Wilrobnson wrote:
KB7AIL wrote:
If you want "good stuff" you really need to buy a table because, as soon as you get your stuff set up, you can wander around and look/buy things before the general public is allowed in. I sold about 80% of the gear I took down there and about half of it sold to the other vendors before the doors opened.
Even if I were planning on attending, this is the reason I probably wouldn't (and will avoid it in the future). That is absolute (redacted). That's long been a reason I avoid buying anything at the "Ham radio/homemade candles/windchimes/survivalist gear/fat people wearing cat urine-stained clothing freakshow". If you're too good to wait a little bit to take my money (and have a chance to raise prices), then (redacted).
And if the "ham club" running it wanted anything resembling a fair market, they would
ban selling/buying before the doors open. (redacted) bull(redacted).
It's not a fair market. It's a free market. You price your stuff too high, you take it back home. Yes, I think some guys bring a ton of stuff and lay it out on the table with too high prices just to let everyone know how much stuff they have. Then, at the end of the show (about 1:00 PM) take it back to the car and take it home. A bunch of my stuff had been rotting in boxes. I had three or four Kenwood TH-21/31 HTs in a bag plus a whole bunch of related parts. Most of it was in pieces and I couldn't guarantee that it would work or could be made to work. Sold it for $10 and a handshake. Someone is having a good time for a couple of nights. I have $10. Fair deal to me. Sold it before the doors open. If you want the best deals, it is pretty obvious what it is you need to do. If you just want to look at the stuff and maybe buy some jacks or switches or a power cable or what not, come any time you want.
I am just playing by the rules as written. The big camera show that is at Puyallup has club/seller admission, early admission and regular admission. Flea markets and sales have always worked that way- ham radio or not. Regarding appearances, iff you want someone who is younger than 40 to be interested in ham radio as a hobby, do not take them to a ham flea market.