EVENT vNARCON 2023

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I have tried to register but the family registration is not working.
 
We have people purchasing the family ticket, it is working. When registering, make sure to fill out the name and email address for each 3 people on the family ticket. If I can be of any help, just email me at [email protected].

Thank you!
 
So is the idea of an in person NARCON a thing of the past? The tech info is interesting, however the loss of 1:1 interaction with other like minded people would be saddening.
My understanding is that there is a desire to go back to in-person NARCONs. However, the vNARCONs have been (by attendence/viewership metrics) vastly more successful than the in-person ones. Doing a combined in-person/virtual NARCON is a logistical challenge since hotel/conference center internet connectivity is generally shoddy at best.
 
So is the idea of an in person NARCON a thing of the past? The tech info is interesting, however the loss of 1:1 interaction with other like minded people would be saddening.
I've loved the creation of vNARCON. I can't really justify the time and money to travel across the country just to talk about rockets, when that money could instead cover the cost of some large HPR projects. Spending $45 to catch the most interesting talks is much more enticing for me.

I wouldn't mind if the in person event came back, but I would really want the livestreamed option to continue in the future for those of us that can't make it in person.
 
My understanding is that there is a desire to go back to in-person NARCONs. However, the vNARCONs have been (by attendence/viewership metrics) vastly more successful than the in-person ones. Doing a combined in-person/virtual NARCON is a logistical challenge since hotel/conference center internet connectivity is generally shoddy at best.
vNARCON is "more successful" in terms of the number of registrants. IMHO, it's less successful in building connections between members.

I also find it hard to believe that the internet connectivity issue hasn't been solved. Surely, other organizations have set up and run "hybrid" meetings where both in-person and remote attendance are supported.
 
vNARCON is "more successful" in terms of the number of registrants. IMHO, it's less successful in building connections between members.
This is especially true for me at the "Beer Loft" . At a real bar I would probably seek out just one or two people and have a private conversation. This does not work in a Zoom session. The one thing I like about the Beer Loft is someone usually at the beginning gives a toast to the our fellow rocketeers who are no longer with us.
 
(not sure if this is the correct forum?)

Hey folks, haven't seen any posts about next weekend's vNARCON. Anyone else planning to "attend"? I guess that means tune in for a day of Zoom.

I greatly enjoyed the last 2 years' events, so I am looking forward to this year's.

I'd like to attend, but they sure don't make it easy. First, the link in the email gets blocked because it's a marketing tracker link. OK, no problem, I'll go in through the front door, on www.nar,org. Hmm, the link there (https://www.nar.org/virtual-narcon-2023/) gives a 404 error. Wow, NAR can't get their front page links to work? OK, let's try the direct link to vNARCON registration, below: https://www.nar.org/narcon-2023/

Now I'm getting somewhere. Well, after selecting my ticket, the "accelevents" site starts a 10 minute timer, gotta BUY NOW. ok, no problem. Just gotta login. Err, umm, I wonder what email I used last year? OK, figured it out, password... no idea. OK, password recovery... push this button to send password recovery instructions to that email. ok. nothing. try it again several times. more than 10 minutes go by. Ticket times out. no password recovery.

Screw it.
 
(not sure if this is the correct forum?)

Hey folks, haven't seen any posts about next weekend's vNARCON. Anyone else planning to "attend"? I guess that means tune in for a day of Zoom.

I greatly enjoyed the last 2 years' events, so I am looking forward to this year's.

I'd like to attend, but they sure don't make it easy. First, the link in the email gets blocked because it's a marketing tracker link. OK, no problem, I'll go in through the front door, on www.nar,org. Hmm, the link there (https://www.nar.org/virtual-narcon-2023/) gives a 404 error. Wow, NAR can't get their front page links to work? OK, let's try the direct link to vNARCON registration, below: https://www.nar.org/narcon-2023/

Now I'm getting somewhere. Well, after selecting my ticket, the "accelevents" site starts a 10 minute timer, gotta BUY NOW. ok, no problem. Just gotta login. Err, umm, I wonder what email I used last year? OK, figured it out, password... no idea. OK, password recovery... push this button to send password recovery instructions to that email. ok. nothing. try it again several times. more than 10 minutes go by. Ticket times out. no password recovery.

