Ham-Com

How are "door prizes" awarded at Ham-Com and why do I have to be present to win?

Ham-Com provides tickets with stubs that attendees must place in a barrel. At specified times, the prize booth staff (volunteers who usually members of an area club) draw a ticket stub and display the number of the ticket that was drawn in the main exhibit hall.  For hourly drawings, these numbers are displayed all day. However, prizes that are not picked up at the end of the first day of the event are rolled over to the next day. Any prizes that are not claimed by the end of the second day are placed in the "shotgun" drawing (see below). 

 

The need to be present to win is two-fold.  First, Ham-Com is not (for a variety of reasons), a qualified organization under the Texas Charitable Raffles law, Chapter 2002. It is the opinion of the Ham-Com, Inc. Board of Directors that this requires the award of "door prizes" rather than "raffle prizes." Therefore, you must purchase a ticket and be present to win a "door prize." Ham-Com has no interest is becoming involved in an expensive injunctive action with the courts over the award of prizes at our event. If you're at all interested in reading the law, you can find it in the Texas Annotated Statutes. There are online sources or you could probably find a copy in your public library.   

 

Second, Ham-Com is a very expensive event to produce. The commercial vendors that attend our event provide a large percentage of the capital required to produce it. The "door prize" giveaways and the timing of same ensure that enough people attend the event to make their investment worthwhile. To put it another way, the exhibitors and vendors are paying a great deal of money toward your enjoyment of the event. While ticket sales do help, Ham-Com would not be able to produce the event in its present form based on the sale of admission tickets alone.

 

Special note: Members of the Ham-Com Board of Directors and the operations staff are ineligible to win "door prizes" from the event.

What happens to "door prizes" that aren't claimed by the end of event?

I didn't know that I had to be present to win a prize at Ham-Com.  Why didn't you tell me?

Information about Ham-Com "door prizes" is clearly posted on the Web site via the "Terms" link. Each time prizes are mentioned in the "Ham-Com Flyer" the terms "You must be present to win..." are shown.

Why does Ham-Com use PayPal as their online credit card processor? 

We thought it important to provide the specific contents of the email (unedited except for removal of the sender's name) as well as our response.  We are including this information our FAQ because the Board of Directors of Ham-Com, Inc. values the reputation of our event as well as the individual personal integrity of our directors. 

 

To All It May Concern!

Fellow Hams, please take notice!  If you have made or intend to make any pre-Ham-Com purchases using Ham-Com's website and have a PayPal account, be careful!  I prepaid for my admission ticket (or tried to, or thought I did, . . . now I don't know) using the online services available at the Ham-Com website.  I truly hope my experience is an isolated case.  However, if you have had the same or a similar experience, please join me in contacting PayPal, Ham-Com and perhaps forward copies of your correspondence to Greg Abbott, Office of Attorney General of Texas, attention: Consumer Protection and Public Health Division.  Below is a brief synopsis of the current state of affairs regarding my experience!

Yesterday I received notice from service@paypal.com informing me that "You sent a payment of $8.00 USD to Ham-Com, Inc. using PayPal. This charge will appear on your credit card statement as payment to PAYPAL *HAM COM INC."  No information regarding the name of the credit card company that will issue this statement was provided.  This notification came as a complete surprise!  Although the Ham-Com website encourages the use of PayPal, I declined the use of PayPal services and provided payment information using my VISA card account.  PayPal has no authorization to access my VISA account.

A similar notification was also received yesterday from office@hamcom.org .  The notification from Ham-Com confirmed the method of payment was PayPal!  Surprise now becomes concern!

Using my VISA account was certainly my intent since it was the only account number I entered at the Ham-Com website, however, since PayPal was able to get involved without my authorization and since they also have no authorization to access my VISA account, I wonder what credit card account will actually be charged?   

I did not intentionally select payment using PayPal and unless Ham Com's website is set up as a "trap" for folks with PayPal accounts, the obvious question is how did PayPal get involved?  Am I not required to log-in to my PayPal account before I can use it?  I did not log-in!  Am I not required to enter my PayPal password before the account can be accessed?  I did not enter my PayPal password! 

In the past I have received so many "spoof" messages regarding my PayPal account that I no longer have faith in the authenticity of anything I receive with the name PayPal associated with it.  Could this be just another PayPal "spoof"?  If so, how is Ham-Com involved since they show PayPal as my method of payment?

Regardless, I expect to receive and am certainly looking forward to an email reply from both PayPal and from Ham-Com providing a full explanation of how something like this can happen.  I will certainly forward their reply to everyone "copied" in this email as well as FYI to greg.abbott@oag.state.tx.us , attention: Consumer Protection and Public Health Division. 

Hope to see all of you HAMS at Ham-Com!

A concerned Ham in Huntington, TX 

Separate copy
Office of Attorney General of Texas greg.abbott@oag.state.tx.us , attention: Consumer Protection and Public Health Division.

 

Ham-Com's reply to "Concerned Ham" is shown below. It was signed by a member of our Board of Directors. 

