[Milsurplus] [Army-Radios] AR-88 sell price advice ?

Mon May 23 10:36:15 EDT 2022

Hi

So, how long have many of us been going to hamfests? 50 years, 60 years … a 
bit longer than that? 

The one constant that comes to mind for any hamfest expedition: 

1) The stuff I sold had to be priced way to cheap

2) The stuff I went there to buy was way to expensive. 

3) I got a great deal on this gizmo that I’m not quite sure I needed. ( and is still 
there “in stock” 40 years later with me still wondering ….). 

Hamfests are small affairs. There are a very limited number of buyers and sellers. 
A lot of folks come with nothing and go home with nothing ( except sunburn). “Thin” 
markets like this make for inconsistent / variable pricing. That’s true way beyond
selling ham gear. 

eBay is a much larger affair than any hamfest. Still, I see a ton of stuff there at prices
that simply don’t make sense. I doubt any of it will sell, but who knows. Again, that’s
true of way more than old ham radios.

Fun

Bob

> On May 23, 2022, at 6:23 AM, William Cromwell <wrcromwell at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Hi,
> 
> I can attest to every word here. I took some items to a recent hamfest. I first looked at what these items sold for on ebay (as opposed to asking price). Then I cut that in half and under the half number I wrote "make offer". I sold most of my stuff to first guy to make an offer. My own Johnson Ranger and a Kenwood VFO came back home but I was reluctant to take both of them to the sale. When the show was over I saw a huge amount of old gear going back home from whence it came. I also saw a lot of deals being made - similar to the ones I made. I sold a set of Heathkit DX-60 & HR-10 where I threw in a Heathkit keyer and a Heathkit SWR meter into the deal. Another guy took the Johnson electronic T-R switch ( I use solid state  now). There was a Heathkit signal generator gone to a new home. I gave away some "junque". I now have more space in my shop :)
> 
> I saw guy carrying out a couple of HF command receivers :)
> 
> 73,
> 
> Bill KU8H
> 
> bark less - wag more
> 
> On 5/23/22 7:34 AM, David Stinson wrote:
>> I hate to be "the skunk at the wedding," but IMHO,
>> you will never sell that AR-88 at a hamfest for $300.
>> In fact, I think that at 4 hamfests out of 5,
>> you'll take it back home with a $200 price.
>> I have working Johnson Ranger I and Johnson Ranger II.
>> I can't sell them at a hamfest for $250, despite
>> the crazy prices on Ebay.
>> 
>> We are a rapidly-shrinking market of mostly old
>> guys with fixed incomes and not much "fun money."
>>  We have a large supply of gear coming available
>> (that which isn't going straight
>> to the dump because we never "got around to it").
>> 
>> This means rapidly-falling prices.
>> One cannot defeat the laws of economics.
>> This is one of those immutable laws:
>> If one cannot sell something in a market,
>> there is forever more only one reason:
>> The price is too high.
>> With the right price, you could sell fire to the Devil.
>> 
>> We cannot beat Father Time (the sorry old....).
>> Try selling chariot wheels or steam locomotive piston rings
>> or wringer washers, etc. etc.
>> The time has passed, as all things must.
>> 
>> GL OM ES 73 DE Dave AB5S
>> 
>> 
>> On 5/22/2022 7:58 PM, Hue Miller wrote:
>>> 
>>> What hamfest selling price would be about right for this AR-88 receiver?
>>> Has 2 added toggle switches at top; somewhat crudely added meter to front panel;
>>> 
>>> blower on back.
>>> 
>>> thanks-
>>> 
>>> Hue Miller
>>> 
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