"TIPS FOR SELLERS"

(i.e. - what NOT to say)

There are so many things that come to mind that I'm almost brain-blocked and unable to write them down, but here goes nutt'n. While these words may appeal to a small segment of the radio buying community, you're turning away many others by saying:

• "It's been peaked and tuned to the max"
• "I've got this baby to really SWING on transmit"
• "It's a purty radio"
• "It gets 120% modulation"

First, truth in advertising. If all that stuff was done, well it's best to say it, because you don't want a pissed off buyer. But if you're only following the lead of some other goof ball on Ebay and haven't done a thing to the radio, consider telling it like it is. Most guys I know don't want to buy radios that have been peaked and tuned, aren't interested in how much it swings the meter needle when you talk, or if you think it's "purty", and especially the modulation comment. No one, and I MEAN NO ONE (with common radio sense) wants a rig that's had it's modulation limiter cut out of it for (as one person wrote "LOUD" audio). If it's been done, yeah, tell the buyers, but if it hasn't, you're just hurting your chances for a sale. I remember one fellow who bought one that had "extra channels". It turned out that the modulation limiter had been removed, and with the supplied power microphone if he talked on channel 40, people would indeed hear him 20 channels above, below, and in between it.

Another hint: If you post a picture, for GOD'S SAKES spend 10 or 15 minutes and clean the chicken feathers (and other chicken by products), rat droppings and dust off of it. Of course, I did have a radio friend with a chicken fetish, and likes his eggs sunny side up while cooking them ontop of his linear, but that's another story....

And don't say "NO MODIFICATIONS HAVE BEEN DONE TO THIS RIG. IT IS TRULY COLLECTOR QUALITY", when anyone can clearly see on the picture that there's an extra knob or switch on the front or side of the radio. Tell-the-truth.

And for you who say "I can't test is because I don't have the antenna", I say "Hogwash". If I see a power cord on the rig, then you can at least do two things:

1. Plug it in and see if the display comes on, meter lights work, and when you turn the channel selector, those red numbers you see? actually change. For older tube rigs, I wouldn't try it. Odds are the capacitors are ready to blow and you'd do more damage than good by powering the radio up.
2. Take a tiny screwdriver and just insert it slightly into the coaxial/antenna connector in the back of the radio. Let the screw driver angle down and rest on the table (while the other end is still...er..inserted) and then turn to channel 19 and listen. If you're anywhere close to where truckers travel, you'll pick up transmissions. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO KEY THE MICROPHONE OR TALK TO THEM. Once this test has been finished you can discard the blue gloves and put the Vaseline away for another day.

So, there ya go, just a few things I had to get off my mind after looking at some auctions.

'Nuff Said

WOODY