[Milsurplus] A question of Value

[David Stinson]

Guess I'll throw in my 2-and-a-half cents...

The question of "value" is inextricably tied 
to one's reasons and motives for doing this.
"Value" as viewed by a marketer is very different
from "value" as seen by an aficionado.

This is a complex issue with many considerations.
One is admittedly and unashamedly about me.
Yes, ego is involved.  But that doesn't have to be a bad thing.
It can lead to achievement and even excellence, 
as long as one is on guard against harming someone else with it.

I've never had an interest in doing what tens of thousands 
have done before.  That's why I have -zero- interest in things 
like DX contests, "Worked All (fill in the blank)" or any of that.
Near forty years and I don't think I've "Worked All States" yet.
If this is your interest, hey that's great.  
That's yours and God bless you.
But I know all that's needed to get DXCC or whatever 
like a bizillion before is a fat credit card to buy the gear 
and time; it's a certainty.  
Woop-de-doo. That's no challenge.  Mega-Yawn.
That's why I got so deep into 1750 meters (160-190 KC)
back in the '80s and it's one reason I do this;
Give me something few people have the talent 
or just the ambition to do;
Something people say you *can't* do.
How many people in the whole, wide world have
the talent, the stick-to-it or even the ambition to 
get a Navy GP-7 running and making contacts in 
something close to its original configuration?
I bet you can count them on your fingers and 
have enough left to hold your coffee cup.
Give me that challenge and stand back.

Another issue is stewardship, which is 
not as straight-forward as one might think.
Respect for history and the people who made it 
is a facet, preservation is another.
What does it mean to be a "good steward" 
of a piece of the heritage of mankind?  

I believe an important consideration 
of good stewardship is working to improve
the chance that a piece will survive us
and thus, keep its story alive.
Our radios aren't Rembrandts or pieces of
the True Cross; we can't count on hundreds of
people at our estate sale fighting over who's going 
to be the next steward of your BC-348.
We live in a "want it right NOW" world,
and that isn't going to get better soon. 
Your BC-348 will have to compete for preservation 
in an ever-shrinking marketplace.

Given this, how can I enhance the chances 
of the one for which I am responsible?
IMHO, a radio that lights-up and sings garners 
orders-of-magnitude more interest than any that sits
on a shelf, cold and dead.  A radio with all it's bits and
pieces together gathers yet more interest 
than one naked of its accessories.  
More interests equals greater chance of igniting 
someone's latent passion and boom- 
there's your next steward.

Given this, the question becomes one of
setting limits and establishing lines one
should not cross ("No drilling holes," etc.).
This is tricky territory and we're not all going to agree.
And ideas/rules evolve over time.  
I don't do now what I did ten years ago.
I've learned a few things from the experiances of others
and from a maturing set of values.
For instance: I typically leave original, bad components 
and "tack in" a modern replacement to bypass them.
If one's goal is maximum preservation consistant with 
getting the radio to "sing," I think "restuffing" caps is 
counter-productive.  How is removing the original, 
correct contents of a bathtub oil cap and replacing it
with a poly inside any different from just removing it
and soldering-in the poly?  The cap you end with 
is certainly not the "historic" cap.
I often run rigs at a fraction of their B+ if possible,
because many caps that leak at 250 volts perform
just peachy at 45 volts.   This minimizes the work
needed to get the radio to "sing" and is thus consistant
with the preservation goals of good stewardship.

In short- "value" is a complex issue and each of us
has to make his choices by his lights.
Time and markets will decide the matter.

At this point, it's fair to ask:
 "Well, how many people care?"
I only need one to care: Me.
That others care adds richness and fellowship 
and meaning and the joy that comes with sharing.
But I care, and that's all I need.
At the End of Days, the Almighty isn't going 
to call witnesses about my motivations.
It will be just Him and me, and no excuses allowed.

73 OM DE Dave AB5S