After reading all this, and with the recent Kutztown event in the
background, as well as my three weekend finds, I am not so sure eBay
has much to do with anything as to radio prices or availability. This
is based on several assumptions which I will list for
correction/addition/amplification:

a) the west, southwest and south in general suffer from a dearth of
good radios. This has been the case for the over 20 years I have been
in the hobby and remains the case today. Exceptions include Florida &
Maryland... stretch to make MD a 'southern' state although it is below
the Mason/Dixon line.
b) the Pacific northwest suffers from the same lack to a lesser degree.


With this in mind, eBay has always been a presence in areas where the
natural crop is limited or non-existent. This group will typically have
a view of radios that is wildly distorted in price, as they start with
the "everything costs $15" mentality based on shipping alone.

As one moves east especially into (former) wealthier parts of it, and
around older major cities (Chicago, Minneapolis, Detroit and so forth),
radios become thicker and thicker until one hits the East Coast, where
even the most limited multi-family garage sale will offer a few
examples of *something* loosely described as being related to the
hobby. Then, at Kutztown, the typical $30+shipping eBay brown bakelite
radio goes in the $15-if-that range at the end-of-meet auction. And the
$229-for-a-common-RCA (albeit polished to glow-in-the-dark proportions)
simply does not happen.

So, it is "all according to" location and opportunity. Kutztown is a
free-to-the-public event held at a major Farmers' Market/Antique Market
that also has weekly tables for anyone selling. Accordingly its
attendance is disproportionately large and consists of a
disproportionate amount of the "general public" walking through out of
curiosity and because they were 'there anyway'. This would not happen
at a destination-event if only because of the lack of general publicity
as much as the uninterested public would never go nor have any reason
to even be proximate that they might go. And, of course, the admission
fee would deter those few that did happen to be straggling nearby.

I will also state for the record that Kutztown had _at least_ thousands
of radios in all states, of all types and in all price ranges, from
high-end, high-tube-count consoles through lovingly restored tabletops
through standard junk. The peripheral events are limited... no
hotel-banquet-hall lectures, but those few were directly on-point and
even of interest to non-radio people (The talk on Crystal sets, for
example).

So, from purely anecdotal evidence, it appears that those venues where
the general public is not actively solicited, those venues that are
'preaching to the converted' are shrinking. Those that do solicit the
general public, those that run at (apparently) a much lower key appear
to be growing. The two local examples would be the DVHRC-sponsored
events (Kutztown, PA) and the NJARC-sponsored events (Hazelet, NJ).
Those of you that go to the NEARC events in Nashua, New Hampshire...
how are they doing? I hear from some acquaintances that they are doing
quite well? And I also hear that Rochester is a mere shadow of its
former self? Is this true?

In any case, I remain of the general belief that eBay is not a
significant factor in the hobby to those in the east. And to those in
the west or out-of-range of large, older population centers, it has
_always_ been a factor, neither more nor less much than now.

The thoughts of others are actively solicited!

Peter Wieck
Wyncote, PA

Peter Wieck wrote:

a) the west, southwest and south in general suffer from a dearth of
good radios. This has been the case for the over 20 years I have been
in the hobby and remains the case today. Exceptions include Florida &
Maryland... stretch to make MD a 'southern' state although it is below
the Mason/Dixon line.


According to the snowbirds from the New England area, Florida is the
southern tip of new England.


--
Service to my country? Been there, Done that, and I've got my DD214 to
prove it.
Member of DAV #85.

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida

On 2006-05-22, Peter Wieck wrote:

In any case, I remain of the general belief that eBay is not a
significant factor in the hobby to those in the east. And to those in
the west or out-of-range of large, older population centers, it has
_always_ been a factor, neither more nor less much than now.

The thoughts of others are actively solicited!

As a rank newbie (not even licensed, yet) I more or less have to
agree. Here in the San Francisco Bay Area (SFBA) where there are at
least a couple local ARC swap meets per month, I see none of the stuff
found on ebay in the way of classic old ham equipment. Hell, I can't
even find a used morse code key to practice on. I'm gonna hafta buy a
new Ameco from HRO. Not quite sure exactly why this is. Perhaps most
of SFBA ppl are all digitally oriented due to Silicon Valley being the
original hot-bed of digital. Whatever the reason, old Collins, Drake,
Heathkit, etc, rigs are rarer than cheap gas and low real estate
prices.

On the positive side of the ledger, due to the glory days of the late
great SV, there's hardly a man or woman alive in Northern California
that can't fly a Fluke or wield a mean Weller. I'll be flogging my
own acid-free flux and have already bought my first QRP kit with my
eye on another.

nb

On Mon, 22 May 2006 16:16:51 GMT, "Michael A. Terrell"
wrote:

According to the snowbirds from the New England area, Florida is the
southern tip of new England. snip

I thought the Noo Yawkuhs declared it an eighth borough. At least
they vote correctly!

