Why Is the Used Ham Radio Market Falling Apart?

Most of the stuff I have in my ham shack is not justified. It’s just fun and we only get one trip so having fun along the way helps. One thing I learned about some of these uncommon radios - in working condition and if somewhat rare they do hold their value- it’s very selective and it doesn’t last forever. It makes collecting them a little more “justified”! But again I try not to justify having fun.

 

I agree.

I should’ve reworded that saying: I simply can’t afford it being retired with the cost of everything on a never ending climb where my income doesn’t climb with it!!

 

Noted your avatar pic. The web page shows a (to me anyway) a AN/MRC-108/9. Worked on those for a few years. Fun stuff.

 

Simple answer
The old time baby boomers hams are all going Silent Key, and we already have all the junk that we can store anyway!!

The new hams for the most part, don't want to screw around with tubes.

 

The picture for the avatar is of my M151A1 MUTT at a show in Hagerstown, it has a GRC-106 and VRC-12 on board and I also drag out a PRC-25 and PRC-74 for the full Vietnam Radio show. Benn working on GRC-106 sets a the like for a while now. Do a lot of restoration and repair on military stuff for others and although some people out there will tell you how the world of old obsolete tube radios is over from where I sit its doing OK. In addition to doing a lot of work for others I also operate every Saturday morning on a RTTY net and a couple military radio user groups nets using old Harris and Collins gear. Earlier this year I won first prize in a raffle at a Fest where I had the MUTT on display, its a brand new Icom IC-7300 transceiver but beyond looking at it once still have it in its box.
Its a big hobby, think there will always be some of us who care for playing with the past just like others who want the newest and best. Crappy AI generated videos written up by some "Know it all" have no bearing on my enjoyment. my only complaint is how so many follow and like that pablum.

 

... or scratch building anything..., even something as simple as a wire antenna, like a dipole or fan of dipoles, or EFHW, or ZS6BKW...

 

Hi all -

I watched the video.

Keep in mind that much of this gear is part of our radio history.

Part of the problem is simply greed on the seller's side or the action of hoarding.
Many people are just not in touch with reality for the use and value of vintage gear.

Time and technology change everything!

Donate it to a school, museum or other technical interest that will appreciate it.

I am a part-time technology instructor at a school for bright people with special needs.
We rely on donations, being a non-profit and it is very hard to procure decent equipment.

Some SK estates sell to people who resell equipment on eBay at insane prices not even knowing what it does!

Do a good thing and donate if you can't offload your equipment. Maybe a small tax deduction?

PM me if you want to unload something truly wonderful and it will be strongly considered.
I will personally see to it that some of your select dream equipment lives on in a great home.

In addition, sneak a peek at the thread I had started:

https://forums.qrz.com/index.php?th...e-of-working-vintage-radio-electronics.984617

Alternatively, you can also list it under "Free Stuff" section in Swapmeet on this forum.

Hope this helps.

 

That is my plan once I go to have my big QSO in the sky. I hope my family is still in a position to donate it all to someone or some place. I don't want them to sell any of it. I especially want to avoid it going to some FleaBay swindler who will over price it and just try and make a profit from death. I want my gear to live on with someone else who could put it to use and in a sense, keep me on the air, even after I am gone.

 

This. I've often wished for a button that just replies, "are you on crack?" to the classified listings.

 

Yep. I don't even go to Hamfests any longer. $5-10 to come in and find overpriced nothing. Didn't even mention fuel costs.

 

They may even get it on eBay - maybe, if they run into someone who is clueless but wants it for some reason. I'm sure it happens from time to time, but not commonly. One sold item doesn't mean much.

 

Well, eBay is both a blessing and a curse. Their commission schedule is absolutely crazy.
When an Estate Liquidator sees something, first thing they do is turn to insanely inflated eBay to price it.

What makes it worse is when you explain that the piece is way overpriced and they get belligerent.

All my equipment is nicely 18K gold plated, so when I depart this crazy planet my wife can get something back.

 

I have a friend who ALWAYS finds amazing deals. I have no idea how he does it. I sure can't. So apparently they are out there, but have a magical NMP* field that applies to hams named Roger or Brian.

*Not My Problem (deal)

 

Good luck with that... I just went through helping a ham's widow clear out lifetime collection so she could sell the large house on large acreage and move to a smaller property. The SK ham's interest was microwave and UHF. I had a hell of a time disposing of his stuff ... It cost $$$ to get rid of it, and most of it went to landfill... I managed to give a few towers, HF and VHF antennas, and test equipment away, but most of his lifetime collection of parts we all hoard ended up in a big dumpster that cost the widow $$$ for rental and to have it hauled away... Knowing that my family is going to have the same problem, I brought very little of his stuff to my place...

 

You'd be surprised what you can score at hamfests. I have amassed a tiny HeathKit accessory collection that I picked up to use as repair guinea pigs to help me learn more about RF troubleshooting and repair. A couple of them were not even broke and worked just fine, others I got the old, "It worked the last time I turned it on" response when I asked prior to buying. Which may not necessarily be a lie, but what they leave out is, the last time they turned it on was in 1959 , so those may have not have fared well, but I got them for bottom dollar regardless, so I see it as a win. They will make good future repair projects.

But yes, with that said, the usual hamfests flea market sharks are always in the water. Some of the stuff and the prices I have seen, I wonder to myself why did this person even bother to load this stuff up, drive here, only to price in a manner in which he will have to box it all up and take back home when the hamfest is over?

I have also experienced times where I have just simply asked about something on the table and seller without me even making an offer will just say, you can have both for 5 bucks a piece even though they tagged them for way more.

Needless to say the best day to go to the hamfest is the last day. Most sane flea market sellers are not wanting to take anything home, IMO that is when you can get some real good deals. Whenever I am truly interested in something and it's the last day of the hamfest, I always open with this line to the seller...."How bad do you want to take that home this weekend"....it works almost every time when they give me their please take off my hands offer.