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] /boston/2005/02/05/thumb.p2050011.jpg

[2] /boston/2005/02/05/p2050011.jpg

[3] http://asperwood.net/

[4] http://www.hamboree.org/

[5] /boston/2005/02/05/thumb.p2050005.jpg

[6] /boston/2005/02/05/p2050005.jpg

[7] /boston/2001/02/03.11

[8] /boston/2002/02/02.2

[9] http://www.historical-museum.org/mapfair/mapfair.htm

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