[R-390] [R-390-A FS 40+

[Cecil Acuff]

In 1969 the R-390A was state of the art...actually beyond that as far as 
amateur radio equipment was concerned....it could defend it's value due to 
it's performance as stacked up against anything else available at that time.

The sad fact is today that is just not the case.  The primary value the 
R-390A has today is it's nostalgia factor and that of the old radios to own 
as a toy for our radio pleasure it's top of the heap.  Anyone seriously 
using radios to communicate on today's amateur bands are not using the 
R-390A to do so....with the exception of the AM heavy metal guys and that's 
a niche area of the hobby that has many exceptions to the rules.

The other use would be SW broadcast listening and we all know where those 
services are trending....  That leaves MW listening/DXing and it's a great 
radio for that.  (as is the SP-600)

It's pretty much back to the "owning a bit of nostalgia factor" that tops 
the list for the primary value because I don't know many who are going to 
pay 2K+ to listen to Rush on AM.....

I paid $700 for my first home computer from Tandy.  4K of RAM, Level 1 
Basic, stringy floppy and a monochrome monitor.  Today an Atom based netbook 
makes it look like a PIC toaster controller.  By comparison that first 
computer would cost $3000 in today's dollars...does that make it worth even 
$500.  Only to some computer nostalgia collector for sure....and it works 
every bit as good today as it did when new!

Just my 2 cents worth....

I personally hope 14 people step up and lay down 2K for one of Hanks 
radio's.  That will mean there are that many more examples of fine 60's 
craftsmanship out there...I just hope the buyers Heirs appreciate and value 
them as much as they do....cause they will certainly be around a long time.

Cecil...
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Shoppa, Tim" <tshoppa at wmata.com>
To: "Cecil Acuff" <chacuff at cableone.net>; <R-390 at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Wednesday, October 28, 2009 7:21 AM
Subject: RE: [R-390] [R-390-A FS 40+


K5DL writes:
> $2K is hard to swallow...no matter what has been done...especially in this
> economy.  I've been sitting on my pile waiting for the upturn...

If $3K was the price in QST in 1969, then $2K for the same radio today, 
what's unreasonable about that?

$3K in 1969 dollars is like $10K or $15K today.

If you think of price as a competition sure I could see you feeling bad by 
paying more than the next guy. But if the radio had $3K in value in 1969 
surely it has at least as much value today (again, modulo the 40 years of 
missed enjoyment of having a 390A!)

I'm sure the Fowler units in 1984 were astronomical in price tag to the 
Navy.

Tim.