[ARC5] "Oldtimer bitching"? Or Timely Warning? You Decide.

[Don Merz]

It's not "bitching". These are not "complaints". It's a warning. I think what most of us on these lists recognize is this....
If you want any money out of your collection of ANY old, special-interest technology, NOW IS THE TIME. 10 years from now will not work. Your kids will most likely load it into a dumpster. This or something close to this is a guaranteed outcome. It's not ambiguous. It's demographically unavoidable. 
If you DO NOT care about getting any money out of your collection, then just keep doing what you are doing and make it clear to the kids that they can pitch it or let it go on Craigslist for 10 cents on the dollar with a clear conscience.
For some technologies, you are already too late. Try selling a film camera collection. Try selling your darkroom. I'm sure you can think of other examples. Hell, try selling a fine but unrare, specialized BOOK collection in the Kindle era! Yeeks.
It was alarming to go to Dayton this year and see EVERYONE who came with Drake gear leave with their gear. It was and is great stuff. But too much of it has survived to be attractive to the remaining buyers. Everyone that wants Drake gear already has it. I'm not saying to give up on your C line. But if you want to sell it--or ANY of this gear--for what you paid for it plus inflation, that is becoming a longer and longer row to hoe with every season that passes. 
For other technologies, you are too early. Examples: Post-war TVs--except early, round tube color sets in working condition, Apple computers. PCs and maybe non-name Unix systems are hopeless. Early solid state audio gear is junk. 
In all categories, the exception is the high-end--the stuff that was "really expensive" and "general use" (like stereo gear), or unique in its' prime--think art-deco broadcast radios.That stuff will probably always have buyers.
But the financial side of this hobby is in the remaining phases of doing a 180 degree turn from appreciating in value to depreciating in value. If you could care less about ending up "in the red", then GREAT. That is where I want to be in the final accounting--still in the hobby with no concern for what happens to the stuff after my time. 
73 de N3RHT Don Merz

      From: Peter <k.malsch at comcast.net>
 To: ARC5 at mailman.qth.net 
 Sent: Saturday, July 23, 2016 2:35 PM
 Subject: [ARC5] Oldtimer bitching
   
Hello guy's
I have read all of your complaints for the future of our collections.

  I for an example will in the future try to be a program at all the 
local Denver Radio Clubs with my working Command Set display and the 
talk about the "Air Navigation Systems of WWII". I did this at the local 
Club with an astonishing result.
Lot's of questions from the audience. What is a "Dyna-motor" for 
example. This questions came even from Old Timers. The younger attendees 
had most of the questions and I was glad to answer them as best as I 
could. Most had never seen and heard of the radio systems of WWII and 
where glad to the hear about and see it demonstrated. I will try to just 
show this equipment at the Denver Radio Club Ham Fest next month at the 
Jeff-co Fairground.

Maybe this is the way to wake the interest in more of the younger Ham's, 
at least I will try. My Son as well as many of yours has his interest in 
Computers and FM-Radios. That is his Business and Hobby.

I have sold most of my Collection and kept only interesting and rare 
pieces. But falling for the occasional appearing piece of "Boat Anker" 
radio to play with, as well as repairing it and then selling it again to 
make room for another one.

Have nice day and 73

Peter
KC0DGM
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