The AM Forum

I know it's a difficult question to answer without a crystal ball. The hamfests around here (NYC) consist mostly of computer parts, flashlights and 2 meter CB. Opinions?

Thanks!
Phil

Around here?  NYC area?  It's a crap shoot in the best case. Seldom does anything of much use show up at  hamfests in this area, but the most likely ones would be the larger ones such as Timonium, MD (north of Baltimore), Sussex County in NJ (2nd weekend in July, I think) and maybe the "Pack Rats" group in eastern PA. Check the ARRL website  hamfest calendar for the different states.

That said, NEARFest in Deerfield, NH is maybe one of the best for BA/AM but it's hardly in NYC area. Even Dayton (the largest in the US as far as I know) in May isn't of much use, I think in 25+ years of going there I may see a few items (generally overpriced or recently rescued from a water-filled barrel ) each year but that's about it.

However, there is coming up in a few short weeks an auction run by the NJ Antique Wireless Association on a Saturday in March, they usually have some older ham stuff  donated to them by a grieving widow.

All in all, I'll bet you can find more BA/AM stuff right on this AM Fone.net site than in most hamfests combined if you ask the right questions!

73
Don, W2DL

I always see lots of boatanchors for sale at Dayton even in the short time I get to walk around. I've brought tons of boatanchors there and they always find new homes. Tentatively for this year, I probably going to be bringing a B&W 5100B and 51SB-B, both still in their original cartons along with some other stuff that I have no use for now that I'm "smug". The B&W stuff have been in their cartons since 1965.

Phil,
We usually have a good time as a winter social event. Sometimes it is good and sometimes not. A good place to set up trades and inside deals. we go out to lunch around noon. I usually find something to drag home.

I just had an epiphany--the Flex radios are a good thing--they help their owners part with all their good BA gear.  I am now going to start encouraging everyone to get a Flex.

All you AMers out there reading this--GET A FLEX RADIO.  Come on, don't be stupid.  Get one. NOW.

Oh yeah, hamfests.  I've heard for BA gear Orlando Hamcation is good.  There is also one that HUZ and KA1KAQ go to somewhere in Va. or maybe it's N.C. that is supposed to be good.  These are both far away from the NYC area unfortunately.

There you go!
I got rid of my stuff before getting the flex, when I had a pile of homebrew gear to replace it with.
I have zero desire to fool around with old stuff that was built as cheap as it could be for communications audio and light duty use using poor designs.
I got that out of my system over the last 30 years, and there is very little I would want in the shack now.
(I should have kept the G76 I think)

If I had to, I could just have the flex and a BIG amplifier.

I have had a few recent run ins where family died and left houses full of junk.
My wife's aunts (one just passed) had a very large house, nothing left that house for the last 50 years.

I am not getting any younger, and am trying to get rid of a lot of junk in the house.
I have had stuff I never used in 30 years, its time to move it on.
As it is now, I have two homebrew transmitters, two homebrew receivers, a 32V3, a flex 5000 and a homebrew amplifier for the flex.
I may build (attempt to) a SMALL tube cw rig (rx and tx).

I have no interest at all in anything vintage and would not take a KW1 if you gave it to me.
( I would take the $20,000.00 though!)

Brett
 





[/quote]

I just had an epiphany--the Flex radios are a good thing--they help their owners part with all their good BA gear.  I am now going to start encouraging everyone to get a Flex.

All you AMers out there reading this--GET A FLEX RADIO.  Come on, don't be stupid.  Get one. NOW.
[/quote]

All my good stuff was generally found at small hamfests (one's with one or two rows of vendors). At small hamfests, vendors are more inclined to generous price negotiating and less price gouging which is why I shop at small hamfests and sell at large hamfests. Large hamfests generally work in the vendor's favor with larger volumes of potential buyers and much narrow price negotiating windows.

Yep, bring all those BA's to Dayton and come home happy. Like Brett, I'm moving most of this old stuff out of here. "BA been there - done that" twice in my ham career is enough. The BA's use to keep the basement shack warm during the winter months. Now a $49 heater does the same job. The consumer grade amateur gear of yesteryear is what it is, "consumer grade". If you like to be in constant maintenance mode, stock up on this stuff.

