QRZ! Ham Radio 4/QRZ Ham Radio Callsign Database - Volume 4.iso/files/arrl/hiram/hfestpln.pt1

Text File | 1994-11-20 | 22KB | 529 lines

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            The ARRL Convention and Hamfest Guidebook

            A Jungle Survival Guide for event Sponsors
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INTRODUCTION

   Over the years, League officials and members have been
involved in literally countless conventions and hamfests. Out
of this wealth of experience certain principles and guidelines
emerge. Not only can they make the difference between a
successful and an unsuccessful convention but they can also
simplify the planning and execution and reduce the inevitable
problems and irritations. This booklet summarizes a great deal
of that experience and is offered primarily to help those
undertaking an ARRL convention. Nonetheless, much of the
material is applicable to other functions, from a club open
house to a regional hamfest.
    For the most part, this book will be most helpful to those
committees putting on an average event: a convention or hamfest
that draws from 500 to 4000 hams, is held at a fairgrounds or
large hotel, and has several seminars, programs, commercial
exhibits and/or flea market. For those conventions that draw more
than 5000 hams, experience and professional assistance is needed
to deal with the more complicated logistics, and planning for
such an event is beyond the scope of this book.
    Putting on a convention or hamfest is a lot of work. You'll
run across some sobering facts in this booklet. Sometimes when
the light at the end of the tunnel seems like an oncoming express
train, you'll want to give up. Don't. Your efforts will be
worth it. The editor put on a first-time hamfest in Topsfield,
Massachusetts, one year. The often agonizing planning,
management and problems that cropped up vanished into the haze as
he woke up in the exhibit hall (he camped there to provide
security for commercial exhibits) Saturday morning, looked out
and saw lines of cars and trucks full of hams rolling into the
parking lot -- a sight he'll never forget. A dream turned into a
reality.

So You Want To Have A Hamfest . . .

   You have decided to sponsor a hamfest! First, ask yourself
honestly these very important questions:

   1. Do we need a hamfest? Or, is it so close geographically
and close in time to another established event that attendance
will likely be adversely affected?

   2. Are there enough hams within a two-hour drive of our
location to support the event?

   3. Is there a suitable site and is it available on a suitable
date?

   4. Do we have enough advance funds?

   Before you answer with a rousing "YES," here are a few
sobering facts:

   1. Many hamfest sponsors believe a hamfest 200 miles away is
not in their area and they need one in their own home town. If
there are successful hamfests within 200 miles, the chances of a
locally-sponsored new one becoming a great success are limited.

   2. It is a proven fact that an area can have 2000 hams, but
approximately 2/3 to 3/4 of them will NOT attend the hamfest for
varying reasons. Check your potential attendance very carefully.

   3. Locating a suitable building or park is not too much
trouble. Many cities (and hamfest sponsors), however, completely
overlook the fact that most attendees do not "carpool." Many
times a site is selected with a building that will accommodate
5000 and a parking lot for 500 (which many hamfest sponsors
immediately turn over to outdoor swappers), leaving most
attendees to fend for themselves in locating a parking place;
thus they come in the door mad at the hamfest and daring you to
make them have a good time! Overnight RV parking has become a
popular addition to many hamfests and can make the difference
between attending or staying home, for some. Check your selected
site for regulations.

   4. Size and type of hamfest dictate amount of advance funds
necessary. A few of the advance charges that are common to the
one-day and two-day hamfests are site rental deposit, ticket
printing, advertising and promotion charges, flyer printing,
prize purchases and postage.

   You've read the above and are still convinced that you're
ready to follow through. The remainder of this booklet is devoted
to helping you plan your event so as to give it the best chance
of success. Good luck!

Advance Planning

    Depending on the type and amount of activities for your
hamfest, start the countdown to your event at least 12 months in
advance. The need for advance planning cannot be stressed too
much! Here's a sample outline of a schedule:


July          Create budget.

              Appoint volunteers to hamfest committee.

September     Send letters to committee members outlining
                   their responsibilities.

              Begin promotional effort.

              Strike agreement with Fairgrounds management.

November      Recruit commercial exhibitors.

December      Obtain status reports from committee members.

              Give committee members overall progress reports.

January       Recruit food vendors.

March         Continue two-way communications with committee
                   members.

April         Mail promotional flyer to all ARRL members in the
                   ARRL Division.

June          Mail second promotional flyer.

July          Hamfest!


DECISIONS: One-day or Two-day Hamfest?