 

Dear Concerned Ham: 

 

Thanks for including us in your email broadcast but I wish that you had simply contacted Ham-Com, Inc. first so I could answer your questions. The answer to your apparent question is "Yes:" PayPal is Ham-Com, Inc.'s online processor for credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, Discover and AMEX). You don't have to be a member of PayPal to use your credit card on our Web site. PayPal functions as a "wholesaler" just like hundreds, perhaps thousands of other online transaction servicers including banks. You didn't have to enter your password because you weren't completing the transaction using your PayPal account; you were using your credit card. The CVV2 (three-digit number) on the back of the credit card functions like a password to ensure that someone isn't using a credit card receipt that contains your name, account number, expiration date, etc.

 

Had you not wanted to use PayPal either as the primary service or as a credit card transaction processor, all you had to do is contact us and we would have taken your information via phone and settled the transaction with our bank who, by the way, functions as a "wholesaler" of credit card transactions, just as PayPal does.  We cheerfully do this for a dozen or so attendees each year for various reasons. 

 

Apparently, you did not read the information that is clearly posted on the Ham-Com Web site as part of the "Shopping Cart," to wit:

 

* * * * *

How to Check-out and Pay for Your Order...  

 

When you have finished shopping just click on the "Go to checkout" button.

 

We accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express and PayPal online. We use PayPal as our credit card processor but you do not have to be a PayPal member to pay by credit card! Just select the blue "Continue" link on the left side of the payment screen (see the image below for the location) to complete your transaction.

 

Why We Use PayPal...

 

Customer information entered on the order form is secured by PGP encryption and credit card information is transmitted securely over the Internet via SSL. No customer information (personal or credit card) is stored on our website.

 

* * * * *

 

I have provided a copy of your transaction (below my signature) as it appears on our PayPal management screen. As you can see, the amount that was charged to your credit card was $8.00 and only $8.00. If this differs from the information that you receive on your credit card statement, please let me know immediately.

 

While I support your choice to use your credit card as you see fit, the information that you provided in your email to the persons in the Cc: block of your email is completely without merit. There are no intents or purposes whereby Ham-Com misled or "trapped" you or any other of the over 2,000 users who purchased admission online via our Web site since we began using PayPal over three years ago. As a point of fact, one of the main reasons that Ham-Com, Inc. uses PayPal is because it enables our visitors to purchase admission online using a credit card or their PayPal account without leaving any personal or credit card information. This is important because Ham-Com, Inc. is committed to being fully compliant with CCPII processing rules. 

 

The implication that Ham-Com and/or PayPal "trap" users via our Web site is completely absurd on its face and I would ask that you refrain from any further use of that characterization where Ham-Com, Inc. is concerned. You are entitled to your opinion but I do not believe that you are entitled to spread inaccurate information via email about Ham-Com, Inc. without consequences. I also do not think that it is too much to ask that the full text of this reply be sent to the recipient list on your original email with a Cc: to office@hamcom.org. Failing that, Ham-Com, Inc. may choose to regard your actions as tortious interference and will act accordingly.

 

Now that I have laid out the facts, would you like a refund for your admission to Ham-Com 2009? Please let me know so I can take care of it personally.

 

73

 

Barry, WA5KXX
Ham-Com, Inc.

 

* * * * * BEGIN PAYPAL TRANSACTION INFORMATION

 

Web Accept Payment Received (Unique Transaction ID #1EN8341010133622V)

Name:  A concerned Ham in Huntington, TX 

(The sender of this payment is Unregistered)
Email: concernedHam@spoofmail.com Payment Sent to: office@hamcom.org

 

Total Amount:  $8.00 USD Fee amount: -$0.53 USD
Net amount: $7.47 USD

  

* * * * * END PAYPAL TRANSACTION INFORMATION

For users of Microsoft Internet Explorer 8...

If you are having trouble view our website, please click "Tools" and select "Compatibility View."  This allows IE8 to emulate IE7.  Exit the application and restart it.  You should be able to view the Ham-Com website without any problems after making this change.

Why did Ham-Com move to the Plano Centre?

The move to Plano was made for several reasons:

• The Arlington Convention Center would not provide us with a date in June 2006. That forced the Ham-Com, Inc. Board of Directors to consider moving the event to either May or July. The Board decided that a May date would be too close to the Dayton Hamvention and that July was not good because of higher summer temperatures and pre-planned vacations.
• The costs at the Arlington location would have forced an increase in admission, commercial exhibitor and flea market tables. The parking fee was not negotiable plus hotel and food costs would have increased due to the Dallas Cowboy's impending move to a new stadium site in Arlington. The increase was in the form of a new hotel tax (9%) that would help retire the city's debt on the purchase of land, the stadium and the parking lots.
• There are other reasons including the fact that the service provided by the hotel adjacent to the Arlington Convention Center has deteriorated and the potential conflicts with Texas Ranger baseball games. For those reasons (and many more that we won't take the time to discuss here), the Ham-Com, Inc. Board of Directors searched the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex for a suitable location. There are only five or six potential locations that could handle an event our size. We toured Fair Park, the American Airlines conference center, the Naman Forrest Center, Market Hall, Will Rogers Coliseum, Mesquite Exposition Center and the Fort Worth Convention Center. The locations in Dallas and Fort Worth and the State Fair Grounds didn't appear to be suitable for a number of reasons. The Mesquite Exposition Center was booked. The Naman Forrest Center in Garland would not provide a date in June 2006 due to high-school graduation schedules, Frisco was far too expensive and Plano, while being smaller, seemed to provide the best option.

