Manassas (Virginia) Hamfest

[K4RT]

Nice morning for the hamfest at the fairgrounds - overcast and a slight breeze for a while. Good turnout and ran into some friends I hadn't seen in a while.  I forgot to take my camera, but saw several boatanchor receivers and transmitters. Receivers included NC-173, NC-303, SX-101A and others. Transmitters I saw included a few of the smaller Heathkits, a Hallicrafters HT-44, ART-13 and a nice looking Valiant. My friend bought the Valiant for $100.  I was looking for parts, but didn't find anything that's on my list. Wrapped up the experience by having lunch at Roy Rogers in town.

[w3jn]

I had the NC-173, a NC-183D, the NC-303, and a Gonset GSB-100 or whatever that transmitter is.

Sold the 303.  Bought a AR-88LF (sigh) just for the cabinet, for one that I recently restored, so this AR88LF has to go.  Also found the correct cabinet for my GPR-90.  The guy was absolutely adamant that it go with his half-built VHF amplifier, until a $50 bill showed him the error of his ways.  I was really happy to find that, I've been looking for a decent one for over 10 years.

Also scored a HP 4195A spectrum/network analyzer for next to nothing.  It has a slight display issue and one of the input channels is blown.  Still, it's a primo piece of test gear.

All in all, one of the best hamfests I've been to in a LONG time!

[w3jn]

Forgot to mention the other stuff seen:

HQ-180A in the box (looked like brandy-new) - $250, and the speaker also new in the box - $80
SX-73, a bit dirty - $10 (not a typo!)
CE 100V - $250 and almost flawless shape
WJ 8716 - $300 "needs work" but went as soon as the guy pulled it out of his truck
Big box of audio toobs including a dozen 6550s, some 45s, etc, I left when the haggling hit $100
Collins 30L-1 $950 (needless to say this one went back home with the seller)

[Opcom]

Forgot to mention the other stuff seen:

HQ-180A in the box (looked like brandy-new) - $250, and the speaker also new in the box - $80
SX-73, a bit dirty - $10 (not a typo!)
CE 100V - $250 and almost flawless shape
WJ 8716 - $300 "needs work" but went as soon as the guy pulled it out of his truck
Big box of audio toobs including a dozen 6550s, some 45s, etc, I left when the haggling hit $100
Collins 30L-1 $950 (needless to say this one went back home with the seller)

Good finds! - even if some others got them.

About that Collins:
Collins 30L-1 $380
Collins 30L-1 $410
Collins 30L-1 $649
Collins 30L-1 $686
Collins 30L-1 $774
Collins 30L-1 $775
Collins 30L-1 $850
Collins 30L-1 $1,524
avg eB sold price $748. still too much for cheap ham like me!!

Did you get the impression, finding the speaker and HQ-180A, that sellers were "un-bundling" equipment to make more $ selling separately what should be used together? This is not so much a price question, it seems a fair price, just interested in hamfest attitudes and marketing practices.

[kb3ouk]

an SX-73 for $10    I would've got it no matter what it looked like. My girlfriend's dad talked about going but ended up not.

[Pete, WA2CWA]

Did you get the impression, finding the speaker and HQ-180A, that sellers were "un-bundling" equipment to make more $ selling separately what should be used together? This is not so much a price question, it seems a fair price, just interested in hamfest attitudes and marketing practices.

That Hammarlund speaker would also match a number of other Hammarlund receivers. My Hammarlund speaker was used for a number of years with a National HRO-500. A number of years ago, I had a Drake TR-6 transceiver, matching speaker, and the power supply for sale at a bundled price. Customer only wanted the TR-6 and the power supply and so wanted a better price without the speaker. I took $30 off the price and he walked away with the TR-6 and power supply. Later in the day, I sold the speaker for $75.