[Fwd: Re: [Boatanchors] skits-matic]

[Todd Bigelow - PS]

Glen Zook wrote:

> 50 cents on the dollar is not an improper amount to
> pay for equipment that is resold.  3 cents on the
> dollar is!

Who determines this? Where is it written that if someone gives me a
radio or I buy it for $5, I can't resell it for $50 or $500? Granted, I
get many deals from friends because they know I'm not in the resale
business, and in the rare instance when I do sell something given to me
by a friend, I always split the money with them. Sure comes as a
surprise, they really don't expect it. But it they tend to keep you in
mind when cleaning out the garage or attic, too. IMHO, honesty pays far
greater dividends over time anyhow, and keeps on paying. But telling
someone they can't charge this or that is the same as saying someone
can't own a gun because some criminal misused one.

If you go to a hamfest and see a KWM-2A on one table for $100 and
another somewhere else for $800, which are you going to buy? Are you
going to argue with the seller of the lower priced unit because he could
get more on epay? If you buy the unit and the value skyrockets and you
later sell it, are you going to insist they pay only what you paid or a
small amount more? Who then tells you that you really should charge
more? Should everyone pay the 'top dollar as determined by what some
collector is willing to pay' price? Who, other than the high bidder,
thinks it's worth that much? Makes no sense.

> When you are in business, you have to
> "make" money to stay in business.  However, I still
> believe that it is immoral (not illegal) to go around
> and "take" the grieving families by offering only a
> small fraction of what the equipment is worth.

This is a totally different issue and I agree completely. Unfortunately,
when you make any hobby into a business, IMHO you take away much of the
fun and spirit since you have money or livelihood depending on results,
not tradition or favors. Some can pull it off, I know of guys who have
model train businesses and treat their friends just fine. When it comes
to used gear, widows, estates, and other fluid situations it's never
that clear. There is certainly the opportunity in this free country to
be unethical, even a crook if one so chooses. I've found that most often
the ones who would rip off a widow aren't really 'hams' anyhow - they're
either after fast money only or want to have a better 'collection' than
their similarly oriented adversaries.

It's wrong to be dishonest and cheat others, but to me it is just as
wrong to lump *everyone* into the same category as the few, true crooks
among us. Not everyone who gets or looks for good deals can be labeled
as immoral or unethical for exercising good judgment.

73 de Todd/'Boomer'  KA1KAQ