[HBR] Cost Of Homebrewing?

[hbr@mailman.qth.net]

Frank observed:
> You guys are loosing sight of the main reasons to homebrew.

I'm sorry, I have been unclear.   In considering the cost of 
homebrewing I was considering that issue only.   When one looks at 
the motivations hams might have had in the 50's and 60's -- and 
particularly questions like why did British hams do so much more of 
it that U.S. hams -- cost is one of the things that comes to mind.   If 
homebrew was a great deal cheaper than commercial in Britain, that 
could account for some of the difference; as Jim has pointed out, the 
cost difference wasn't that large in the U.S.

With a junkbox filled over four decades, it's also true that *I* can 
homebrew far more cheaply than I could ever buy anything of equal 
interest.  However, the main reason I do it is that I enjoy it -- after all, 
I collected all that stuff with the thought that I would some day use it 
for some project.  I agree with you that homebrewing offers the 
chance for unique equipment and unique satisfaction.

I'm a little more sympathetic than you to the fellow who buys all new 
parts for his project.   We all start someplace, and starting with 200 
mostly salvage parts of which some probably have already failed in 
obscure ways (out of tolerance resistors, leaking caps, a heater-
cathode short or two, an open IFT, a frozen meter movement, a 
volume control with dead spots ...) is not what I'd suggest to the 
homebrew beginner.   

Walt 
KJ4KV