Richmond, VA Frostfest

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ka8ypy
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Richmond, VA Frostfest

Post by ka8ypy »

Saturday Feb 2 at a new location, Richmond International Raceway.

http://www.frostfest.com/

I am planning on going, any one else?
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zzuupp
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Re: Richmond, VA Frostfest

Post by zzuupp »

ka8ypy wrote:Saturday Feb 2 at a new location, Richmond International Raceway.

http://www.frostfest.com/

I am planning on going, any one else?
I'll be there. Early on, I'll be up in testing-land.
ka8ypy
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Re: Richmond, VA Frostfest

Post by ka8ypy »

zzuupp wrote:
ka8ypy wrote:Saturday Feb 2 at a new location, Richmond International Raceway.

http://www.frostfest.com/

I am planning on going, any one else?
I'll be there. Early on, I'll be up in testing-land.
Roger that, give me a holler when you get done.
I will always place the mission first.
I will never accept defeat.
I will never quit.
I will never leave a fallen commrade
n3ntx
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Post by n3ntx »

can't go.

got a promotional test that day. however, i think i am wasting my time. :soap:
ka8ypy
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Post by ka8ypy »

n3ntx wrote:can't go.

got a promotional test that day. however, i think i am wasting my time. :soap:
You could always come to work in PG...... :baby:
I will always place the mission first.
I will never accept defeat.
I will never quit.
I will never leave a fallen commrade
KB4QAA
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Post by KB4QAA »

FrostFest was great. The new location at the Richmond International Raceway made a tremendous difference in the attitude.

There was an excellent turnout of both hams, non-hams and vendors. Yaesu national showed up with a full display including their $10k HF radio. Wow. The vendors seemed to be doing a brisk business and I got several bags full of bargains. Hi hi.

The facilities were great, with the hamfest using two of the smaller halls and a conference room. There were attendents cleaning and stocking the restrooms, food was available at the main hall next door and included fast food items as well as roast chicken, real mashed potatoes and veggies for $6.50. Parking was easy, just inside the gate and walking distance wasn't much more than the old location.

Some of the smaller vendors started packing up around 2 pm, but not nearly as early as the Showplace, and there was still a contingent of hams, and vendors at closing time. I talked to a friend who has long time help put on the hamfest and he said "The Showplace is done". It was announced at closing that they intend to return to RIR next year.

73, Bill
ka8ypy
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Post by ka8ypy »

All in all, since this hamfest has been shrinking, I think RIR worked out for them. I would have liked to have seen more room in the isles, they were maybe eight feet wide, I believe fire code requires 10 feet, but not sure.

Directions sucked unless you knew where you were going, something they plan to work on for next year. And a benefit to RIR is that they can now do tailgating if they want to.

All in all, not a bad hamfest, still had the requisit junk dealers, not as much commercial gear as in the past, and not as much room to enter once you got inside the front door. Plus having the Red Cross ERV right outside the main hall belching exhaust fumes into the main hall didn't help matters much until the ERV was asked to move.

I would rate this hamfest a success with room for improvement/growth if they need it that the previous location did not allow.
I will always place the mission first.
I will never accept defeat.
I will never quit.
I will never leave a fallen commrade
zzuupp
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Post by zzuupp »

Since this was my 1st frostfest, I can't offer any comparisons.

Directions: I geezed. I've been to the track, but then went on autopilot to the parking lots behind the track. I realized that I f'ed up when all the cars with antennas were going the other way.

I thought an old commodore 64 was pretty random junk, until I saw a vic 20.

Testing-land was upstairs in the big (but non-connected) exhibition hall next door. It was conveniently labeled "Gun Show". Yup, two crowds of characters on a warm February morning.

They had a good system going up in testingland. The room was spacious enough so that quiet directions about form filling, ID's, and results would not affect testing itself in the back.
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