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Would You?
Would you build this? I would. Or would you leave it because its worth so
much the way it is? http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...ategory=46 73 -- 73 and good DXing RX: R-5000, SP-600 JX-6, SX-28 Ant: 100' longwire, Evesdropper Dipole Brian's Radio Universe http://webpages.charter.net/brianehill/ |
I have minimal closet space. If the item fell on me I'd have two choices. Rehawk it on ebay or build it and use it. Just storing it in a box wouldn't do me any good, I was once in the home of a ham who collected unbuilt Heathkits, and what a sad sight indeed. He had over 50 (FIFTY) of them, all neatly stacked in a single row against a wall in his 'radio room' (box room???) - just a wall of brown boxes. What am I missing? What in the hell fun is that? Or is it just about dollar value, and that's what makes these folks see 'beauty'? Like having a large pile of stock certificates and taking them out late at night with a brandy and leafing through them for 'fun'. So needless to say, I'd build it. I bought a GR-64 on Ebay for $275 two years ago, and had a wonderful month spent building it making it work. I still have it, and even if you offered my $35 I still wouldn't sell it :-) JOE |
On Sat, 31 Jan 2004 21:17:39 -0600, "Brian Hill"
brianehill@charterDOTnet wrote: Would you build this? I would. Or would you leave it because its worth so much the way it is? http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...ategory=46 73 Great question. I have agonized over what I would do if I had a good unbuilt kit. Kind of like I agonize over what I am going to do with the money when I win the lottery. However, I think I would build it. |
Phil Witt wrote:
Great question. I have agonized over what I would do if I had a good unbuilt kit. Kind of like I agonize over what I am going to do with the money when I win the lottery. However, I think I would build it. I have minimal closet space. If the item fell on me I'd have two choices. Rehawk it on ebay or build it and use it. Just storing it in a box wouldn't do me any good, -BM |
Phil Witt wrote:
On Sat, 31 Jan 2004 21:17:39 -0600, "Brian Hill" brianehill@charterDOTnet wrote: Would you build this? I would. Or would you leave it because its worth so much the way it is? http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...ategory=46 73 Great question. I have agonized over what I would do if I had a good unbuilt kit. Kind of like I agonize over what I am going to do with the money when I win the lottery. However, I think I would build it. If I had a good unbuilt kit, I'd sell it on Ebay. --scott -- "C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis." |
I have built some unbuilt Heaths (and an unbuilt Eico 753!)
and I have held on to some...and sold some. If the box is opened up, I say build it or sell it. Only build it if it can then be used or at least taken care of. I'd buy a nice cover for it right away. If the box were sealed, I may hold on to it for a while. I have a bunch of unbuilt pieces of test equipment, but don't really need them...so, I'll hold on to them. Currently working on an unbuilt Marauder! It was barely started, and never finished. Age alone has wrecked some of the components....perhaps more than I even know about as of yet!! ....Dave "Brian Hill" brianehill@charterDOTnet wrote in message ... Would you build this? I would. Or would you leave it because its worth so much the way it is? http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...ategory=46 73 -- 73 and good DXing RX: R-5000, SP-600 JX-6, SX-28 Ant: 100' longwire, Evesdropper Dipole Brian's Radio Universe http://webpages.charter.net/brianehill/ |
JOE wrote:
I was once in the home of a ham who collected unbuilt Heathkits, and what a sad sight indeed. He had over 50 (FIFTY) of them, all neatly stacked in a single row against a wall in his 'radio room' (box room???) - just a wall of brown boxes. What am I missing? What in the hell fun is that? Or is it just about dollar value, and that's what makes these folks see 'beauty'? I too know of such a scenario down here in the islands. (Maybe you were here too?) The guy was a military type and scarfed up all these kits for his eventual retirement pleasure. Last I saw was a 12 ft ceilinged closet just as you described. Easily 50 kits. He kinda went nuts during retirement and for all I know all those kits are still there. Never knew him to actually use a soldering device, wasn't really his style. -BM |
Well one things for sure. This set will go for at least $1000+ bucks and that's a lot to have the privilege of putting one together. The SB-303s are nice little radios but you'll never resell it for the unbuilt price so I guess its a pay for your pleasure type of thing or never build it and let it appreciate like a stock certificate wile keeping a bottle of brandy on hand? I just couldn't resist putting it together. -- 73 and good DXing RX: R-5000, SP-600 JX-6, SX-28 Ant: 100' longwire, Evesdropper Dipole Brian's Radio Universe http://webpages.charter.net/brianehill/ |
If I had a good unbuilt kit, I'd sell it on Ebay.
