Topic: An Unhappy Camper

[W1RC]

I guess not everybody had a great time at NEAR-Fest last weekend.

http://ticom.livejournal.com/158736.html#cutid1

I am pretty sure that this is from the vendor who had a "$3,000.00" radio stolen from his table on Friday although he fails to mention it.  I am thinking that his outburst of negativity may be motivated by his unfortunate loss in an attempt to vindicate himself and somehow blame NEAR-Fest.  NEAR-Fest deplores any kind of thievery and will strongly encourage vendors to prosecute anyone to the full extent of the law who is caught stealing from them at our event.  However we cannot accept any responsibility for vendors' goods and this is clearly stated in the agreement they receive when they book space inside the Commercial buildings.

However, many of his observations and comments have little or no credibility because he spent the entire time in Commercial Building #1 and thus doesn't have any idea of the big picture of the 'Fester.  Some guys on the air are saying it is the "best NEAR-Fest ever".  Our attendance was up significantly from NEAR-Fest IV and the commercial selling spaces were sold out long before we opened.  We actually had to turn some would-be vendors away.  

This writer apparently doesn't even know that the price of admission is reduced at 0600 Saturday instead of Friday afternoon as he states.  This policy started with NEAR-Fest II in October 2007 so his information is obviously very much out-of-date.

He does, however, make some valid points when discussing the current state of the hobby.  Regardless, I am not going to post any comment to his blog.  However if any you wanted to post a comment to set him straight I sure wouldn't try to talk you out of it.

I replied as follows:

I really find your posts about NEAR-Fest very one-sided and totally without foundation.

First of all you don't identify yourself in any manner that I can know who you are but I'm guessing that you are the exhibitor who lost the Motorola radio.  Is your post an attempt to vindicate yourself and somehow blame NEAR-Fest for your misfortune?  We deplore thievery in any form and will strongly urge anyone so victimized to prosecute anyone caught stealing to the fullest extent of the law.

Regardless, your comments describing our hamfest as a "Mongolian clusterfuck" are not only offensive they are completely inaccurate as well.  My team does an outstanding job of putting this together twice a year and we don't need "a second chance" from anyone.

According to our Treasurer our paid attendance was in excess of 2100 and all commercial vendor tables were sold out before the show started.  We even started a "waiting list".  So your reports to the contrary were simply not accurate and very misleading.  Then again, how would you know since you were inside the building sitting at your table and not outside enjoying the 'fester.

Other than the theft from your table there were no significant incidents.

Just about everyone with whom I spoke was very happy with NEAR-Fest V and had a great time.  The main bone of contention with some of the commercial vendors was the closing time (either too early or too late) and we are working to address this issue.

You stated that the admission drops to $5.00 at 3:00 in Friday.  This is totally inaccurate - we reduce it to $5.00 on Saturday morning and has done so since October 2007.  

I am betting that you won't have the sense of fair play to admit you were wrong and approve this message for posting to your blog.

73,

MrMike