[Hallicrafters] my two cents worth

[ATanner283 at aol.com]

There are many other Internet sites that sell/trade rigs also. eHam.com and 
Yahoo I believe, both have want adds for rigs, as well as the Hallicrafter's 
web site. For prices, you can still watch and get an idea. You can also ask 
folks on the reflectors, if not here, there are many that will respond to 
price questioning. Also, the AM reflectors also occasionally have price 
discussions, but are not particularly informative. As to what you're going to 
buy, you and only you can actually make that decision. What is a fine rig to 
one op, is a piece of junk to someone else. Are you going to use it, or put 
it on a shelf and stare at it?? Are a few scratches from age acceptable, or 
are you wanting "mint" cndx stuff? Can you repair tube equipment?? If someone 
else has put in all the work to replace the caps and do the alignment etc, 
the price will be much higher usually, than the old  rig found in the garage 
at Uncle Bill's. Can you spare the bux?? If you can't, then wait until you 
CAN. Ask questions of the buyer. Especially of auction people. Check their 
reviews. Ask what the return policy is. Try to buy close in so you can 
possibly meet and eyeball the rig before forking over the dough. Often times 
bad auction problems arise from a lack of understanding each other, and poor 
communications. Then ego kicks in and it's "off to the races" with many hard 
feelings left behind. I believe I have been burnt worse at the Dayton 
Hamvention Flea Market than any where else. Why??? Because the "I want it" 
syndrome clouded my "is it worth it" or "do I NEED it" senses. I have got 
some really good deals over the internet, and sold stuff also. Only one 
problem radio, and the seller promptly took it back. I paid shipping back, 
and offered to pay half of all the selling fees he had incurred. He was not 
jumpin' happy, but at least we parted friends, and he acknowledged there WAS 
a problem that he didn't know about. I once bought a REALLY good looking 
SX-100 at an auction (in person type) for 15 bux. The note on it said it had 
a burnt out power transformer, so nobody wanted it. It sat around my shack 
for a while, and then one day I got to looking at it, and it was the on/off 
switch that was defective, not the transformer. (a somewhat common problem 
with the rotary on/off  snap switches that Hallicrafters used). Take your 
time and look around. The rise in rig prices has been caused by folks who 
want to buy WORKING MINT radios. They only want to have them, not work on 
them. Another really strange phenomenon is that hams will CONSTANTLY complain 
about the high cost of old equipment, and it's a rip off, and should not be 
allowed, etc etc................UNTIL the time comes to sell THEIR rig. 
Anyway .......good luck.....come to Dayton if you can as there is enough 
there for everyone and deals ARE to be made..........73    Al/W8FAX


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