I have sold two unbuit Heathkits on Ebay. Both I bought relatively cheap at hamfests, and sold nearly 12X more on Ebay. On was the HG-10B VFO, and the other was an HP-23B power supply. It was agony decideing btwn the fun of building, and the bucks to be made. K0MB |
Easy enough! If you didn't need them - why build? Just sell. You most likely
couldn't have recouped your time in it any way. You can always build items from other kits or from scratch that you can use or need. I've built many things from scratch using others ideas but incorporating my own additions or mods to them. I had a lot of fun that way too. And yes, I've built many kits. The only pain in the ass from scratch is, rounding up all the parts - at times, can be a pain. I got great pleasure from the kits, but I also got equal pleasure from having to make my own PCB, gather the parts, cut/drill holes in the chassis, etc. A nice working finished project is always nice to have. MNS "MailfrmPA" wrote in message ... If I had a good unbuilt kit, I'd sell it on Ebay. I have sold two unbuit Heathkits on Ebay. Both I bought relatively cheap at hamfests, and sold nearly 12X more on Ebay. On was the HG-10B VFO, and the other was an HP-23B power supply. It was agony decideing btwn the fun of building, and the bucks to be made. K0MB |
"Brian Hill" brianehill@charterDOTnet wrote in message ... Would you build this? I would. Or would you leave it because its worth so much the way it is? http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...ategory=46 73 I'd sell it to someone who really thinks unbuilt kits are worth big bucks. Then I'd use the cash to buy a nice looking one, strip it down and rebuild it with modern high quality capacitors and resistors. Frank Dresser |
"Phil Witt" wrote in message ... On Sat, 31 Jan 2004 21:17:39 -0600, "Brian Hill" brianehill@charterDOTnet wrote: Would you build this? I would. Or would you leave it because its worth so much the way it is? http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...ategory=46 73 Great question. I have agonized over what I would do if I had a good unbuilt kit. Kind of like I agonize over what I am going to do with the money when I win the lottery. However, I think I would build it. I suspect that building it would appeal most to the older guys, those who built Heathkits in their teens. To them, the building of the kit brings a complex mix of emotions and memories. Even the aroma of the parts within the bags leaves a life-long imprint; too bad Proust never built a Heathkit. In those days, just accumulating the money to buy the kit was an exercise in determination. Unless you saved every cent of your "discretionary income" for 6 months to buy & build a Heathkit, you can't understand the excitement that a Heathkit could engender. To younger guys, who grew up in an era of electronic parts abundance and relatively cheaper consumer electronics items, I suppose a Heathkit is just a box of parts with an insane price tag. Ed WB6WSN |
I would build it with my son.
