[Boatanchors] [ARC5] Boatanchor Ennui: Is He Wrong?

[Whitebear1122]

Agree with all that is said.   Nah it isn’t suicide watch time, but we’re all hearing about entire collection sell off’s or auctions, SK’s, nursing home sales, assisted living sales.  It’s already tough to get rid of BA and you often can’t even give it away.  Anyone want to buy an NC-300?  :)  I didn’t think so.   All of you probably have one in the basement.  By the way, that was the NC-300 that I found $497 cash inside.  

 I’m nearly done with a 7 or 8 year sell off where I’ve sold 95% of my radios, and I still have a nice small collection left of BA that I use all the time, that I can keep up with repairs. I do have a couple radios on the back room shelf to get to like the BC-348. 

In the shack I have set up and operational most of my keeper BA gear now.   I have my beloved Viking Valiant and 75A-4, Drake 4C station, Viking Navigator and Johnson Courier.  Now that would be easier for a friend to sell for me, or just throw it in the trash if I get sick or die.  I won’t care because I got all my money out of the other stuff and I just love playing with these radios NOW.

 Like you guys, I loved the hunt for the equipment, the nostalgia rush when I got it, but eventually I kept acquiring but didn’t have enough space to use or time to restore so they’d go on a shelf.  Some day I might share the list of what I sold but I’m embarrassed right now.  I had 5 SW-3’s at one time, various models, buying more to get better condition, more coils etc until I ended up with 5 plus a huge collection of coils.  Have 1 now, the rarest of the rare, the SW-3 Model III with octal tubes.  Interested in selling that by the way.  It has the original dog house supply and 3 sets of Model III band spread coils for 20,40,80.  I am only aware of 4 Model III’s out there.

I sold off everything that I didn’t want to move if I got laid off or retired.  Sold off everything that I didn’t want my wife to get stuck with getting rid of.  Prior to my sell off she asked me what should she do with my radio collection  if I got sick or died.  I said to call my good friend and he would sell it for me.  She asked why would I do that to my best friend?  Good point.  

It’s hard to sell these days and get your money out of them.  I see the hamfest sellers going home with their BA unsold even if their price was good.  It took me 8 years to do it using Ebay and these BA lists, QTH.COM <http://qth.com/>, etc.  I’ve probably broke even, selling most for what I paid for it, selling a few for an incredible amount of money over what I paid, and selling some for hundreds$$ loss.  It all evened out.

I’m sure there are others out there with basement’s full of gear that fear or dread the immense effort of selling, boxing, shipping, like I did.

I would like to restore my minty BC-348 with dynamotor some day and pair it up with some transmitter and put it on the air. I’ve got a BC453 that I’d love to build a Q5’er front end.  

If anyone’s looking, I’m selling an NC-300, HRO5TA-1 with coil box and 3 or 4 coils,  National SW-3 Model III, National FB-7 with a bunch of coils, Drake TR4CW-RIT.  I am thinking about buying a nice Drake 2NT and 2C again.  

73, Scott WA9WFA