    The one-day hamfest entails less expense, man-hours and
chance of failure than the longer event. Programming can be held
to a minimum. Swapping, eye-balling, picnicing, competing or a
talk by one of the local hams on their latest project will
provide a full day of fun for attendees. If your hamfest site is
not near an area where non-ham members of the family can find
entertainment, include activities for them in your hamfest
program. The happy ham at a hamfest is the one who has a happy
family!
    The two-day hamfest takes a significantly greater commitment.
To guarantee success you MUST have the undivided support of the
clubs in your area, your dealers and manufacturers and a larger
source of advance funds available. The longer and larger the
hamfest the greater the demands placed of your Committee's time
and the larger their area of responsibility. Once the Manpower
Chairman begins to assign jobs, the number of man-hours required
to operate the event will astound you. Some of the additional
budget requirements are: security charges, electrical
installation, booth installation charges, janitorial expenses,
extra insurance, program booklet printing, regional and national
advertising (last optional), ad-copy layout charges, traveling
expenses for speakers, salaries for electrical work and
maintenance.
   Activities for the two-day hamfest usually include: programs,
organizational meetings, food functions, exhibits, contests, etc.
You will be expected to have a Headquarters Hotel with a rate
lower than any place else on earth! Of the activities listed,
exhibits will be the most difficult to come by and food functions
will be the most hazardous to your financial success.


DECISIONS: Selecting a Committee

    Pick solid individuals with histories of hard work and
success in volunteer roles. If you pick a friend for a committee
role, be sure your friendship is strong enough to withstand the
rigors of convention stress and strain.

Chairman. The buck stops here. The chairman must keep abreast of
all hamfest planning, doing his best to spot all potential
problems and taking action before such problems become serious.
This requires supervision of the committee members; a plan and
schedule must be agreed upon by each member and the chairman must
ensure that the plan is being executed correctly and on time.

Specific tasks include:

"Hiring" all key committee members.

Ensuring adequate communication within the committee through
meetings, phone calls, on-the-air nets, letters and newsletters.

"Selling" the hamfest to potential exhibitors.

Arranging for liability insurance.

Obtaining ARRL hamfest status.

Creating a sound financial plan for the event.

Associate Chairman. Assists Chairman with site arrangements,
rental of fairgrounds for maintenance, trash dumpsters,
electrical distribution, and other aspects of the site selection
and related contingencies.

Publicity Chairman. The most critical job on the convention
committee, publicity efforts make or break the event. Get the
word to active hams by direct mail, and advertising in ham
magazines, QST, and regional convention flyers.

Exhibit Hall Chairman. Plans exhibit layout and works with
commercial exhibitors.

Ticket Chairman. Advance and at-the-door ticket sales. Arranges
for printing of tickets. Maintains sales records for hamfest.

Parking Chairman. Coordinates parking scheme, makes signs and
schedules parking lot staffing.

Flea Market Chairman. Plans flea market arrangement. Guides flea
marketeers to their spaces.

Security Chairman. Provides security for the grounds and
especially the exhibit hall.

Food Chairman. Coordinates food and drink concessions.

Information Chairman. Talk-in station. Gathers information on
local hotels, hospitals, restaurants, gas stations, shopping
facilities, beaches, tourist attractions and alternate
entertainments for non-ham spouses. Runs Public Address system.

Program Chairman. Plans hamfest programs including forums,
seminars, films.

Alternate Activities Chairman. Ensures a fun weekend for non-
hams. Volleyball, and Trivial Pursuit coordinator.

Exams Chairman. Coordinates volunteer exam session. Contacts ARRL
VEC office well in advance to ensure that everything comes
together on hamfest or convention day.


Finances

    Of primary importance is well-planned and administered
financing of the convention. Too many affairs go on the rocks,
financially, because of faulty cost estimates. On the other hand,
attending hams are quick to sense a situation where the
convention is being run as a "money-maker" for the sponsoring
club or group, all of which results in bad feelings. Do not try
to "clean up" at the expense of the attending amateurs.

