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

[K5MYJ]

For a lot of the radio stuff the shipping cost is more than the cost of the 
unit.

Boatanchors are HEAVY!

Bob Macklin
K5MYJ
Seattle, Wa.
"Real Radios Glow In The Dark"
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bill Cotter" <n4lg at qx.net>
To: <boatanchors at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Tuesday, July 26, 2016 4:27 AM
Subject: Re: [Boatanchors] "Oldtimer bitching"? Or Timely Warning? You 
Decide.



A common idea that we hams seem to have acquired
is that buying old boatanchors and parts are a good investment.

It comes from the frenzy feeding on e-Bay and the
Japanese buying spree of the past ten years. But,
the simple truth is that the supply of this old
junk is exceeding demand, and the prices are
falling short - whether we like it or not. If one
invested heavily in boatanchors expecting
financial performance like a mutual fund, or even
a CD, they are going to go broke from falling prices and inflation.

The best you can hope for is to buy a piece of
gear, restore it, enjoy it, sell it quick, and
make it a bargain for the next owner - and chock
any loss up to rental expense.

And, at SK time, I have a young ham friend in his
late 20's who loves anything radio related
1930-1950's. I have told my XYL and children to
contact him, and have him take it all away - gratis.

73 Bill N4LG



At 04:00 PM 7/25/2016, you wrote:
>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. Â  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 ______________________________________________________________ ARC5 
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