be good (way too many exhibitors inside) or bad (it's so bad
inside these people didn't want the hassle of obtaining a table).

[Oh my ... ] [5] [6] But our fears were confirmed when we entered the main
hall.

It was practically empty.

This was worse than the previous two [7] times [8] (has it really been three
years since the last trip? Wow … ). Worse, the number of booths dealing with
cheap tools, crafts and leatherworks easily outnumbered the booths about HAM
radios, computers or electrical components.

Sad really.

I'm beginning to think that the Miami International Map Fair [9] may be in
order next year.

[1] gopher://gopher.conman.org/IPhlog:2005/02/05/thumb.p2050011.jpg
[2] gopher://gopher.conman.org/IPhlog:2005/02/05/p2050011.jpg
[3] http://asperwood.net/
[4] http://www.hamboree.org/
[5] gopher://gopher.conman.org/IPhlog:2005/02/05/thumb.p2050005.jpg
[6] gopher://gopher.conman.org/IPhlog:2005/02/05/p2050005.jpg
[7] gopher://gopher.conman.org/0Phlog:2001/02/03.11
[8] gopher://gopher.conman.org/0Phlog:2002/02/02.2
[9] http://www.historical-museum.org/mapfair/mapfair.htm

Email author at sean@conman.org