[Milsurplus] [Boatanchors] Reality Comes Knocking.

[Hubert Miller]

And I add, there are some collectibles that you practically cannot sell, no matter the price. You "may" be able to give them away.
I'm thinking of an older gentleman I know, who was really into "glass" objects of art; in fact, I think he may have been some kind
of dealer or seller of such. I think there is about no market for that stuff now. When you go thru some 'antique malls', you'll
probably see tons of that stuff. It might also occur to you, "That stuff is never going to sell".  I see our Portland Oregon, antique
radio club, from its website, regularly gets donations of big radios, like floor consoles. There are a few collector types still who
have multiples of consoles, but the average American does not want a floor model radio. Maybe a few well - off types might
one to add a certain ambience to a room, but the average collector even, no. I recall a few years back seeing at some kind of
antique show, a bunch of beautifully restored large console radios. They were all priced around $800; this was maybe even as
far back as a decade ago. I don't remember them selling back then and I am confident it's no better now. I heard on a talk radio
show a couple nights ago, Jim Bohannon via KGO SF 810, that rents in NYC and Portland and some other cities had increased
something like, Good God, 29% in one year, and that houses were selling "instantly". People have other concerns now besides
new and varied forms of diversion.
I and you know there's going to be a huge second die - off of the standard large boatanchor, the DX-100s, NC-300, tube linears,
WRL and so on. Some top of the line gear and very uncommon gear and small gear will continue to retain value. I see there's some
collectibles that will hold value and increase. BTW, I joined, sorry to mention this word, Facebook recently, just for the access to
some groups. FB does have some very annoying "features" but it also has a "Signal Corps collectors" group, a "German WWII
communications" group, and more. Vintage CB groups too ( and as I expected, more people there tending to have loose screws. )
I just joined a group for "WWII books and magazines" which seems to be a huge interest of mine. Slight digression there, sorry.
What we are seeing is the demise of the wooly mammoths, the mastodons of the vacuum tube era. Some from that era will
survive.
Also BTW, a lot of conventional 'ham radio' is pretty pointless and no better or worse than computer gaming, it's about the same,
isn't it ? You have some avatar or special name, like your call letter, and there are these pointless contests and awards, like "County
Hunter". I mean, who cares about a CHC award, or "Worked All XYZ", or walls covered with QSLs ( probably no one does that
anymore ) ?  Pointless. But I have to mention that the old time equipment contests, those are a different thing, the attitude going
in is more relaxed and the point is just fun. Anyway I've gone on too long with this. -Hue Miller


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