Agreed fully with the above emails. IMO the risks incurred in moving the event are much greater than the risks of losing some attendance. - Dean On Sat, Nov 11, 2023 at 3:08 PM Sentrytv via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:

It is too bad that the solar eclipse does not fall on the same weekend as VCF East

Here is the reason why I say this.

There will be more people at the event, and setting up a solar eclipse viewing area could have been part of the VCF East event. (Take advantage of the natural phenomena)

The antique radio club could get involved as well, because during the solar eclipse, there may be a change in solar activity that could affect reception, possibly increasing the range people can transmit and receive radio signals, just like with the event about a month or so ago.

I am no scientist and I’m sure there are people out there that have more information about this.

Just my two. Cents.

Sent from: My extremely complicated, hand held electronic device.

...

On Nov 11, 2023, at 2:53 PM, Herbert Johnson via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:

I'm posting, because no one has suggested the *merits* of timing VCF-East adjacent to the April 8th Eclipse. Note that the Eclipse is an early afternoon event on the Monday after Sunday's VCF-East.

First. Wall NJ will have almost 90% totality. So if someone stays over Sunday night at VCF, they get an afternoon show without going anywhere, for one more day at their hotel, a skipped workday. They won't see totality, but partials are still impressive.

Second. Syracuse NY is on the south edge of totality. Google Maps suggests a 4.5 hour drive from Wall NJ to Syracuse NY, along major highways. For other Eclipse locations, more distance/time, more/less driving convenience. Someone in Wall NJ could drive to the Eclipse zone Sunday afternoon/evening, stay there overnight, drive home Monday evening. (Sunset April 8th 7:40PM local time). They could also drive Monday morning (Sunrise 6:34AM or so) and hope for no travel problems.

For some people (not many, for geographic reasons), the Eclipse may be on-the-way to/from VCF-East. But others, they will be on-the-road anyway.

Third. VCF-East is a rain/snow/shine event (barring a 'noreaster). Cloudiness alone - just for a few hours - impedes the Eclipse. But weather can only be forecast a few days in advance; hard weather only a week, tops. Yet, a hotel room for the Eclipse totality-zone? Probably they are *already* fully booked.

Fourth. The Eclipse will draw more people than the VCF-East event.

Don't get mad at me, these are circumstances.

But these suggest, it's *strategic* to schedule VCF-East adjacent to the public event of the Eclipse. The Eclipse is the bigger draw. VCF-East gives eclipse-attendees, *something to do before*, on a weekend. And VCF-East is weather-proof, it's a Plan B if you've booked a room but the weather blocks viewing of the eclipse.

Conclusion: Eclipse-travelers are a *captive market* for the VCF-East weekend prior to the eclipse. And a *draw* for some VCF-East attendees, on their way to/from, who want to do both.

How VCFed Inc. takes advantage of this strategy is for them to determine. But do so soon for reasons stated. Consider contacting places in northern NY state (most adjacent geography to Wall NJ); a geography-directed strategy that in most years won't normally work. It's likely there's already eclipse-directed advertising venues available.

Regards Herb Johnson

-- Herbert R. Johnson, New Jersey USA https://www.retrotechnology.com OR .net preserve, recover, restore 1970's computing email: hjohnson AT retrotechnology DOT com or try later herbjohnson AT comcast DOT net