[Milsurplus] Aberdeen Rally

[Ray Fantini]

Went to the Aberdeen Military Vehicle Show and swap fest yesterday (Friday), despite the ongoing weather reports of bad weather the weather was excellent. Saw most of the usual vendors there and not a lot of new information to report, VRC-12 stuff or at least at this show has somehow shot way up in perceived value. For the last couple years been nothing new to see VRC-12 radios in the $100 to $200 price range all day long but yesterday people wanted stupid money for the radios like $400 to $600, they had not been worth that much for some time now? Maybe because it’s more a vehicle event but did not see any sell. Intercoms, M-80 and H-250 handsets were available in the $5 to $15 range. Lots of T-312 telephones and also lots of people with the wire reels with wire on them, mostly the newer digital molded wire. PRC-25 and 77 radios were for sale from $250 to $600 with accessories. There were the usual three or four radio dealers there that are always at Aberdeen and Gilbert and myself looked at buying a PRC-74 from one but just was not able to justify $300 for a radio that’s USB and would only be useful for the M&S net, did offer $250 and would have gone with $275 but that’s where we left it. Odd thing is that there was also someone who had a MRC-108 all in peaces along with other stuff that included a URC-110 with the battery box for $685.00 and despite my best efforts they would not budge on price. Lot of that going on where everyone did not want to take anything less then the price they have on the item. Have no idea whets going on with that? Anyway the end result was just buying a new BA-5590 for my PRC-1439 for use at Dayton next week, hope this non negotiable price thing don’t hit there too.

Ray F