What does the Plano Centre have to offer our event?

• A venue with a reasonable amount of space that includes classrooms.
• Lower price for rental of the entire facility. That allows us to lower costs for admission, commercial exhibitors and flea market vendors.
• A consistent date for the next five years. Ham-Com will be the second weekend of June through 2011. That eliminates conflicts for commercial exhibitors with the Dayton Hamvention and Sea-Pac in Seattle. Both events caused problems in the past and forced cancellations for commercial vendors who simply don't have the bandwidth to support two nearly simultaneous events.
• FREE parking. That is probably the most often heard complaint from attendees.
• Lower costs for hotels--40-50% less than Arlington.
• Lower food costs.

The Ham-Com, Inc. Board of Directors believes that we can produce a high-quality event at the Plano Centre. Our goal is to attract prospective and new Hams so that the event will continue to grow. We appreciate your support and look forward to seeing you at Ham-Com! 

Will there be an outdoor flea market for the "tailgaters?"

Yes...two area clubs will sponsor an outdoor flea market on the west side of the Plano Centre property. Cost is set at $8.00 per vehicle (trailers are $8.00 additional; some weight and size restrictions apply).

Why am I not receiving e-mail about Ham-Com?

There are several possible reasons. First, if you don't sign up for the mailing list, you won't receive e-mail about Ham-Com. Purchasing admission and/or flea market tables doesn't get you on the mailing list: You MUST sign up. The Ham-Com web site is in full compliance with the CAN-SPAM 2003 legislation enacted by Congress.

It is also possible that mail from Ham-Com is being blocked by your ISP. So far, we have had complaints from users at SBC, AT&T and Comcast. Earthlink users may not receive mail due to their "feedback" SPAM filtering system. If you are an Earthlink user, you must set "hamcom.org" up as a trusted site. Ham-Com volunteers simply cannot take the time to fill out the required form for each piece of mail sent to Earthlink subscribers.

What about the concession area at the Plano Centre? Will it be able to handle the crowd at Ham-Com?

Yes. Plano Centre management has experience with crowds of 20,000 or more. They will set up two lines with two cash registers to help speed things up. If necessary, we will cut down on the number of booths in the east hallway at the 2007 event to make room for an additional concession area.

Why is Ham-Com now on Friday and Saturday instead of Saturday and Sunday?

The Ham-Com, Inc. Board of Directors took a look at the survey responses and also asked attendees for their opinions. What we thought we heard was that many people with families have schedules that don't allow them to be at Ham-Com on Saturday or Sunday. Some said that it was easier to take a vacation day from work and attend on Friday. If the Friday-Saturday schedule doesn't work, we'll try a Saturday-Sunday schedule in 2007.

The indoor flea market tables were sold out before I had a chance to buy one? Why did they sell out so fast?

Ham-Com is a very popular regional event and attracts table-top vendors from several states. If you don't get an inside table, take part in the outdoor "tailgater" market on the west side of the Plano Centre property.

What is Ham-Com doing to attract prospective and new Hams to the event?

Ham-Com is providing $25.00 payments to any club in the West Gulf Division (and some others in nearby states) that will post the event banner on their website index page. For more information, click the the "Clubs" link on the for information about participation.

Can I bring my pets to the event?

The City of Plano and Plano Centre allow only service animals for persons with special needs. All other animals are prohibited and there can be no exceptions to this rule!

Will I be able to access the Internet from the Plano Centre?

Yes. Wireless network service (802.11) is available on the property and will be FREE. Please note that access to the Internet on City of Plano property is governed by specific rules. Any downloading or transmission of objectionable or otherwise illegal materials may be grounds for expulsion from the property and adjudication under any applicable civil or criminal statutes.

Can I park overnight at Ham-Com in my camper?

Yes. The Plano Centre allows overnight parking at the venue beginning on the Thursday prior to the event. You cannot arrive before 5:00 p.m. on Thursday and must depart before 9:00 a.m. on Sunday.

What is being done about parking at the venue?

The Ham-Com, Inc. Board of Directors has arranged for ALL parking to be at the venue this year. That means that people attending the event who cannot find a parking place in the lot can park on the grass in the northwest corner of the property. The Plano Centre expanded the paved parking area during 2008 to accommodate more vehicles.

Why did Ham-Com switch to PayPal for credit card transactions?

There are a number of reasons. First was ease of use. Our former processor made online transactions difficult for the use. If you "fat-fingered" a digit the system would decline the transaction and lock your card number out of the system for 24 hours. PayPal is much more tolerant but is even more secure since it uses methods to defeat robot transactions using pilfered card numbers. In addition, PayPal not only provides payment from their proprietary system and allows Ham-Com to accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express and PayPal e-Check. That provides more people access to the system and, certainly, more convenience.