View Full Version : New vs Used ham gear - do you have a preference?
When shopping for ham gear, do you prefer new, or do you live with used and a lower price?
"Ham gear" is stuff like meters, tuners, radios, etc. Not really meant for "perishables" like connectors, or really old coax.
KF4ZHL
11-26-2010, 04:41 PM
Best bang for the buck is gently used gear. The best deals are always well used or missing something. A little patience, minor repair, and replacement work is all it takes. I picked up a Standard C5900 for $150. All it needed was a new mic and the modular jack for it needed to be anchored down with a drop of super glue as it was loose. Add in a used CES D805 for $50 and it's a real bargain!
KD0CAC
11-26-2010, 04:50 PM
Well preference I would like to have at least 2 of each of everything new .
But need the savings of used , also I look for fixer-uppers , then I get a 2-fer , a project to play with , learn and save money , OH that's a 3-fer .
Same cars & trucks , never bought a new one , but I have bought new motorcycles .
Read and heard lots of horror stories of used gear not living up to expectations, or becoming dust traps on shelves because the fixer upper was more time than it was worth, so when it comes to radios unless I know the guy and what kind of operator he is I just can't invest that much money on a gamble, I'd rather take the added months of brown bagging it and setting aside the savings. Also my luck has been than many slightly used radios are going for more on the used market than they cost new from HRO or AES.
Now with meters, tools, antennas, microphones, headsets, power supplies, keyers, etc. If I can find a good deal on it and it's something I'm looking for then I'll be all over it.
K9ASE
11-26-2010, 06:29 PM
so far it's about 50/50 one new radio and one used. One new antenna and one used. everything works like new, but the used stuff was a better deal. I guess I'll have to talk the XYL into letting me buy more stuff to find out.:D
I only buy used because of the significant savings, and usually their models that aren't even in production. All my radios that I've bought were used, including "classics" like the TS-830 but also including solid-state rigs from the 80s/90s.
My experience has been overall very positive buying used radios. Maybe I've been lucky, but all but one of the radios have been exactly as described, or any issues it had were clearly identified before I bought. The one exception only had some minor issues.
The only antennas I've ever bought outright were mobile magmounts. Unless you count wire for homebrew :D
Meters, etc. are all used. Only "new" is stuff like programming cables, connectors, coax ,etc.
KJ6CEA
11-26-2010, 06:43 PM
I think of it this way, the moment you get your brand new radio (Lets say a FT-857 for $800) and open it, the radio devalues by $100 at least. You can get a good used radio without scratches, and all you need to do is a prossesor reset and it acts like its brand new.
I am an expert electronics repairman.:cool:
I let others take the hit for not being able to fix their gear, and buy it for no more than 10 cents on the federal reserve note.
Last purchase was a 150frn shortwave receiver I bought for 10frn, Seller looked me in the eye and swore it worked.
Needed a switch transistor (.15frn).
It's sad on one hand that allmost every piece of hamfest/fleamarket gear I have ever bought has been sold to me by a Liar, But I expect that now, and make my offer accordingly.
I did get a chuckle from a CB I bought off ebay last year, the lady said it needed a new final, really needed 2 caps and a mic. At least the lady was honest.
Rege
I am an expert electronics repairman.:cool:
I let others take the hit for not being able to fix their gear, and buy it for no more than 10 cents on the federal reserve note.
Last purchase was a 150frn shortwave receiver I bought for 10frn, Seller looked me in the eye and swore it worked.
Needed a switch transistor (.15frn).
It's sad on one hand that allmost every piece of hamfest/fleamarket gear I have ever bought has been sold to me by a Liar, But I expect that now, and make my offer accordingly.
I did get a chuckle from a CB I bought off ebay last year, the lady said it needed a new final, really needed 2 caps and a mic. At least the lady was honest.
Rege
Electronics to the non-expert: a genie bottle that, if not rubbed properly or dropped once, will blow up and forever be unusable.
