Thanks for taking the time to read this. I know next to nothing about
this topic, however, the radio is not for me. It's for my dad. He was very
active in radios from around WWII thru the 50s. His job and family came
first though, so I guess he had to let some of his hobbies go. Since he's
retired and doesn't get around as well as he used to, he's thinking about
getting back into radio.

I think he got "sticker shock" when he looked at a trade magazine
recently. I tried to tell him we aren't in the 50s anymore and he said "Yea,
but dam they're high."

Based on articles, I've seen, the prices for a typical HF rig these
days isn't all that much different from the prices for rigs back in
the 1950s, once you adjust for inflation.

My question is: How much should an 80 meter radio w/antenna sell for?

The cost for a usable antenna should be very modest, if your dad has
room to put up a simple wire dipole in the back yard. You can make a
serviceable antenna using wire and insulators available from any
decent hardware or homebuilding store. $25-$50 in materials ought to
do it, if everything is bought new, and the cost can be brought down
to next to nothing if you have leftover wire from another project
and/or are good at scrounging.

As for a radio... $750 would get an FT-857D compact (HF/VHF/UHF
all-mode). $870 would get the FT-897D - essentially the same radio in
a larger, base-type package. Other 100-watt HF rigs seem to start in
the same basic price range... around $1000 is a common price point.

CW-only or lower-power radios are somewhat less. If by "80 meters"
you literally mean the CW end of the band only - if your dad isn't a
phone guy - then something like this might do? If he wants sideband
and/or AM as well, then a full-function radio would probably be called
for. The least-expensive new 75-meter LSB-only transceiver I know of
at the moment is the MFJ-9475X, at $270, and it might not have the
power or reliability that your dad would want.

We're not talking top of the line here, but quality and reliability are
important (as is cost).

In your place (and his) I'd seriously consider going with a used
radio. They're not hard to come by, as active hams upgrade to newer
radios and as old radios become available through silent-key sales and
auctions.

Hooking up with a local ham-club would probably be a good idea.
Putting the word out at a meeting or two that he's looking for a
serviceable-but-not-fancy HF rig might very well turn up a few that
people have sitting on their shelves. I'd expect that he'd probably
be able to get something decent (maybe 5-10 years old) for perhaps
half the price of a new radio of similar basic capabilities. Some of
the ham-radio dealers have used equipment for sale (either radios they
have accepted for tradein, or as consignment sales).

Local ham-radio fleamarkets, auctions on eBay, and online swapmeet
sales on QRZ.COM are all possibilities. One has to be careful,
though, to make sure that one is being sold a radio which actually
works properly and hasn't had all of the Magic Blue Smoke escape.
That's one reason I suggest a local (hamclub) acquisition - you'll at
least know where the seller hangs out :-). Test the radio carefully
before buying, or get an iron-clad right-of-return-within-30-days
guarantee.

A few years ago I got somewhat lucky, and managed to buy a Ten-Tec 555
Scout with a bunch of band modules and a power supply for only $300.
This is a 50-watt sideband radio with individual plug-in modules for
the bands - a bit quirky but very usable - it was my HF-mobile radio
for about three years.

--
Dave Platt AE6EO
Friends of Jade Warrior home page: http://www.radagast.org/jade-warrior
I do _not_ wish to receive unsolicited commercial email, and I will
boycott any company which has the gall to send me such ads!