[Milsurplus] Equipment for sale

[Mike Morrow]

Dave wrote:

> I could never have dreamed of even *seeing* in my lifetime some of the
> items now in my collection.  I think Ebay is the greatest thing to happen
> to our hobby since the invention of solder.

Exactly!  I tried to complete several sets for literally **decades** by going to every
hamfest (including Dayton) and any other likely source, and made precious little progress
even on a really really really common set like the SCR-274-N.

Since eBay, beginning for me in 1999, I have assembled complete or almost complete sets
of just about anything I've picked to assemble. (I'm still working on ARA/ATA racks and
mounts, and a few other things like AN/ARC-9 and AN/ARC-59 mounts, and that PP-3702/ARC-102
I've searched for since 1999.)

In addition, eBay can be MUCH cheaper than what was typical 45 or more years ago.  I have
a couple of eBay NOS BC-348-P and -Q receivers, with as-issued rack, dynamotor, and
connector, purchased for about $300 plus $40 shipping.  Fair Radio sold a less complete
set-up for $70 in 1965, not including shipping.  That's equivalent to $512 today.

Within the last month I've purchased a NOS ATA transmitter ans a NOS AN/ARC-5 transmitter,
each for about $90, including shipping.  Could you buy one of these NOS transmitters and
pay for the shipping for $12.30 in 1965?  That's what was then equivalent to $90 today.
Of course not.  Hamfests???  At Dayton 2011 the lowest cost I found for any *NOS* condition
oommand transmitter was $100!  What a bargain today's hamfests are.  :-)

Critics of prices found on eBay are invariably people who think they should be getting in
2013 an item for the same numerical number of dollars that was typical a half century ago.
They are people who prefer that some scarce item wind up in a landfill if they don't get
the opportunity to by it for way below what it cost a half century ago on the surplus market.
I have the honor to point out that is a self-serving and predatory position not informed
by an understandy of the time-value of money.

So...I agree.  Ebay is the best thing that ever developed for those who collect odd-ball
non-consumer items...like military surplus radios...at least if one doesn't have several
lifetimes to complete even a common old SCR-274-N set.

73,
Mike / KK5F