[Milsurplus] Rickreall Hamfest 2/19

[Hue Miller]

Saw a couple Command Sets transmitters, looked unmodified, think about $25 
each.
One converted to "antenna tuner" but still appearing whole, unsold. Some 
BC-453s
without cabinet, no sales. One RT-6667, something like that, a 2-deck SSB 
xcvr,
price unknown. PRC-47, price and status unknown. Was very surprised to see 2
TRC-8 transmitters, no cabinet but front panel perfect, no sale of course. I 
had
last seen these 2 at an estate sale in Vacouver WA around 2001, where I had
exactly the same feelings, and declined similarly. Beautiful equipment -
"someone" should save it - but not I. Also was very surprised to see an
R-417A/TRC  vhf receiver new in transit case, with extra plug in TU, for
about $60 in my preliminary ( and no real interest ) dickering. Just way too
big and fun/hassle factor too low.  But NEW condition - where do these
come from?
A fellow at the next table, a non-ham, non-electronics person, militaria
collector, had a small display with components of SCR-178, no trunk;
also BC-222, no bag, and BC-229 transmitter. ( Re the latter, I have the
horse saddle bag for this set, and very foolishly traded off the BC-228
receiver (or was it BC-227? ) years ago, and then avoided purchasing
2 more transmitters as they came by...)  For whatever reason I don't
know how to relate to him so I basically don't try to discuss anything
with him...He has a lot of stuff, but it appears most of it is kinda beat
or incomplete.

My sense was that altho "classic" ham gear is still in supply but
still priced kinda retail, that the market for it is about filled, and
people aren't looking to take home SX-111s, SX-43s, HQ-129s,
etc. Most our age I think, have very high input impedance to
another box. Is a big price decline next? Oh- except probably
the top collectibles, such as the 75A4 and a few others.

I bought a little Beechcraft (Motorola ) aircraft radio from a
particular point in time. LF/MF receiver with a 2-tube 3105
xmtr; also a separate VHF transmitter-adapter, and a 75 MHz
marker receiver adapter which is just a crystal diode receiver,
all cabling and connectors for above. PLUS, opening the
cabinet, I was amazed to see the schematic pasted inside.

Also enjoyed talking to Jim Horne down from Seattle area,
and debriefing him for my umpteenth time about the
ARC-2 onboard the HHS-1 helicopter he flew on in the
USN, late 1950s. And another carrier based ASW plane,
this was in a time when the idea was, one carrier in the
group was designated for ASW work.
Jim also described on a visit to LA in 1957, he saw an
APX-6 in a surplus store window. "Wait a minute", he
thought, "that thing is still classified in the Navy"
What to do? He concluded that if the surplus store
could be offering the APX-6, the Russians could
as well have bought one already, too.
-Hue Miller