3) The new stuff doesn't seem "better" than the old. The ergonomics
are bizarre. The old stuff was carefully designed, knobs were large
and either ribbed (Hallicrafters) or fluted (Heath and Collins).
The lettering was large and precise.

I agree 100%! The rigs got smaller but my hands didn't. And some things make
you wonder if the people who built the rigs actually ever used them!

The old man-machine interface made sense, clockwise to increase, up
is on. The physical knob orientation indicated the setting of the
control. The KWM-2A aux crystal bank shifted into position and
changed the lettering surrounding the knob.

One rig I used had the lettering for each control *under* the knob. So unless
you put your chin on the desk it was hard to see....

The new stuff is a cruel joke. The knobs are too small, like
toothpaste caps. Press a button here and something over there works
differently, the clue is on the LCD panel which is not in proximity
to either.

Need a good pinky finger.

Given the typical suburban antenna farm, a tribander and a wire
dipole for 40, any upgrade or downgrade in QTH or antenna counts
for more than the radios.

Heck yes. 100 W of clean CW gets through just as well if it comes from a pair
of 807s as if it comes from the latest wonderbox.

I managed to hang onto most of my old gear but then, I wasn't much
of a buyer or seller (until recently). Any of my old stations was
serviceable, even the HT-37, SX-101A. The problem with the
boatanchors was the frequency readout. Collins and Heathkit solved
that with mechanical indicators on linear tuneable oscillators.

Drake too.

I'd rather refurb my radios, figure out how to re-fill the metal can
3 section capacitor in the 75S-1, practice my CW to keep my fingers
flexible.

It might not happen, but I'm hoping that the boat anchor market
takes off and I can sell my SB-303's for "Antique Roadshow" kinda
money. Until then, I'm figuring out how to clean and restore them
which is fun.

If it happens... $10,000 for an SB-303, well, I can dream, can't I?

Yep.

Things like that do happen - some time back there was an unopened unbuilt AT-1
on eBay. Date code of 1956, one of the very last AT-1s, sat on a shelf for more
than 40 years.

Final bid price for that kit (original price $29.95) was $5100. That's not a
typo - five thousand one hundred US dollars.

73 de Jim, N2EY