I had tons of vintage stuff, all gotten when it was cheap, and it was fun to play with.
I had:
75a4
51s1
kwm2a
kws1
30k-1
32V3's (many)
dx100
dx60b
hw101
viking 2
b+w 5100
globe king 500c
globe scout
sx101
nc300, 303
sx17
scott slrm
r390a
multi elmac af67, 68
G76
And other stuff I cant even remember.

There is not a single piece I would want in the shack.

Brett

As you've said.  Over and over again.  Which doesn't help answer the OP's question at all.

I'm not looking for anything in particular, just like to browse. Most of the time I didn't know I needed it until I saw it. If that makes any sense :)   Thanks for the replies.

Phil

 " No! He covets. That is his nature. And how do we begin to covet, Clarice Phil? Do we seek out things to covet? Make an effort to answer now. "

klc

Unfortunately Phil, I usually don't realize that I needed what I saw until I get back home without it.

Peoria, IL and Shelby, NC are two that are supposed to have a lot of goodies, but I have never made it to either of them.  There used to be a good one in Cincinnati (sometimes better than Dayton), but it pretty much fizzled.

I bring back a lot less than I used to, since I have become much more selective about what I pick up (prices have become inflated and if I already have two of them, what would I do with another?), plus the kind of stuff I look for becomes more sparse every year.

I rarely buy a transmitter or receiver, for the reasons mentioned above, unless it is something I find particularly interesting.  Sometimes I will pick up a piece of BA junk with a cheap price tag just for a couple of the parts.  I look more for hard-to-find parts than for Hammy Hambone station equipment.

The kind of "vintage" stuff that interests me mostly is stuff that was top-of-the-line in its day.  Sometimes  I will pick up something I know I'll never use, if I think it might make good trading material.  Early to mid 30's stuff always gets my attention, whether parts or assembled gear. I ALWAYS keep an eye out for good replacement parts for my existing station equipment, particularly if it would allow me to replace a cheap "ham radio quality" component with something more commercial grade or professional quality.

And some hams can't go back home after buying what they thought they needed...  ;D

So is the Flex stuff consumer grade?

K5UJ said: "I just had an epiphany--the Flex radios are a good thing--they help their owners part with all their good BA gear.  I am now going to start encouraging everyone to get a Flex.

All you AMers out there reading this--GET A FLEX RADIO.  Come on, don't be stupid.  Get one. NOW."

N2DTS said: "There you go!
I got rid of my stuff before getting the flex, when I had a pile of homebrew gear to replace it with.
I have zero desire to fool around with old stuff that was built as cheap as it could be for communications audio and light duty use using poor designs.
I got that out of my system over the last 30 years, and there is very little I would want in the shack now.
(I should have kept the G76 I think)"

In light of the recent very big increase in BA stuff - I view the old stuff only as "fondling material."  I'd like very much to get my hands on an EFJ Viking I -- mostly 'cause (long story) I missed out on getting one as a JN OP.  The Flex does everything I want it to (except monitor incoming carriers on the SW scope).  It does suffer from PW syndrome but currently that's being helped along with an EFJ Courier (talk about BA's).  I really need some serious toobage and IRON to build my own linear so I can keep out from under the feet of the tall ships, especially at nighttime.

That said, I'm still dabbling around with a 40+ year old Eico 720 and will be building a second 813 AM XMTR -- mostly for the fun of building it and 'cause I have most of the parts.  There's a place for all of this in our avocation of Ham Radio.  The key is to remember we are all fellow Hams and to have fun and to help each other out

Al

Some view it as fodder material for other interests.

As JN, Todd, JJ, HUZ, and others can attest I enjoy Nearfest! ;D  A leisurely 45 minute drive doesnt hurt either.

I pretty much come out of those weekends with what I want for free after selling off the remainder on fleabay.