"Brian Hill" brianehill@charterDOTnet wrote in message ... Would you build this? I would. Or would you leave it because its worth so much the way it is? http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...ategory=46 73 -- 73 and good DXing RX: R-5000, SP-600 JX-6, SX-28 Ant: 100' longwire, Evesdropper Dipole Brian's Radio Universe http://webpages.charter.net/brianehill/ |
As hardly anything electronic is manufactured in North America, as a
museum piece one day, it might be better to leave it unbuilt. "Yes grandson there was a time when we did make things ourselves in North America and were able to fix it ourselves." |
"Ed Price" wrote in message news:c2nTb.11134$fD.5188@fed1read02... "Phil Witt" wrote in message ... On Sat, 31 Jan 2004 21:17:39 -0600, "Brian Hill" brianehill@charterDOTnet wrote: Would you build this? I would. Or would you leave it because its worth so much the way it is? http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...ategory=46 73 Great question. I have agonized over what I would do if I had a good unbuilt kit. Kind of like I agonize over what I am going to do with the money when I win the lottery. However, I think I would build it. I suspect that building it would appeal most to the older guys, those who built Heathkits in their teens. To them, the building of the kit brings a complex mix of emotions and memories. Even the aroma of the parts within the bags leaves a life-long imprint; too bad Proust never built a Heathkit. In those days, just accumulating the money to buy the kit was an exercise in determination. Unless you saved every cent of your "discretionary income" for 6 months to buy & build a Heathkit, you can't understand the excitement that a Heathkit could engender. To younger guys, who grew up in an era of electronic parts abundance and relatively cheaper consumer electronics items, I suppose a Heathkit is just a box of parts with an insane price tag. Ed WB6WSN Sad but true! Kids today for the most part wouldn't have the patience to build a kit. Hell, I bet many wouldn't even know what a kit was! It just isn't the same. Though I gazed through many of their catalogs, I didn't do many Heathkits. Two or three maybe. Did more Eico gear. Loved every minute of it. I miss those days, but as I said in another post, now days I build from scratch. A bit of a pain to gather all parts, but the end result is well worth it. You were right about determination as well. IF a kid, and wanted them, you saved your allowance, cut grass, delivered papers, etc. Eventually, you got the cash plus maybe a plug from the parents to help out more to allow you to get it. You built it. It worked and you enjoyed it because you had time, money and sweat invested. MNS |
On Sun, 1 Feb 2004 03:17:39 UTC, "Brian Hill"
brianehill@charterDOTnet wrote: Would you build this? I would. Or would you leave it because its worth so much the way it is? http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...ategory=46 73 I figure it's worth 3X the original price of $389, call it an easy $1,167. It should go for between $1,000 and $2,000. "Needs work" SB-303's are going for about $150. I've got several that I'm restoring. That's as much fun to me as building one from parts. Easy to fix, fun to restore, and works well. It hears as well as my Signal/One CX7A and ICOM IC-720A. de ah6gi/4 visit http://www.kiyoinc.com/heathstuff.html |
" Would you build this? I would. Or would you leave it because its worth so much the way it is? Obviously, you sell it on eBay. The purpose of ham radio is to make money, right? 73, John - K6QQ |
In article , "Brian Hill"
brianehill@charterDOTnet writes: Would you build this? I would. Or would you leave it because its worth so much the way it is? http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...ategory=46 73 I'd sell it. There are plenty of SB-303s out there needing homes. In fact, for what that kit will sell for, one could buy a couple SB-303s, take them apart, replace all the parts that are somewhat iffy, and rebuild. That is, if what you really want is an SB-303 in the first place. Me, I'd rather have a K2/100 if I'm going to have a kit solidstate rig. The problem is somewhat like that of having a valuable bottle of wine - its value reaches the point where drinking it is more of a symbolic act. And only when it's open will you know if the experience was worth it. Odd as it may seem, I'd rather see it left unbuilt, to preserve how the kits were packed. -- AFAIK, the record for an unbuilt ham kit on eBay is still held by one of the *worst* kits they ever made. Some years back, a sealed unbuilt AT-1 showed up. It was dated 1956, which made it one of the last AT-1s sold. Box was unopened for more than 40 years. Bidding was brisk, to say the least. The AT-1 originally sold for $29.95, but that one went for $5100. Not a typo - five thousand one hundred dollars. 73 de Jim, N2EY |
