Those e-Pay prices

[k4kyv]

Maybe some of the prices vintage equipment has been going for on ePay lately are not so far off target after all.

I worked a station on 160 tonight that was using a Hallicrafters HT-6 transmitter.  It runs 25 watts, with 6L6 master oscillator and one or two 807's in the final, modulated by a pair of 6L6's.  Band changing is by plug-in coils, and the rig runs xtal controlled or MOPA.  He said the transmitter was made in 1940.  I pulled out my 1940 ARRL handbook and found the ad in the catalogue section.  The rig sold for $100 that year.

I looked up on the NASA inflation calculator
http://www1.jsc.nasa.gov/bu2/inflate.html

According to the consumer price index calculator, $100 in 1940 would be equivalent to $1340 in today's dollarettes.

According to the gross domestic product calculator, $100 in 1940 would be $1096.52 in today's money.

Regardless of how you calculate it, that's big bucks for such a basic little transmitter - especially during the pre-WW2 Great Depression era.

Then, there is all the whining about gas prices (Oh! I can't afford to run my SUV anymore... sob sob!)  I recall in the late 50's regular (leaded) gas sold for $0.299/gallon for years.  That calculates to $1.89 in dollarettes.  That's about what I was paying around here until the recent spike in gas price.  Only now are we seeing a significant increase over the historic price of gas.  Yesterday I paid $2.25 per gallon for regular unleaded.  That's a 20% increase in real cost over a nearly 50 year period.  I heard on the news today that prescription drugs went up over 7% in just the last year (double the rate of inflation).  University tuition has been increasing over 10% a year for the last several years.

It's not that things are getting more expensive.  The dollar is worth less and less.  Problem is, most people's wages are not  increasing enough to keep pace with the devaluation of the dollar.

[KE1GF]

Don I filled the tank on my gas guzzling V6 4x4 yesterday. Prices were $2.15/gal at the pump, down about $.05 since the spike that sent prices from $1.87/gal to $2.20/gal a few weeks ago. I remember driving by the gas station one morning and the prices were $2.10 and then on the return trip home a few hours later they hit peak at $2.20.

[WB2CAU]

Very true, Don.  I've often considered the inflationary factor on eBay prices too.  Also consider what it would actually cost to manufacture these products in today's world.  Then some of those high prices on used stuff start to seem more reasonable.

The other issue that is commonly ignored when I hear grumbling on the air about eBay prices is that the selling price is not directly controlled by the seller at all. That is, excepting for the starting or reserve price.  The final selling price is determined by demand and how badly the prospective buyer wants that particular item.  The scarcity of much of what we want and the sheer numbers of like-minded buyers is what drives up the price.

Too often I hear guys complaining about the selling prices on eBay items and "blame" the seller.  It ain't the seller.  

Eric - WB2CAU

[W4LTM]

Hi gang,

I agree to an extent that we have to look at the different inflation factors to determine fair ePay prices.  Yes, it is granted that things just cost more now, than they did back then.

However, I still think that one has to look at a few different variables when considering the "great Deal" off ePay as compared to what it would cost today.  The first being standard depreciation - Over 50 years for a transmitter is a lot of depreciation time, and also the unknown factor of what you are really buying.     Along with myself, I know others have received goods that were either explained wrong out of seller ignorance, or just listed dishonestly to get a better price.  If we had seen the item and could have physically checked it out, we could have made a more informed purchase.  I still think a lot of the ePay prices have to do with the current trends, collector values, and supply and demand.

Just my ePay thoughts.

Have a good day,

Matt

[N9NEO]

And what will the prices of these boatanchors do when all of us buzzards that like em are gone?

As I see it we only have two hopes for our treasures to keep their value. The life expectency goes up way fast so we all live a very long time. The Japanese begin to buy up the the old anchors as each of us depart.

Neither one very appealing to me  

NEO-later

[Pete, WA2CWA]

And what will the prices of these boatanchors do when all of us buzzards that like em are gone?

As I see it we only have two hopes for our treasures to keep their value. The life expectency goes up way fast so we all live a very long time. The Japanese begin to buy up the the old anchors as each of us depart.

Neither one very appealing to me  :(

NEO-later

When I'm dead, I don't really care what happens to my equipment. Use it when I'm here; screw it when I'm gone.

[Herb K2VH]

Attaboy, Pete!

[W8ER]

Cool Don!

Recently there was a brand new Viking Ranger on Ebay. It was new in the box. It had never been unpacked and included all of the original papers. It was at auction for 10 days and the highest bid was $2600. I was hearing hoots and ha's and when it ended and it hadn't met the reserve, even I was aghast!

So I went to your link and ran the inflation calculator on it.

If you were to buy exactly the same products in 2005 and 1955,
they would cost you $2600 and $378.43 respectively.

You know, that's pretty close and the funny thing is, it's back on Ebay right now ... 3 days to go and it's at $2495 and the reserve has been met. That means somebody gets it but how high will it go this time?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=4675&item=5766896601&rd=1

Brand new factory wired Ranger I !!!

--Larry W8ER

[W1UJR]

90% of the new hams I meet, and I meet a good number as I do bi-monthly VE testing, have NO interest in anything but the "shack on the belt" 2 meter HT.

It is only the really twisted of us, the other 10%, you appreciate, chase, restore, pamper and USE the old stuff.

We have succeeded getting some of the newcomers here in Maine into AM, but the vast majority think HF, and vintage HF, just is not that interesting.

Takes all kinds, and leaves less of us fighting over the good stuff!  


-Bruce W1UJR
The Sound of Coastal Maine


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[Todd, KA1KAQ]

To add to that, Bruce, I would guesstimate that perhaps as many as 1/3 of the AM users I hear now are on Yaecomewood riceboxes with a number of class e rigs as well.  Seems like more folks are taking the step to the once 'dark side'?