Which reminds me....JN, I havent tested those tubes yet, they have a 12 month warranty, right ::)

Carl

Yes, Carl is there with bells on. Hope to see you in May.

I'll be there in April ;D

Carl

Hope we have global warming for the next one

TOOBAGE ! Nice word !  :)

All Hamfest are great in that you see a lot of people who use to get on the air but seldom do these days!  

One thing about this board, opinions are strong.  

Brett,
We certainly have very clear understanding of how you feel about vintage gear.  

My next Hamfest will be Spring Nearfest.  Very much looking forward to the event.

73,
Joe, W3GMS

Getting Back to the Marlborough Question... Yes, I have picked up some great BA/AM type gear at this flea. HQ-170, HQ170 and some other odds and ends come to mind in the recent past..  I PLAN (plans can change) on bringing up a NC-300, (2) Vikings a 1 & 2, HQ-160 and a HQ-129X.  I may also have a FT-101E and TS-430 with matching speaker and auto tuner if the current deals fall though.  There will be a 75A-2 on the table too, however like a few other pieces, it is spoken for.... I may even have a Station monitor Heathkit HO?? - So yes, there will be some BA/AM type gear on hand...... Steve W1TAV  BTW.. I did recently get a Flex, however I don't think I'll be selling my Collin's A or S line too soon....   ;D

I saw the same thing at the MIT ham fests. Seems like they have them monthly as I recall when I lived in the Boston area. Nevertheless, some real gem's have been spotted and purchased there for dirt cheap. I guess the best one I saw in a long time ago, maybe ten years at Rochester, NY. I say this because it was packed with great parts and I also saw at least six home brew 4-1000 rigs both one and two hole designs. Stupidly I never even asked how much anyone wanted for the amps. I have done that at other fest's only to learn that something I wanted went for low bucks. That's when I was working and had lots of bucks. It make no sense at all :'( :'( :'(

Brett, you have some fascinating home brew gear! I would be proud to own anything you have built!

I noticed somewhat of a negative twist in this thread. Come on guys, spring is almost here! Brighten up, it could be worst, you could be me ;D ;D ;D ;D

It's always "fun" to resurrect a thread that's 2 years old. This year's Marborough hamfest will be on Feb. 18.

As with Mike's comments, I go to Marlborough as much for the lunch with the guys as I do for buying and selling. The meet and greet alone is worth the trip for me. It's the first fester after the winter's hibernation and you never know what you'll see there.  I go looking for little and always find stuff I have to have... then we meet and eat!! 

Hams from Jersey to Maine, and maybe farther, seem to think it's worth the trip.  Your mileage may vary.

Mark

I'm looking forward to going again this year. Still haven't seen any serious toobage though. 8) Hopefully I will see some of you there.

Phil

Phil, Sussex NJ. Pretty decent. Not huge, but ok.

I made out fine there.
Although it has it's share of people who live in NYC metro area, which at times is not so good.
Saw some good stuff everytime I have been there, and came home with some good stuff too... passed up some stuff...

It's always the same - it all depends on when you walk past the table and what you are looking for. I'm going to buy stuff that you wouldn't think twice about, and vice-versa!

What am I looking for? Usually I have no idea until I see it! :D

                      _-_-bear

HEY!...but I know what you mean. Looks like the Sussex fester is on 07/15/12 thanks for the tip.

Phil

Phil: Nice working you this AM.  Hope to see you at not only Marlborough but at NearFest.  Can't speak for Marlborough - most of my BA's came from NearFest.

Brett:  Haven't heard you on in a LOOOONNNG TIME.  I'll never forget what you have done with those 3 4D32s - that's an amazing feat especially with that plate voltage you are using.  While I agree with you in spirit, I'm still going through that phase of acquiring a hernia with style.  Hafta keep picking up and working on as many BAs as I can so I have some bragging rights with my hernia

Stephanie: Great working you the other night in the AM "corntest"

 ;D Al

It is always more fun to buy it, sell it, be remorseful and buy it again and then remember why you sold it and sell it again and somehow make money along the way.