   The following list will serve as a guide to the items that must
be considered in budgeting your costs:

     Banquet (rent of hall, cost of food and any entertainment)
     Tickets (printing costs)
     Free tickets and/or gratuities to speakers or guests
     Transportation expenses of speakers, if necessary
     Cost of sending out notices and other advertising
          literature to the ARRL Division
     Cost of printed programs
     Cost of badges
     Allowance for complimentary banquet tickets to speakers
          or guests
     Signs, banners and decorations
     Prize costs
     Costs of excursions or hire of buses
     Telephone and postage
     Photocopy facility

    In figuring these costs, it is first necessary to get some
idea of the expected attendance. Most groups holding a convention
for the first time tend to overestimate attendance -- a sure way
to get into the red, financially! Be cautious in your estimates
and bear in mind circumstances that cut down attendance.
Simultaneous affairs in nearby ARRL Divisions have little effect,
unless they're within 300 miles. Bad weather, on the other hand,
may cut attendance in half.
   One of the very best guides to attendance is the record of
previous conventions or hamfests; these attendance figures should
always be secured and studied.
   With some idea of an attendance figure, you can go ahead with
the budget in earnest. Lay out your program in as much detail as
possible and then, with your attendance figure as a guide,
compute the cost of each feature. When you have finished, add
about 20% to the total to cover emergencies and to insure a
slight margin of profit.


Ticket Prices

   The total, divided by the expected attendance, gives you the
cost per ticket. This usually comes out in some odd figure, such
as $4.84 or $7.37; the ticket price should then be made the next
higher "even" figure, eg $5.00 or $7.50. Too high a cost may cut
your attendance; one way around it is to make expensive items
(eg, the banquet) optional extras. The wise committee will keep
the basic charge as low as possible.


Picking a Hotel

   Previous experience is often the best guide in picking a hotel
or other convention site to be sure that the food quality,
service and facilities will be satisfactory. The hotel chosen
will quote various prices on banquet menus, once you give them an
idea of attendance. Prices will vary widely according to
location, but a banquet figure higher than the cost of a meal in
a moderately priced restaurant will result in low attendance
and/or dissatisfaction. Most hotels demand a minimum guarantee on
dinners and you should make allowance for this in your
calculations. Additional dinners are not usually a problem,
provided adequate notice is given. Be sure somebody does give
notice if you find your attendance greater than expected; there
is nothing more disconcerting to a convention committee than to
find there are not enough places to go around.


Booth Space Sales

   Income can be derived from the sale of booth space to
manufacturers of radio equipment for amateur use for display of
their product line. Other groups are also interested in display
and sale of their goods at amateur conventions. Booth size is
usually 8' x 10' or multiples thereof. Flea market and tailgating
space is an additional source of income. The use of lecture halls
is ordinarily extended free by the hotel management when a
banquet arrangement is made with them. Make sure this is the
case, however, since some establishments assess extra charges. In
any event, tell them what you will need and make sure that the
rooms are reserved for your use and that you are aware of any
additional charges.

Chamber of Commerce, Convention Bureau

   In connection with printing programs, mailing notices to
amateurs in surrounding territory, and arranging for
transportation to points of interest, be sure to consult the
local Chamber of Commerce or Convention Bureau. It is frequently
possible to save substantial amounts on these items through such
personal contact; some Chambers assume most of the program and
publicity printing costs for conventions and even furnish
clerical help. It is a good idea to have your tentative program
drawn up before going to see them, however, as no one likes to
commit himself on an unknown proposition. Another possibility is
the use of non-profit mailing privileges for qualified
organizations.


Keep It Simple

   Don't succumb to the lure of elaborate programs or badges;
they run up costs amazingly but do not contribute to the success
of the convention. The experienced convention committee keeps
them simple and inexpensive. In most cities you'll be able to
find badge firms locally; consult the classified section of the
telephone directory under "Badges" or "Advertising Specialties."
   Don't put off badge negotiations until the last minute; you
should start work on badges at least six weeks before the
convention date.


Advertising

   Many conventions defray cost of printing the program by
soliciting advertising. It is not recommended that solicitation
be made from national radio manufacturers for such advertising;
their budgets are laid out months in advance and asking them is
generally a waste of time. Local and regional dealers, however,
are good prospects. And, don't limit yourself to approaching only
radio dealers, but, contact the hotel in which the affair will be
held, also, and nearby garages, parking lots and restaurants.


Prizes

   The hamfest committee should not depend on all prizes being
donated by dealers or manufacturers. For the most part it is much
better to include prize purchases as part of the hamfest budget
and take advantage of the generous discounts most dealers and
manufacturers offer for prize purchases. It is far better to
allow for purchases and reduce the budget if donations are
received. Donations are always a generous gesture and should be
well acknowledged.
   In some states awarding prizes on the basis of the drawing of
a lucky ticket -- lotteries -- is illegal. Convention committees
should check the local law. In any event, federal law prohibits
the use of the mail for the circulation of any matter containing
an offering of a prize to be awarded upon the basis of lottery or
chance.