DeserTBoB wrote:

On Mon, 22 May 2006 16:16:51 GMT, "Michael A. Terrell"
wrote:

According to the snowbirds from the New England area, Florida is the
southern tip of new England. snip

I thought the Noo Yawkuhs declared it an eighth borough. At least
they vote correctly!


Ya think it migt be related to the huge infestation of them during
November?


--
My sig file can beat up your sig file!

Peter Wieck wrote:
After reading all this, and with the recent Kutztown event in the
background, as well as my three weekend finds, I am not so sure eBay
has much to do with anything as to radio prices or availability. This
is based on several assumptions which I will list for
correction/addition/amplification:



Internet based sales have a huge advantage over in-place sales like
Dayton. Ebay and other sales sites can as we all know bring sellers
from around the world at any time of the day. It just isn't possible
to get that kind of coverage at an arena in Ohio.

To the extent that buyer and seller are honest (and most are) internet
sales work very well because money and the good to be sold have to be
moved only once.

It is for the exact same reason that in-person antique shows are having
a hard go of it.

"John S." wrote:

Internet based sales have a huge advantage over in-place sales like
Dayton. Ebay and other sales sites can as we all know bring sellers
from around the world at any time of the day. It just isn't possible
to get that kind of coverage at an arena in Ohio.


E-bay and other on line auctions can never replace spotting a part or
piece of equipment you need that isn't worth the dealers time to list,
or would cost too much to ship. More than once I've asked about
something and was told to take it, so they didn't have to haul it home.
I've never seen an E-bay listing giving something away, and paying the
shipping to your door.


--
Service to my country? Been there, Done that, and I've got my DD214 to
prove it.
Member of DAV #85.

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida

"Michael A. Terrell" wrote in message
...
"John S." wrote:

Internet based sales have a huge advantage over in-place sales like
Dayton. Ebay and other sales sites can as we all know bring sellers
from around the world at any time of the day. It just isn't possible
to get that kind of coverage at an arena in Ohio.


E-bay and other on line auctions can never replace spotting a part or
piece of equipment you need that isn't worth the dealers time to list,
or would cost too much to ship. More than once I've asked about
something and was told to take it, so they didn't have to haul it home.
I've never seen an E-bay listing giving something away, and paying the
shipping to your door.


--
Service to my country? Been there, Done that, and I've got my DD214 to
prove it.
Member of DAV #85.

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida

You have a point there - not that I totally agree with the poster you
replied to. I've had some real bargains "handed" to me so they didn't have
to be hauled home.
Actually, each venue has its own place in life. Problem with Dayton and
other hamfests is between fuel costs and so on - there are more and more
factors involved keeping people away. Ham radio itself isn't what it used to
be. Then, some clubs who've had them - as I've heard it - had inner battles
as to how things are to be done and so on. So club politics played a part
along the line. I'm sure we could list many reasons for failures as they're
being seen. Question is, who has the "answers"? Times are changing. Things
change with time and I see it here in my own town - People DO NOT like
change. I'm sorry to see some things go too - but there's not much you can
do about some things.

Michael A. Terrell wrote:
"John S." wrote:

Internet based sales have a huge advantage over in-place sales like
Dayton. Ebay and other sales sites can as we all know bring sellers
from around the world at any time of the day. It just isn't possible
to get that kind of coverage at an arena in Ohio.


E-bay and other on line auctions can never replace spotting a part or
piece of equipment you need that isn't worth the dealers time to list,
or would cost too much to ship. More than once I've asked about
something and was told to take it, so they didn't have to haul it home.
I've never seen an E-bay listing giving something away, and paying the
shipping to your door.

Clearly Ebay and other internet sites won't completely replace in
person sales, be it a hamfest, garage sale or estate auction. But the
ease of bringing large numbers of buyers and sellers together via some
internet connection has had a significant impact on brick and mortar
operations. The ease of transacting a sale electronically be it for a
Kenwood 940 or a spinning wheel can't be ignored. And the sellers that
fail to react in some way will be left behind.

anything you see sitting at a flea market late in the day, was most
likely already tried on ebay, and didn't reach reserve, or got no bids.
sometimes you'll see stuff at flea markets that seems valuable, and
underpriced, and no one is biting

that's cuz the marketeers already know, that particular item is
hammered on ebay, too many listed, and the price is down- so they are
cutting their losses and just dumping it

marketeers will tell you, they'd rather sell it cheaper at the show,
than for slightly more on ebay- because of ebay and paypal fees, and
packaging work involved- and nitpicking assholes like DeserTBob on
EBay, who want gold for a penny and free shipping