Screw it.
There’s already a thread at
https://www.rocketryforum.com/threads/vnarcon-2023.176245/ if you want to hang out. Sounds like you’ve now got enough info to get a ticket within ten minutes. When I asked Todd about that there didn’t seem to be a way to disable that timeout feature.
 
vNARCON is "more successful" in terms of the number of registrants. IMHO, it's less successful in building connections between members.

I also find it hard to believe that the internet connectivity issue hasn't been solved. Surely, other organizations have set up and run "hybrid" meetings where both in-person and remote attendance are supported.

This is especially true for me at the "Beer Loft" . At a real bar I would probably seek out just one or two people and have a private conversation. This does not work in a Zoom session. The one thing I like about the Beer Loft is someone usually at the beginning gives a toast to the our fellow rocketeers who are no longer with us.
The lack of personal factor is a big negative to me and one reason why I will not purchase a ticket for the event.
The other reasons are that there is nothing said there that:

A) Won't be posted by a Manufacturer within a month or so.
B) Won't be immediately spread around the forums.
C) That I will absolutely die for not knowing.
 
vNARCON is "more successful" in terms of the number of registrants. IMHO, it's less successful in building connections between members.

The promotion of the upcoming NARCON in Sport Rocketry shows photos of an in-person NARCON. Promoting a virtual NARCON with pictures of happy people meeting and mugging for the camera. Obviously not going to happen. I don't think I will be "going."
 
I’m really looking forward to the virtual tour of the Smithsonian’s Udvar-Hazy facility by Mike Neufeld. He wrote a fascinating biography of von Braun. And he’s the curator for all things rockets and missile at the Smithsonian through 1945.
 
I've attended three NARCONs in person and both of the virtual ones (and given presentations at the 2015 Seattle NARCON and both virtual ones so far). Both have their pluses and minuses to me. I will, if my internet connection allows it next weekend, be attending this vNARCON as well. But because I don't know if the internet where my wife and I will be next weekend is very robust, I'm kind of glad they didn't ask me to give a presentation this time.

The biggest negative for me of the virtual format is that it's run on Eastern time, and my night-owl west coast system doesn't really go for sessions starting at 7 AM.

No NARCON presentation or tour, live or virtual, can pass Rich's item C) criterion, at least for me. But I'll attend anyway. I disagree with the other two to some extent, but that's OK.
 
Let's not forget about the always popular Manufacturers' Forum occurring Friday night.

Ten manufactures have signed up to make presentations.

They are (In no particular order):

North Coast Rocketry

FlisKits

AeroTech/Quest Aerospace

eRockets/Semroc

Estes Industries

Apogee Components

Altaira Rocketry

Launch Lab Rocketry

NewWay Space Models

The Creator's Laboratory

Become among the first to find out what new and exciting products hobby rocketry manufacturers have in store for us in 2023!
 
(not sure if this is the correct forum?)

Hey folks, haven't seen any posts about next weekend's vNARCON. Anyone else planning to "attend"? I guess that means tune in for a day of Zoom.

I greatly enjoyed the last 2 years' events, so I am looking forward to this year's.

I'd like to attend, but they sure don't make it easy. First, the link in the email gets blocked because it's a marketing tracker link. OK, no problem, I'll go in through the front door, on www.nar,org. Hmm, the link there (https://www.nar.org/virtual-narcon-2023/) gives a 404 error. Wow, NAR can't get their front page links to work? OK, let's try the direct link to vNARCON registration, below: https://www.nar.org/narcon-2023/

Now I'm getting somewhere. Well, after selecting my ticket, the "accelevents" site starts a 10 minute timer, gotta BUY NOW. ok, no problem. Just gotta login. Err, umm, I wonder what email I used last year? OK, figured it out, password... no idea. OK, password recovery... push this button to send password recovery instructions to that email. ok. nothing. try it again several times. more than 10 minutes go by. Ticket times out. no password recovery.

