In 2004 I thankfully got back into Amateur Radio and decided to sell my first rig a Drake 2-C receiver and Drake 2NT transmitter since I wanted to upgrade to an HF station. The Drakes were posted on QRZ and sold a short time after. In hindsight, this was thee dumbest mistake I ever made and regret it ever since, being I was sentimentally missing the Drakes and particularly how I could have handed my childhood rig down to my kids. The lesson here is "think first" before you plan to make a few extra dollars. Positive memories are more important than money. Thanks for listening (I feel somewhat better). 73 ~ Steve (K1KTF)
What a valuable lesson! In the future, I'll try to bear in mind what you're saying here. Thank you so much for your testimony.
Don't beat yourself up about it. Make your next dumb mistake even better, And you will forget about this one.
I have owned a lot of equipment over the nearly 50 years I have been a ham. Rarely was it new and certainly not "classic" like the Collins S line or the Drake twins. I gave it all away for free (after I upgraded) to hams I had mentored and am I happy to have helped others along the way. To me, this is what ham radio is all about. Tom WA4ILH
I had a very nice Drake C line, R4-C and T-4Xc, back in the early 90s. I still kick myself for selling those, especially when I see the prices really nice ones bring (or at least, the prices people ASK) these days. Samples that look like they've been through a war are not as much, of course, but nor I do want those.
Next best thing....purchased a new 2-C and 2NT in 1966/67 and sold them along with many rigs over the years. Now have a restored 2-C and 2NT in fact have a second 2NT on the bench to go with a 2B enjoy doing the restorations and make for good cold weather projects. Here's a shot of 2NT (#1) when it was being restored.
Steve, I feel your pain. I had to sell my one and only rig, a Yaesu FT-1000MP during some lean years because we had to pay the mortgage. I loved that rig so much, I couldn't take it to UPS to be shipped. My XYL did it for me. It was my first "real" radio, but when life happens you've got to do what you've got to do. These days when I see them at hamfests I always look to see if it's my old rig. I recall that it went to a guy in Seattle, but I never could track him down to try and buy it back when greener pastures came along. These days a used FT-1000MP sells for more than what I paid for mine when it was new. But, I still look and still get a little choked up when one goes up for sale.
Thank you so much for sharing your Yaesu FT-1000MP story. I was thinking about buying another pair of the "Drakes" but it just wouldn't be the same. Thank you so much once again. 73~Steve (K1KTF)
Dave: It's like dating your ex girlfriend's twin sister. It may feel the same but only you would know the truth. Thanks for listening. 73~Steve (K1KTF)
I loved my used 2B/2BQ & then my new R4C ... but never again. The game is different when you can see way up the band or on different bands where the activity is and what kind. Running blind has no place for me now. Give me SDR & touch screens baby. Sorry for sounding irreverent