[ICOM] IC-781 pricing?

[n4ch at aol.com]

Hello All,
 
I've had an Icom 781 for close to 20 years............I picked  up an early 
used one right after they first became available.    Excellent radio, and 
(except for a minor power supply issue right after I  got it), ZERO failures 
in that period of time.   Have run it hard at  times (with no optional 
blower), gone from zero to the top of the DXCC Honor  Roll with it, and it's not 
had the covers taken off for ANY reason in 19  years.........no bad CRT or 
bad anything else (except a couple noisy  controls).   For a radio of its 
complexity, number of solder  joints, and parts count, this is amazing.
 
There are a lot of newer radios that offer better performance,  but of 
course a lot of design innovation has occurred since 1990.    There are newer 
radios that offer more flexible receiver filter choices  (especially on SSB), 
IMD performance, DSP, etc.   The  dual-receive isn't optimum (actually, it's 
one receiver with two synthesizers,  and this has its 
limitations).......but I almost never want to use dual receive  anyway.   The 781 is one of the 
earlier radios to use DDS in the  synthesizer; mine works very well.
 
I see 3-4 of these radios a year for sale at  hamfests........the price 
(for a good and fully functional one) typically runs  from as low as $1800 to 
around $2400.   The rack handles (which were  NOT options........new radios 
came with them) typically can add another $50-$150  (or more.......!).
 
73, Herman, N4CH.