Screw it.
Thanks for the note on the link on the front page of the NAR.org site, the link has been fixed.

If you have participated in past vNARCON events, you have to set up a user name and password. If you have forgotten your password from last year, just go to the Signin page and then click on the Forgot password, pretty simple after that. If you have questions, just contact me at: [email protected].

Todd
 

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Sure there are lots of negatives when you consider what a vNARCON can do for you.

But that is the wrong question. Ask not…

I am grateful that we still have a NAR that can still host a CON, v or otherwise, and that we can help youngsters and oldsters alike find fields where they can enter and advance the hobby, as most of us here have been fortunate enough to enjoy.

Participation is optional, but in the future it might not even be an option, due to lack of participation. Just another consideration to consider why buy a ticket to support an organization that works hard to protect the rights of everyone to enjoy the hobby.
 
If you have forgotten your password from last year, just go to the Signin page and then click on the Forgot password, pretty simple after that
Todd, thanks so much. Did you read what I wrote? I hit forgot several times. No email. Been 48 hours. Something borken!
Yeah I could make a whole new email account that I forget about later, but look, that's just extra friction for commerce on the information superhighway.
 
No NARCON presentation or tour, live or virtual, can pass Rich's item C) criterion, at least for me. But I'll attend anyway. I disagree with the other two to some extent, but that's OK.

I don't fully agree with Rich's A) and B) criteria. They are only partially true. Stuff does fly around social media about what's been said. But not everything that is said gets repeated on social media.

Problem is that some people assume that, just because it was mentioned at NARCON (any NARCON), the entire NAR membership knows and understands what was said. Not everyone attends, and not everyone believes that $45 to sit in front of the TV for the weekend is worth it. There have been recent kerfluffles where a NAR official seemed to consider a NARCON announcement or mention "good enough." Attending NARCON should never be a substitute for clear communication to the membership, or a requirement.
 
Also, I want to remind everyone that the entire convention is recorded. You don't have to sit in front of your computer for the entire weekend. Everyone that purchases a ticket can log in any time for exclusive access to the material for 90 days.
 
I know that in a few months the presentations will be put on Youtube. In the meantime, if I buy a ticket but cannot watch everything live, will there be a way to view streams before everything is made free to the public?

(whoops, looks like my question was answered while I was typing. :))
 
Todd, thanks so much. Did you read what I wrote? I hit forgot several times. No email. Been 48 hours. Something borken!
Yeah I could make a whole new email account that I forget about later, but look, that's just extra friction for commerce on the information superhighway.
After you hit the Forgot Password link, are you seeing a web browser screen where you have to enter the email address? The system is working perfectly, I just tested it. Please contact me and we will get you signed up, [email protected]
 

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I know that in a few months the presentations will be put on Youtube. In the meantime, if I buy a ticket but cannot watch everything live, will there be a way to view streams before everything is made free to the public?

(whoops, looks like my question was answered while I was typing. :))
Yes, your ticket is basically good for 90 days. You can go in and watch or rewatch the presentations at any time. After 90 days, the presentations are going to be released into the NAR Members Only forum. We don't have a timeline for Youtube yet.
 
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(DISCLAIMER: A blatant attempt to coerce folks into attending my Virtual NARCON session follows!)

Virtual NARCON attendees will have the opportunity to see both of these projects come together during my session "Paint is Not The Enemy: Making Peace With Spray Cans, Airbrushes, and Masking Tape," to be presented Saturday, Jan. 28, at 1 PM Central.

Both of these rockets were constructed using the Estes Der Big Red Max kit as a basis. 80% of the session will cover this Spitfire Max interpretation:

image0-1.jpeg

The remaining 20% of the presentation will cover this 307% upscaled rendition of the Estes Alpha, done up in a simple yet striking 60s Gulf Oil racing livery. The nose cone was liberated from a Doorknob kit. (BTW, if anyone from Estes is listening, you should speed this puppy into production immediately!)

image1.jpeg

Be there. All the cool people will join you.

James
 
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I think this was just a preliminary testing session from earlier today?
 
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