One of the larger Hamfests in the season happens every June in Rochester, NY. Once an active and happening fest, it has seen a marked decline in recent years. A few years ago the organizers, sensing the dwindling numbers of attendees and exhibitors, started to allow non-radio exhibitors to show at the fest. The result is an influx of model railroad, handicraft and other vendors selling everything from homemade soap to Japanese schoolgirl pornography.
Our man Nessman (Five-time winner of the Buckeye News Award, as well as the Silver Sow), took these photos for us. Enjoy!
Ah, nothing says HAMFEST like skin care products.
You’ll look that way too if you spent three days trying to sell lawn elves to 400lb radio misfits
Ah, nothing says HAMFEST like boxes of hardcore pornography
The spartan interior of the hockey dome demonstrates unfortunate lack of interest in the Hamfest.
The Rochester Institute of Technology Ham Radio Club wisely decided not to show up
$5 for a Glucometer bought at a hamfest=BAR-GOOON!
The world famous HAMBULANCE!!
Rochester wasn’t without it’s whackers – this one’s pretty sad.
I don’t think he’s fooling anyone….
Proves you don’t have to be old or enfeebled to trade in a scooter for your legs (and your dignity)
We call this a “Dayton Traffic Jam”… except it’s in Rochester!!
Heh, the RIT Amateur Radio Club. I remember bumping into a few of them my freshman year. I cant say they weren’t the scariest bunch of ham geeks I’ve seen, but there were definitely a few winners. Maybe the fact that they didn’t show up meant they grew a sense of shame 😉
P.S.: More proof of the Star Trek/Amateur Radio connenction.
RIT, we’re nerd-tastic!
“Our man Nessman (Five-time winner of the Buckeye News Award, as well as the Silver Sow), took these photos for us. Enjoy!”
Where’s Bailey Quarters?? WE WANT BAILEY!!
Wow – it’s been a long time since I’ve been to the Rochester ‘fest… I’d forgotten how nice it is to happen across a stack of porn while you’re browsing uninterestedly through DOS software from the early ’90s, or to be harassed by the windshield repair franchise guys, or to assimilate an empty vendor table as a lunch spot. There are certainly enough of them!
My only regret in not going this year was that I could have shot some undercover photos for HamSexy, but instead I slept. Oh well, there’s always next year… Or the (even more pathetic) Buffalo hamfest!
Hey, Ness, did you check to see if there was any Skyporn in the adult movie box?
This is a shining example of why my interst in Ham radio is going down the toilet fast…. what were they they thinking, they should have just stopped doing the hamfest rather than invite lawn ornaments, japanese porno and that other shit in there.. what a joke… and low and behold… a fresh batch of old farts on scooters…yay.. that screams “ham radio is cool”…. what a joke… me thinks it’s time to dump my radio equipment and find a cool hobby, like ….. picking my zits….. another day, another embarrasment to ham radio….
The thought of these guys sitting at home, testing their blood sugar and watching Japanese porn really gives me the willies for some reason….
Nessman’s going to win the Copper Cob for this!
It’s sad to see the shit that gets sold at the “hamfests” now. Nothing like being hitup to buy some cosmetics for the xyl from some old hag. I’m glad I didn’t go to ours.
Wake up we are loosing our new young men and ladies because we say Ham Radio and do other junk. Where is the old build it your self men and ladies? I teach electronic and tell the students you can build your own set and get on the air in Ham Radio tell them about Hamfest build it up and they get turned off.
Kissing Ham Radio good by is what some of this pron etc. junk is doing to us.
My students from my High School was turned off with the Dayton Hamfest they was looking for Ham related items and found a fee market of other junk.
This is the 3rd year in a row with to much neg feed back from my students most have said no more of Dayton for them.
Thanks for kelling our good hobbie with junk.