Electrical Hookup at NSA Convention

[P3D William Davis <bd3d@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

In Digest 1269 George Themelis wrote:
>Bill Davis or NSA officials:

>Can any one explain to me why there is an extra charge for having an
>electrical outlet?  I need one to demonstrate my transformers and AC
>viewers.  Why do I have to pay extra for that?

>>  Electrical outlet....(Additional charge)..$10.00

>George Themelis

Well, I'm not an NSA official, just an unpaid volunteer (as is everyone 
in NSA, I think.  Some just volunteer less.).  My best guess, as a 
veteran of numerous industrial product exhibitions from one coast to 
the other is that the NSA is being charged for the hookup.  Think about 
it, you can't just run extension cords to the nearest wall outlet at 
these places.  You have to have a licensed (often union scale $$$) 
electrician run the proper electrical connections exactly according to 
code.  In most (non-NSA) exhibitions I've attended in cities such as 
Chicago, Boston, or Los Angeles the charge for electric hookups is 
considerably higher, on the order of $50-60 for a four day show.  In 
Chicago, you are expected to pay an electrician for any plugging or 
unplugging of cords!  I had to pay a union carpenter to shrink wrap one 
pallet of material to be returned after the show and not only was I 
charged for his time to the nearest half-hour, I was charged per foot 
for the shrink wrap!  This is why you will not see the NSA Convention 
in cities like Chicago, LA, or Boston.  

Sorry to have been the bearer of bad tidings to George and any other 
exhibitors who were taken by surprise by this fee, but I'm sure the 
"NSA officials" do everything they can to keep the cost to you as low 
as possible.
 
Best regards,
Bill Davis 
  



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