I suspect they might want to recapture that nostalic feeling of radio that SSB appliance operation lacks for us. Rigs have come a long way in the last ten years, too. But in the end, how many newbies hae even been exposed to a piece of equipment with glowing filaments? To me, those monolithic super rigs are missing one of the key ingredients of the radio experience.

The biggest issue comes further down the road, when the manufactured obsolecense kicks in and a zorched Yaecomewood beciomes a doorstop with little pushbuttons for the kids to play with.  Hence the need to keep 'em upgrading to the latest, greatest.

ePay is a product of its users. Folks tend to get carried away and mix the hype of some ads with the reality of today's prices and what you actually get for your money. My pet peeve is the guys who say that epay is the "determining market factor" when we all know better deals can be found if you actually want to apply yourself. It's merely another tool to be utilized in finding or maybe just seeing something you'd otherwise never see, and has no doubt saved a lot of stuff from the scrap heap. Best part is, you have the freedom to be as fiscally thrifty or foolish as you want to be.

Don, that calculator shows that those $25k KW-1s listed over the last two years on there were pretty much on the money, too. $26.5K 1953/2003 dollars. I bet not many folks could afford them new either.

~ Todd, KA1KAQ

[W1UJR]

To add to that, Bruce, I would guesstimate that perhaps as many as 1/3 of the AM users I hear now are on Yaecomewood riceboxes with a number of class e rigs as well.  Seems like more folks are taking the step to the once 'dark side'?

~ Todd, KA1KAQ

One problem is that unless a new ham personally knows an AMer, or have some local exposure to the mode, they just never heard about it.

The ARRL has sanitized their handbooks to all but remove any real mention of AM, and although QST has gotten a little better with articles on vintage gear and operation, it is by and large filled with ricebox ads and reviews (which only makes sense as the main advertisers in QST are ricebox peddlers).

Personally, I don't much care how you get on AM, but do care that it is respected as a valid and vital part of the amateur radio hobby. Chances are if you get on AM via the ricebox route, you’ll soon migrate to homebrew or vintage gear.

Thank God for old (and young) buzzards that still operate vintage gear with that great AM sound, they serve as a guidepost to show the new hams what the mode is all about.

After all, who can resist a glowing transmitter or receiver in a darkened room, its pure magic? Or that rich, fat bottom AM sound with the attendant “chunk” of a large contactor pulling, and the carrier quieting the receiver?
The slight fading of QSB, the smell of the tubes buring off dusk....magic.

When one just turns on the latest and greatest mega-buck gee-whiz-bang transmitter, spins the beam, and with compressed yellowly audio calls with 100% sucess, you might as well use a cell phone.

Remember, "Real Radios Glow in the Dark".

73 Bruce

[WA1GFZ]

Bruce,
Real radios glow in the dark if you need heat in the shack.
Nothing beats a class E rig in the summer time.
I could operate my 4CX3000A rig for about 45 minutes before the basement got too hot.

[W1UJR]

Bruce,
Real radios glow in the dark if you need heat in the shack.
Nothing beats a class E rig in the summer time.
I could operate my 4CX3000A rig for about 45 minutes before the basement got too hot.

Air conditioning OM, turn up the A/C.
Seriouslly, know the feeling, the T-368 with its two blower fans raises the room temp about 10 degees about a short time.

73 Bruce


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[Todd, KA1KAQ]

You're supposed to bottle the heat for use next winter. Same basic process as getting smoke into radios. Sheeesh.

One thing I found in the past was that I didn't really have enough time in summer to use the radios much, probably why it wasn't an issue. Good point, though - I can't imagine being in one of the newer "super-insulated" houses with a pair of big tubes lighting the place up.

We have 4/80 Air conditioning here. Roll down all 4 windows, drive down interstate at 80.

 

[Herb K2VH]

Hey Bruce, I never heard that one before-----> "shack on the belt."

I love it.

I tried to put my BC-610 on my belt, but after my stomach, there wasn't any room for it. :shock:

   This emoticon says Very Happy, and that's who I am.  

K2

[WA1GFZ]

I live in a super insulated house so when the basement gets hot it stays hot. No AC in the shack cooling the upstairs costs enough. Heating the house with a rig then running the ac is like cooking a steak on the grill using green backs for fuel.
I can run the class e rig all day long and the only heat is coming off the bleeder resistors on the power supply

[W1UJR]

Herb,
Yes the "Shack On the Belt" otherwise known as "SOB".

Frank,
My new place is like that and I hate it!
Love the heating bills, but I can't even turn the heat on downstairs (in floor radiant heat) without the 2nd floor hitting 80.
So I run with the windows upstairs cracked open to create a draft.
Too much insulation and not enough ventilation.
Not a new house either, just a recently renovated 1850s cape.

Give me my old drafty 1870s Portland townhouse, with the drafts and so many openings I could tell the weather without going even outside.
Of course the heating bills were like mortage payments!

73 Bruce W1UJR



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[WA1GFZ]

We leave a couple windows cracked open a bit all year round.
My buddy installed an air exchanger that works great.
New place is going to be even tighter.

You can't beat that summer afternoon ocean breeze to cool things down.
You will see soon and come to love it.

[Glenn K2KL]

Wow! I actually agree with you Pete!!!

When I'm dead, I don't really care what happens to my equipment. Use it when I'm here; screw it when I'm gone.

[W1RKW]

Got 3 zones in the house for heating right now.  Gonna have 5 next year for the garage and basement.  Heated the garage this winter with a little cube heater and homebrew thermostat.  It didn't cost very much on the electric bill to keep the garage at 55.  Basement should be a cinch since it's 55 degrees (unfinished) all year round. It should be much easier to keep warm once it's finished.