"N2EY" wrote in message Not a typo - five thousand one hundred dollars. WOW! is all I can say |
Brian Hill wrote:
"N2EY" wrote in message Not a typo - five thousand one hundred dollars. WOW! is all I can say Did he build it or does he just have a $5000 box of old parts sitting in the shack for looks? -BM |
On Thu, 5 Feb 2004 04:15:29 UTC, - - Bill - -
wrote: Brian Hill wrote: "N2EY" wrote in message Not a typo - five thousand one hundred dollars. WOW! is all I can say Did he build it or does he just have a $5000 box of old parts sitting in the shack for looks? -BM Nah, certainly someone who paid that much understands the "investment value". Do a websearch for "catalin radio" for shocking valuations. Also see those "Antique Roadshows", where hideous junque goes for ten times that and more. I caught one last weekend, they had an "1800's American Indian carrying pack for babies". It was made of a couple horse blankets and had yarn woven into a diamond pattern, $50,000 or more. It looked like a couple old horse blankets that someone had trimmed with coarse yarn. Ugly. There was also a painting of an old house. Looked amateurish but supposedly done by a "famous artist". Gag me with a J-38. I turned it off. It was too much to take. That AT-1 is *cheap* at $5,100. 1) It is a early relic of a technological age that will never, ever come again. The homebuilt tube radio era when kids saved their milk-money to buy magical communications devices. 2) It is a Heathkit. The Heath line was an anomaly in the ham world. A few genius engineers put technological marvels in "everyman's" hands. I remember the awe of putting my DX-60 together in 1963 as a 16 year old. 3) It is an "unbuilt" kit. As others have said, there are lots of built kits available but the "unbuilts" are the rarest of the rare. I started restoring boatanchors a couple years ago when a hand surgery went bad. Scared my doc, he could see the liability suit. I have no (ZERO) interest in sueing someone for drawing bad cards, luck of the draw. He told me to work my fingers as I had never worked them before to regain manual dexterity (this is after we were sure I wasn't going to lose the hand.) Turns out that refurbing boatanchors is fun, almost as much fun as building the DX-60 or that incident with "Trixie-Lee" when I was 18. I've updated my boatanchor site, start at www.kiyoinc.com/heathstuff.html and follow the eZine/BLOG. |
No Spam wrote in message news:ifgU75G3LLdo-pn2-bzTUedqnM5tU@localhost...
On Thu, 5 Feb 2004 04:15:29 UTC, - - Bill - - wrote: Brian Hill wrote: "N2EY" wrote in message Not a typo - five thousand one hundred dollars. WOW! is all I can say Did he build it or does he just have a $5000 box of old parts sitting in the shack for looks? I don't know if the buyer ever built it - there was no indication of what he intended to do. Nah, certainly someone who paid that much understands the "investment value". Do a websearch for "catalin radio" for shocking valuations. Also see those "Antique Roadshows", where hideous junque goes for ten times that and more. Yep. What happens is that an "object" stops being what it was designed to be (a table, a lamp, etc.) and becomes "art", and its price becomes whatever people want to pay, regardless of its utility as what it was designed to be. I caught one last weekend, they had an "1800's American Indian carrying pack for babies". It was made of a couple horse blankets and had yarn woven into a diamond pattern, $50,000 or more. It looked like a couple old horse blankets that someone had trimmed with coarse yarn. Ugly. There was also a painting of an old house. Looked amateurish but supposedly done by a "famous artist". Gag me with a J-38. I turned it off. It was too much to take. That show is kind of a "guilty pleasure" for me. I like seeing ordinary folks suddenly discover that something they have is worth big bucks. Two favorites: Two ladies bring in what looks like a Tiffany table lamp. They'd had it for years, and the local antique dealers said it was worth maybe $200 because it wasn't a real Tiffany lamp. They *knew* it wasn't genuine because the base was metal, and Tiffany only used wood. The AR expert, however, said it was indeed genuine Tiffany, because in the early 1900s there had been a few lamps made with metal bases. Six were known to survive - the ladies' was the seventh, and none of the others were in as good condition. Expert said the lamp was worth at least $120,000. The two ladies had simply taken it off