Electronics to the expert: a lego set. If it's not working, one of the little blocks is probably missing. Replace and voila! Good as new.
2E0OZI
12-14-2010, 05:30 PM
As I'm new to amateur radio I would have preferred a new tranciever - but that was never possible so I got one thats like new and still has 8 months of warranty on it. New SWR meter because it was there. All the rest will be second hand, and I cant imagine ever actually buying an antenna. PSU was second hand.
This whole new radio pastime has to fit in financially with all the other stuff in my life, so its got to be economical. I have the big purchase out of the way - maybe in 5 years I'll get another tranciever but it wont replace the 718, it will be something small and portable for HF like an FT817 for my QRP adventures down the line. ;) Any anyway, its going to take 5 years for my wife to get over it. When she found out how much the 718 cost, she actually swore - which is rare for Jill.
N5YPJ
12-14-2010, 06:11 PM
I started out buying at hamfests and from individuals then after moving to an area with less of both a dealer who sells checked used gear albeit a little more expensive it's made right if there is a problem. Last week I finally bought something used on Ebay. I buy new when I can and used when I can't, the few times I was burnt out weigh some of the nice items over the years.
VE3FMC
12-16-2010, 03:42 PM
My first HF rig was given to me by the widow of a SK. I was lucky enough to meet her and was given an Icom 720A, with PS, desk mic, head phones and it was in very good condition.
I used that radio for quite a few years, from 1994 until 2005 when the finals went on it.
I then bought a new Icom 718, my first new HF radio. I had bought a new Kenwood TM-261A mobile years before.
I had owned other HF rigs during that time period but all were used. TS-520, FT-890, Halicrafters HT-44/SX-117 (wish I still had those)
Since the fall of 2009 I have bought a new Icom 7000, Yaesu FT-950 and Yaesu FT-8800R. I also bought a new switching PS, a new WM1 watt meter, new dual band vertical and a new LDG-AT-200PRO tuner. I bought the PS, watt meter and vertical new because I could not find good used ones around here.
I also bought a used AL-80A and LDG AT-1000 tuner. Price was right and again I knew the owners.
I am in the position now that I can afford a new rig. I like having a warranty and I love the fact that I know the rig has never been used. Buying that new equipment did not strain my household budget, or I would not have bought it.
I will also buy a good used rig, if the price is right and I know the seller. I recently bought a really nice TS-830S which came from an estate. I know the ham who was looking after the estate sale. I knew he had checked the rig out and that is was fine. So I did not mind buying that radio.
The problem I see with "Gently Used" radios is the price. Some feel they should get close to new prices when selling used gear. I figure if the warranty is off then the price should be adjusted accordingly.
It all comes down to what you can afford. This is a hobby, so why would you put yourself in debt for a radio? People with young families, car payments, mortgages etc really should not be going further in debt for a new radio. IMO.
Now golf clubs, that is a different matter for me :D I had 4 sets of irons in my golf bag this summer. One set was new, but I got those irons at a discounted price. The others were used but not abused! ;)
K0RGR
12-16-2010, 07:22 PM
I don't usually take on repair projects other than my own, and I'm getting lazy about that, too. Simple repairs are nothing, as long as I can see what I'm working on.
But I will buy used gear, particularly from a dealer that I trust, like AES. I also buy from listings on QRZ and eham, too. I'm not a collector, and I don't give a dang if it's 'mint'. In fact, if your ad uses the word 'mint', I automatically assume that you're a piker and move on. If the rig has been used, I expect a little road rash. I've been known to buy from EBay, but I really prefer to avoid them - the rigs often end up over priced, and you have no idea what they've been through. But, sometimes, I am willing to gamble.
The last new all band HF radio, purchaced new, was my TS520, most of the stuff before or after has been used because new was just too expensive. The last HF all band rig I bought is a TS440s, paid the same $$$ for both new and used Kenwoods but the newer 440 has a lot more bells and whistles than the old workhorse 520.