Exhibits

   Exhibits are costly to the manufacturer and dealer.
Shipping, travel expenses for those manning the exhibit, loss of
man-hours at work for those on the road, not to mention the
exhibit charges themselves, add up quickly. Many companies have
opted to participate only in events that are two days in length
and have an historically "proven" attendance in excess of 3000.
The exception to this requirement is usually your local dealer or
manufacturer as they will recognize the possibility of having an
exclusive on sales or product exposure. Caution: Every
convention and hamfest in the country has a noticeably smaller
attendance on the second day. Be very sure your second day
attendance is not limited to your exhibitors and committee
members. Plan some activities for the second day that will make
the attendees want to return.


Meeting Exhibitors' Needs

   Evelyn Garrison, KA7LPK, who's accumulated years of
convention experience with ICOM AMERICA, Inc, offers some
additional pointers on commercial exhibitors' needs:


1. Adequate set-up time must be allowed for exhibitors. Quite
often, dealers drive all night to attend a show -- and
manufacturers may have to fly across the entire country. This
makes it very difficult to set up a show at 9:00 a.m. and open at
12 noon as is often requested. Give exhibitors 10 - 12 hours for
set-up. The 3 - 4 hours usually provided are simply not enough!

2. Most exhibitors would prefer not to have the commercial
exhibits open on Friday night. Only with an attendance of 10,000
plus would it be necessary to open exhibits on Friday night. If a
hamfest draws only 2500 to 3000 in attendance, exhibitors see the
same people Friday, Saturday and Sunday. This is not quality
sales time.

3. An exhibitors' lounge must be provided where battle-weary
exhibitors can go to rest their feet for a few minutes. The
lounge should be close to the exhibit hall. Exhibitors cannot
expect employees to stand on their feet all day without a place
to take a short break.

4. Sandwiches and beverages should be easy for exhibitors to
obtain. If these items could be purchased in the exhibitors
lounge, it would be an ideal situation. If not, perhaps a
separate line at the concession stand for "exhibitors only" could
be established. It is necessary to get back to the booth quickly,
and quite often one can spend 15 - 20 minutes standing on a
concrete floor in a refreshment line.

5. A few conventions do not have easy access for the dealers to
load their trucks after the shows. Several dealers need to have
access to a loading area at the same time. Only one fork-lift or
elevator for a show held on the second floor is not adequate.

  Most exhibitors travel many miles each year to present a
professional approach to Amateur Radio conventions. This is very
expensive and physically taxing to all manufacturers and dealers.
These few simple courtesies will help to attract additional
exhibitors to most hamfests.


Flea Market

  Probably the most popular part of any ham radio convention or
hamfest is the flea market. Here, sellers set up tables,
elaborate booths, or simple tailgates to peddle just about
everything under the sun: vintage radios, tubes, used 2-meter
rigs, muffin fans, radio components, caps, badges, jackets,
Novice rigs, and so on. Sellers are generally admitted for a
slightly higher admission fee in exchange for a flea market space
and possibly a table. Buyers descend on sellers to buy, trade
and ragchew.
  Sellers are usually admitted before the doors open to the
public to offer them a chance to set up their tables. Your Flea
Market Coordinator arranges the layout of the flea market area
and directs sellers to their spaces.
  Some sellers may engage in sales of illegal items such as
pirated software, video decoders, fuzz busters, and so forth.
Print warnings in your hamfest literature, and post signs
prominently to the effect that such sales will not be tolerated,
and sellers suspected of illegal sales will be subject to
prosecution by local authorities.
  Handicap access: Make sure that your show is fully accessible
to physically handicapped persons. Employ wheelchair ramps
wherever possible.

Programs

   First things first, pick some topics that would be of most
interest to hams attending your show -- they'll be good drawing
cards. Remember that you'll need to recruit a local expert to
present each seminar. Here are some suggested topics to choose
from:

ARRL Forum

FCC Forum

Instructor's Forum

Antenna Talk

Packet Radio -- Introduction

Packet Radio -- Discussion Forum

Traffic Handlers Confab

ARES Program

AMSAT or Satellite

Amateur Television Demonstration

DXpedition Presentation

Contest Station Design

VHF/UHF Conference

RFI Forum

VE Forum

Club Presidents' Leadership Roundtable

ARRL Section Leadership Get Together

Public Relations Forum

New Ham Hospitality Forum

ARRL Volunteers Opportunities Forum

Youth Forum