the end table and brought it to the show in a cardboard box. Their *house* wasn't worth $120,000..... --- Then there was the couple with an antique table. Cost them a few hundred. Ugly with a capital ugh. Expert said it was very rare, perfect condition, yada yada yada. Worth at least $200,000 at auction. They nearly capsized; they'd been using it as the place to dump the mail and car keys when they got home and in the door. So they put the thing up for auction at Sotheby's. Of course with the show it had lots of publicity. $100K. $200K. $300K. $400K. Bidding finally stopped at somewhere around $490,000. For a little old table. That AT-1 is *cheap* at $5,100. As art. As a transmitter it's not worth $51. 1) It is a early relic of a technological age that will never, ever come again. The homebuilt tube radio era when kids saved their milk-money to buy magical communications devices. I was one of those kids.... 2) It is a Heathkit. The Heath line was an anomaly in the ham world. A few genius engineers put technological marvels in "everyman's" hands. I remember the awe of putting my DX-60 together in 1963 as a 16 year old. The AT-1 was probably their *worst* transmitter. Which is forgivable because it was their very first. I had a DX-20 - very good little rig. One of their most amazing feats was the HW-16. In some ways it was the very best Heathkit ham rig ever made, because it gave a Novice *exactly* what was needed, at a low low price. Good CW receiver and Novice gallon transmitter in one box with sidetone, TR switch, etc. Nothing else needed but a key, speaker, antenna and xtals. No frills but no shortcomings either. For a nickel less than $100. Another was the SB-200. Table top amplifier that would do the then-legal-limit on CW and 1200W on SSB. $200 when it first came out. Its bigger brother, the SB-220, was only $359. 3) It is an "unbuilt" kit. As others have said, there are lots of built kits available but the "unbuilts" are the rarest of the rare. And best left that way. I started restoring boatanchors a couple years ago when a hand surgery went bad. Scared my doc, he could see the liability suit. I have no (ZERO) interest in sueing someone for drawing bad cards, luck of the draw. He told me to work my fingers as I had never worked them before to regain manual dexterity (this is after we were sure I wasn't going to lose the hand.) DANG! Turns out that refurbing boatanchors is fun, almost as much fun as building the DX-60 or that incident with "Trixie-Lee" when I was 18. Some things one never forgets.... I've updated my boatanchor site, start at www.kiyoinc.com/heathstuff.html and follow the eZine/BLOG. That is one heck of a site! Love the descriptions! And yes, in basic radio performance the new rigs are not much better than much of the old stuff. A thought for all: With some basic tools and test gear, plus a bit of skill and patience, one can collect an SB-line, clean it up and have a pretty decent ham station. 40 year old technology but still very useful and fun. Will the hams of 2044 be able to do that with today's ham rigs? Or even the hams of 2024 with the ham gear of 1984? 73 es keep 'em glowing de Jim, N2EY |
N2EY wrote:
One of their most amazing feats was the HW-16. In some ways it was the very best Heathkit ham rig ever made, because it gave a Novice *exactly* what was needed, at a low low price. Good CW receiver and Novice gallon transmitter in one box with sidetone, TR switch, etc. Nothing else needed but a key, speaker, antenna and xtals. No frills but no shortcomings either. For a nickel less than $100. I snipped all the stuff about "investment vehicles" because that topic doesn't interest me as much as a good rig. Like many I have scaled back due to my flagging interest in hamming. My wonderful but worn out IC-745 went the way of ebay and I started hunting for a good old CW boatanchor setup that most suited my needs...basically 40/20 CW and tube type. (antique radio restoration is my other hobby) I went thru a bunch of various pieces and all were nice but had shortcomings in one way or another. External power supply, external antenna relay, too bulky, too tempramental, futzing around with wannabe sidetones and mutes and so forth. Thought about homebrewing but had a hard time justifying the expense vs satisfaction for my casual operating. I landed on the HW-16 (and a VFO) for less than $65 total and I'm happy as a pig in mud with it. I converted 15m to 20m....well, that popped me 20 more bux for the xtal. It may be a cheap little rig but it does everything right for me even after being a ham for 30+ years and DXCCing 300+ countries. -BillM WX4A |
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