AD4DQ
12-29-2010, 03:23 AM
As in modern gear I will buy used but must be in very good condition. For the older rigs, boat anchors, I dont care what condition as long as it is 100% complete. Antennas I dont care. Small things like meters and tuners I buy new, used if I can find anything. I cant wait for the next hamfest in April.
WA5VQM
03-03-2011, 06:29 PM
All my rigs are used. I use them all the time.
WB2WIK
03-03-2011, 06:32 PM
All my rigs are used. I use them all the time.
At least they don't depreciate 30% by just driving them home, like cars do.
At least they don't depreciate 30% by just driving them home, like cars do.
I've rarely understood why people buy new cars.
The $10,000 - 15,000 saved buying used will get you a HELL of a lot of gasoline/diesel :eek:
AG6JU
03-04-2011, 05:42 AM
when I buy a radio, I look for maintainability . I have TEN TEC OMNI-V it is easy to maintain.
The less I pay for gear, the more variety I can have in the shack. I have purchased exactly one brand-new HF rig, and it was the lowest-performance and least-reliable radio I've ever owned. Can't really think of a reason I'd want to repeat that.
ZL1UZM
03-05-2011, 02:03 AM
The less I pay for gear, the more variety I can have in the shack. I have purchased exactly one brand-new HF rig, and it was the lowest-performance and least-reliable radio I've ever owned. Can't really think of a reason I'd want to repeat that.
Let me guess, that was a TS-440S, right???
I had one of those and it was the worst piece of electronic junk I ever had in my possession.
KA7NIQ
03-05-2011, 04:39 AM
I bought my Kenwood TS 850 from the widow of a silent key. It was 6 months old, had it ever since. I feel no pressing need to buy a new radio.
KC0SNU
03-16-2011, 04:55 PM
New? Do they still manufacture these things? I like to buy used and when it comes to antennas, cables and such, I prefer the challenge of building my own. Wire is cheap, right?
AC0FP
03-16-2011, 05:54 PM
When I buy used gear I expect to purchase the previous owners problems with the item too!
I like used, but you need to be real careful. What kills me is people selling nice gear, but they can't seem to put a decent sentence together in their ads. I can only imagine how they misused the gear they're advertising. I've bought at least 10 used HF rigs, and still wish I had half of them. Mostly Ten Tec. I did have a TS-830 Gold with all the filters, and I still hate that I sold it, but I did get a wonderful Omni V for it.
N0PGR
05-04-2011, 10:52 PM
Giving this a bit of thought and I haven't ever bought a new radio .
I'll even buy broken and repair it .
KJ4VOV
05-05-2011, 02:05 AM
My current ratio of new to used is 3-2. Bought new were the FT-60 HT, the FT-2900 2m and the FTM-350. Bought used were the IC-706MkIIG and the TS-940SAT. Of the used only the TS-940 needed any work and that was just a minor bit of soldering to repair a bad solder joint on a filter and a crack in the SW PCB that was knocking out the low cut sloper. Easy repairs and the rig works great.
My criteria when buying is getting a rig that will do what I want it to do and getting good value for my money. Sometimes new is the best value, sometimes used is. I'm also not worried about buying gear that needs work, provided I know parts are still available at a reasonable price.
N1MLF
05-05-2011, 02:28 PM
I have to play the switch hitter here.. There's lot's to be said about NIB with a guarantee. On the new stuff that's all smt then I go for new but if it's an older rig that you can actually work on, in and around then I prefer to do the tinkering myself.
http://www.k1byd.com/n1mlf2.jpg
73..JW
Most always used gear from fellow hams or from a REPUTABLE reseller,just because some ham sells a lot of gear does not make them reputable,some real horror shows out there,I buy online mostly as not many here locally I have gotten good items from sad to say. Have had good experiences buying onlne however as long as it is not from FEEBAY that is where the slogan should be "Caveat Emptor" but it goes wthout saying also Illigitimus non Carborundum as well:) 73 all, Michelle
