I am helping a friend dispose of his father's estate of ham gear.

We came across a working Comcraft CTS-50 2meter and 220 synthesized
transceiver. These were manufactured in the 1970's and sold in the $700
price range. What is a fair price for this radio in today's market?


Ed K2ZE

On Thu, 19 Mar 2009, Ed Vickner wrote:

I am helping a friend dispose of his father's estate of ham gear.

We came across a working Comcraft CTS-50 2meter and 220 synthesized
transceiver. These were manufactured in the 1970's and sold in the $700
price range. What is a fair price for this radio in today's market?


Ed K2ZE

Whatever people are willing to pay.

Their most famous rig was the 2meter one, from about 1971, with the
tuneable receiver and built in VFO for the transmitter, which was both AM
and FM at a time when FM was dominating but there likely was still 2M AM
in some areas yet the 2M AM tube gear was no longer being produced.

The later rig, I don't remember seeing a review for, though I vaguely
remember the ads. My impression was that it didn't sell well, but it's
so long that I don't know. I sure didn't remember it until your post.
It got less attention than their first rig.

So maybe there were few sold, in which case the price probably stays high
as a collector's item. Of course, it may have been junk, in which case
there might be less desire.

Michael VE2BVW

You could try an ad on eHam; start with a price and take
offers if no one bites. For stuff like that it is a matter of
what someone will pay. I'm not sure there are that many
Comcraft "collectors" out there... Might be sentimental
value to the right party though.

Pete

On Fri, 20 Mar 2009, Unca Pete wrote:

You could try an ad on eHam; start with a price and take
offers if no one bites. For stuff like that it is a matter of
what someone will pay. I'm not sure there are that many
Comcraft "collectors" out there... Might be sentimental
value to the right party though.

Pete

It would be interesting to know how many were sold. That's a period
when there were lots of intriguing rigs in the ham magazines that
sounded so great in the ads, but it was never clear whether they
really sold. It was compounded by such rigs being produced by
really obscure companies.

Who can forget the "Brimstone 144"? The name was what we remember.
That's a rig I don't remember seeing a review for.

The "Emergency Beacon" rigs made a big splash, endless bells and whistles
at a time when there were relatively few synthesized 2m FM rigs, yet
I never had a handle on whether they actually sold many, despite the
large advertising budget.

Even the Daveco receiver from about 1964 seemed to make a bigger splash
than sales, though there seemed to be some that were actually sold.

These companies gave an illusion of being more than someone's garage,
I have no idea whether they were or not, yet the sales seemed to match
more something that was manufactured in someone's garage.

Michael VE2BVW

"Michael Black" wrote in message
ample.net...
On Fri, 20 Mar 2009, Unca Pete wrote:
Who can forget the "Brimstone 144"? The name was what we remember.
That's a rig I don't remember seeing a review for.

I remember the negative comments in the letters to the editor in QST at
the time... the FM rig was made by Satan Electronics, and that raised
a few hackles!

The "Emergency Beacon" rigs made a big splash, endless bells and whistles
at a time when there were relatively few synthesized 2m FM rigs, yet
I never had a handle on whether they actually sold many, despite the
large advertising budget.

And IIRC, the EB had its share of problems....


Even the Daveco receiver from about 1964 seemed to make a bigger splash
than sales, though there seemed to be some that were actually sold.

These companies gave an illusion of being more than someone's garage,
I have no idea whether they were or not, yet the sales seemed to match
more something that was manufactured in someone's garage.

There was some history about the guy who made the DAVCOs--its on
the W8ZR.net website. It was apparently a small operation that ran
out funding in two years. I suspect a lot of companies were cellar
or garage cottage business's, like the old Tapetone converter line.

I'm amazed at the number of companies who made similar items in
the New England area, like the Waters products. Not much is left
regarding the history of many of those operations.

Pete k1zjh
Michael VE2BVW