The Huntsville Hamfest is one of the hamfests everyone needs to attend at least once in their radio life. It's a two-day hamfest, and there is so much to see that it will take two days to cover it all (or maybe just most of it).
This first thing to see is the commercial displays. This is the first area one sees after entry. It's where MFJ, HRO, and the other commercial outfits set up shop for the weekend. New products are on display, favorite products are available (sometimes with hamfest special prices), and new vendors can be discovered.
Second, there's my favorite place, the flea market area. That's where we set up and live for two days, and it's a whirlwind of activity. Most of the flea market area is set up on Friday afternoon, and by Saturday at 8:00 AM all the tables are filled with vintage radios, SK gear, and some hams just trying to get rid of their overflow. If there's a specific boat anchor you've been wanting, there's a good chance it's sitting on a table at Huntsville. Right behind our table were two folks from Jackson (MS) with a huge load of Collins, Drake, and Heathkit gear.
Concessions are on hand, and larger vendors get meal tickets for Saturday and Sunday. The vendor hospitality room has fresh coffee and Krispy Kreme doughnuts each morning. Lots and lots of coffee, thanks to three Bunn coffeemakers that stayed engaged all day long, and stacks of the jumbo boxes of Krispy Kremes.
After the last door prize was announced, vendors were allowed to drive in and load up for the trip home. The traffic wardens (maybe 10 or 12 of them) kept us from colliding, and in just under an hour after closing we were loaded and headed back to Mississippi.
There is a huge amount of organization that goes into the Huntsville Hamfest, and while the logistics must be a nightmare to arrange, they host club pulls it off in a polished and professional manner. Kudos to all the Huntsville folks who really do make the Huntsville Hamfest the friendliest hamfest in the world.
