THE NEW YEAR BEGINS -
DUST OFF THOSE RADIOS!
It's hard to believe that a Decade has gone by, yet here we are in 2010! From certain viewpoints, nothing has changed much: FT-101's still bring in an average of $400, TS-440's - $500, and TS-50's around $500. While our country was in a recession last year, driving some prices downwards, these older rigs (and others) remained flat, and in some cases rose. I have a TS-50 and while it's over a decade old, it is my first choice for a mobile HF rig (provided there is room to mount it). I have the matching AT-50 tuner which makes this a nice rig for base or mobile operation.
Occasionally you'll find the TS-60 on the market, but I don't know of too many buyers willing to pay over $500 for a 6 meter ONLY rig. I can do this on an FT-100, FT-817, or 6m AM with an old Heathkit or Lafayette tube rig. Bumping up from six to two meters, do you want to spent $450 for a Kenwood TM-255e 2m allmode, or do it with your multi-function rig?
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Older CB's seem to have kept their value throughout 2009, with premiums paid for "just discovered" classics like the Cobra 2000, Lafayette SSB-140, President Grant, and Johnson 4740 (to name but a few). These rigs, while collectible, are usually purchased for daily use - because they're quality transceivers, and not the junk you see on today's market of surface mounted component rigs. Many shops won't even touch these when a repair is needed, while analog parts are usually available for the older rigs. Speaking of analog devices, here's a great quiz on transistors on the A.R.R.L. site:
-QUIZ
-While doing research for my book, I got in touch with Harry Helms, a good friend and co-worker of Tom Kneitel. Sadly, Harry passed away in the early fall after a gallant battle with cancer (see ARRL SK story here). Yes, those that we knew via one magazine or another in the 60's-70's are coming to the end of their life cycle - yet when we read articles in older S9's or Popular Communications magazines, the information seems non-antiquated.
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One of the excellent gifts that Robin got for me this season was a book on the history of Crosley radios. At 400+ pages it would be easy to assume that I (who has a hard time getting through a magazine article) would read it, but no, I love historical books like this and finally finished the book last night. I was very surprised by the history and fervent non-radio goal of Powell Crosley, and even more surprised to read fifty pages or so before the radios even appeared. I'd recommend this book to anyone who has similar likes and it's sitting next to my other great historical book "Empire of the Air", which has my book review still floating around cyber-space, I suspect.
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Check out Dave's CB nostalgia section on his website - IT'S G-R-E-A-T, and a permanent link has been entered on the right of this page. I really get a kick out of his stories and updates, and I think you will too.
