Monday, Feb. 14, 2011 — After nearly a week of salivating once again over eBay listings — including some nice collectible bugs and several HF rigs — I was struck yesterday with a dose of common sense: I didn’t bid or buy anything among the auctions endings yesterday.
I’ve had my eye on some collectible bugs, and the prices were reasonable. In the end, I decided now isn’t the time; I have too many keys (did I say that??), and until I clear out some room in my shack or figure a better way to store them, I’m going to be careful about adding to the collections.
Among the other items I’ve been watching on eBay was a very nice Icom IC-756PROII. I want to “upgrade” my listening post in our library here at home; right now I have the Hallicrafters SX-130 and the BC-348Q receiver. Both are fine, but a good price on a PROII would be a superb replacement for both.
The attraction? The spectrum scope. In the time I was using my PROIII and now my FT-2000, I really enjoy having a spectrum display. Even when I’m using another rig in the shack, I find myself looking at the monitor to check band conditions (even though the Yaesu isn’t connected to an antenna at the time, lol).
There was a very nice IC-746 non-PRO that sold for about $700; still a great deal, but I decided not to pursue it. If I want the spectrum scope, the 746 is not the route to take. I also missed a first edition PRO for about $600; I might have jumped on that had I had a chance.
The library has evolved into our “den” of sorts (if anyone still uses that term), and with the addition of the TV and a computer, the family spends a lot of time there. But is it worth spending $1200 for a receiver to outfit my library listening post? Probably not.
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I’ve also been looking to trade my Yaesu FT-450 for an FT-817ND. I may wind up selling it outright and using the money to buy one. There’s not a lot of 817s listed at anyone time on eBay; the demand seems to drive up the bidding. But the 817 is what I really want, for its many capabilities.
I like its VHF/UHF capabilities, and the HF QRP is a plus; I would love to work PSK31 QRP with it. A teacher at the local high school has one, and after using it for a while — my first true “hands-on” with the little rig — I was hooked.
One sold on eBay last night with a loose knob for just under $600; it was the non-ND model, and I decided I could do better. I had a guy wanting to trade me his IC-703+ for the FT-450, but I have 4 IC-706XXs, I’m well acquainted with them and don’t want the 703. I’m sure its a decent rig, but its not what I am looking for.
Another option I was considering was one of the SDR radios out of China; from what I can tell, they don’t offer general coverage receive, and that’s something I have to have in whatever I buy.
I continue to be amazed at the prices old hybrid tube HF rigs command. The Kenwood TS-520s sell like hotcakes, often over $300 and up to $500 depending on accessories. The WARC band enabled TS-530 is even higher. TS-820s routinely sell for more than $300, the TS-830 $100-150 higher yet. And don’t even think about trying to buy any variation of the Yaesu FT-101 and expect to get a working one for much under $400; not gonna happen.
Is it nostalgia run amok, or simply new hams who are used to exorbitant price gouging on crappy CB radios? Or guys who have been licensed 25 years like me who are going back to buy the rigs they couldn’t afford when they were first licensed? Probably a combination of both.
A guy had a restored Hallicrafters SR-150 listed, and it sold for more than $700; yes, I was tempted. Not that I need another SR-150 (I think I have two others boxed in the attic in addition to Ironsides in the shack), but to get one in restored condition was a very attractive move. I just wish the damn SR-150 had a CW sidetone; its not much in the way of a CW rig, sadly.
One of the attractions of the library is its woodstove; nothing cozier than SWLing next to a roaring fire. With warmer temps arriving soon, would a new rig at the monitoring post see much action? Hmm …