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- _________________________________________________________________
-
- The ARRL Convention and Hamfest Guidebook
-
- A Jungle Survival Guide for event Sponsors
- _________________________________________________________________
-
- 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
-
-