[Premium-Rx] Value is in the eyes of the beholder

[canton at island.net]

If you're like me you occasionally justify the purchase of a new  
premium radio by telling your beloved that it only cost me $999 (or  
whatever amount) but this would have originally cost the goverment  
thousands and thousands more.  I've used this ploy a few times but I  
really haven't had any info to really back up my claim.  Recently I  
discovered an interesting letter and price list tucked into the back  
of a WatkinsJohnson manual I'd acquired.  It was dated from 1983 and  
addressed to the Inspector-in-Charge of a Department of Communications  
and included a quote for a Watkins-Johnson 8617B Receiver.

I thought this info might stir a few thoughts, perhaps a few other  
price lists for comparison or perhaps just a few warm thoughts about  
how 'valuable' our collections actually are.  For anyone about to rush  
right out and list things on EBay, please ignore this post :-)

cheers
Chris
VE7TOP

8617B General Purpose VHF/UHF Receiver	$37532
Options
	Audio Scan Output		$518
	Cursor			$777
	Direction Finding Control	$501
	Digital Refreshing Display	$1069
	96 Channel Memory		$1361
	Frequency Memory Lockout	$1837
	Master Slave Operation	$484
	Plug-in Keyboard Control	$877
	Signal Monitor		$4192
	Wideband IF Output		$568
	IF Demod 1Mhz BW		$977
	IF Demod 10 Khz BW		$977
	IF Demod 100 Khz BW	$1169
	MIL/STD-188C Interface Bus	$1068
	IF Demod 2 Mhz BW		$977
	IF Demod 20 Khz BW		$877
	RS-232C Interface Bus	$828
	IF Demod 250 Khz BW	$1946
	IF Demod 30 Khz BW		$1361
	IF Demod 300 Khz BW	$1169
	IF Demod 4 Mhz BW		$877
	IEEE-488 Interface Bus	$818
	IF Demod 50 Khz BW		$977
	IF Demod 500 Khz BW	$977
	IF Demod 6 Khz BW		$1169
	IF Demod 75 Khz BW		$1562
	8 Mhz Band Width		$1528
	Built-in Test		$2865
	Digital Audio Video	$1253
	Frequency Extender 500-1100 Mhz	$7408
	Frequency Extension 2-20 Mhz	$3825
	Log Video			$1378
	Main Frame Spares Kit	$32128
	Noise Riding Threshold	$2080
	Record Log Output		$1654
	Real Time Clock		$279
	Single Sideband		$1562
	Variable BFO		$2814