[ARC5] Suggestions for eBay searching...

[John Saxon]

Recently I asked these groups for suggestions on doing eBay searches.  I was then asked to post some of the suggestions back to the whole group.

It has taken me a while to get the notes together, I apologize for that.

So....here are some suggestions for searching on eBay.  Where possible, I have credited the folks submitting suggestions.

I hope this will be of some value to you folks.

73,
John
K5ENQ

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Try searching for "Aircraft Radio"  Sometimes some relevant equipment is listed 
under ebay motors as aircraft components.  I found a nice BC-224-F with 

shockmount for $67 including shipping using that search method.


Unfortunately, they now lump in flying model aircraft radios under that name, so 

searching using those keywords takes more time.


Wayne

------------------------------------------------------------------------

I use the "-RC" (minus RC), etc., functions a lot in my searches.

I also look for "Navy receiver" (but I then have to input -fob -shirt -fence 
(yes,fence), -hitch -glove -gloves, etc.), Army radio, Signal Corps radio, Army 
receiver, Army transmitter, Navy radio, Navy transmitter, aircraft transmitter 
(with all the necessary "minus" functions), military all of the above, etc.

I also look under ham radio (various) but you had better put "ham radio receiver" 
within quotes or you will get all manner of not-necessarily-related garbage. I 
have found that "antique ham radio" or "homebrew transmitter", or "old ham 
radio" to be helpful at times.

Ken W7EKB
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Well, perhaps the problem is that Evil-bays search function views -ceramic 
and -ceramics as two different search criteria.

In other words, it doesn't recognize "ceramic" as "polyCERAMICs" as any 
normal search engine should. Furthermore, it sometimes decides there is a 
difference between capitalized words and lower-case words...or letters.

If you want to search for a plural word in an ad, you have to specify plural. 
Singular won't do it. And it won't recognize wild cards either.

Ken W7EKB
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ken, you are correct. The instant you use a 'switch' in the search, it becomes 
very snottily specific. All advanced options are nullified. Been that way for 

years. The search terms would be:


(capacitor,Capacitor,condensor,capaciter,capacitors,condensors,capaciter) -

(ceramic,ceramics,Ceramic,Ceramics)

Some don't get the spelllink right.

One fast way to reduce clutter is to look on the left hand side of the results 
page and note what categories come up. If they are predominately in one category 

switch to that one, and save the search. Next time just click on the saved 

search.

For my ARC 5 searches, I got tired of seeing welding rods, Batman comics 

with a 5 issue story arc, Joan of Arc, etc. Most of the results were in two 

categories, so I have two saved searches and follow the hints Greedbay digs up. 


For the Army versions, I have a search for SCR274 and another with the specific 
BC*** units in the title. In my searches for Bettie Page, for example, I grew 

tired of still getting 4,000+ results even with an exclusion string approaching 

the 150 character limit. 4 searches in specific areas of interest results in 1 to 

50 results each. Biggest side benefit? Doing this for most of my searches reduced 

my search time more than 60%. I now don't know what to do with all the time on my 

hands. LOL


(from John Rose)
------------------------------------------------------------------------

I've always used parenthesis after the minus sign, thought
this was a requirement. As in    Capacitor -(ceramic)    with multiple
exclusions separated by commas.

Category searches are, IMO, the best way to search if you want manageable
numbers. The chances of some old radio bit being listed under clothing or
such is pretty low, yet using 'Navy' in any search will bring up a slew of
Old Navy clothing for teenieboppers.

The categories most applicable are Collectibles - Militaria and Radios,
Phonos, etc, and Consumer Electronics.

(from Todd, KA1KAQ/4
------------------------------------------------------------------------