posted on August 15, 2004 10:58:21 AM
Hi
Hate to bug you...but I have a bunch of old radio memoribilia that I want to list. It is some manuals, some ham radio logs, one is blank, "Sparks" Journals and a few bits of mens jewelry.
Many of it has the call letters of a specific operator and some annotations in books of, for example, his personal resume of service aboard ships etc.
Apparently this chap was right there from the start (or at least early on)
Should I just sell them in a large lot? Or piece them out? Should I even try to sell the personalized stuff? Would that be too rude? Or taboo?
I know zero about ham radio...although in UK I always plastered my ear to my little Grundig to hear the pirate station...but I digress.
posted on August 15, 2004 11:40:48 AM
Hi Japerton,
How interesting. Do you know the history of this stuff? Was it purchased at an estate sale,where possibly someone was familiar with the original owner. The reason I ask, is I would first ascertain if that call sign is retired, or if it has been re-issued, perhaps to a relative who has requested it. This can also be determined from the FCC database. If it's not currently an active license, I would gather all the items that are identified by his call sign and group them together in one lot. I would piecemeal or make smaller lots of the remainder. Be sure to get that call sign in the title and be as descriptive as possible about the logs and journals, paying particular attention to the years they covered. Some of his descendants, or some other ham who recognizes the call sign as someone he has communicated with would be very interested in these items. Also, there may be some significant historical data in those logs. I would list them in the Ham Radio category, naturally, and consider co-listing in another category in collectibles that is appropriate for historical papers.
A $75.00 solid state device will always blow first to protect a 25 cent fuse ~ Murphy's Law
posted on August 15, 2004 01:08:49 PM
Thanks so much Sparkz
The gentleman in question has passed away and all efforts to contact his daughter and grandchildren has been fruitless, including phone calls, many letter, and a newspaper add.
So...as a person who saved goofy stuff from my grandfather's humble fruit stand, I was loath just to chuck all this historical stuff.
I really appreciate your input.
Maybe someone out in his family surfs ebay.
It was very important to him, from what I can tell.
posted on August 15, 2004 02:01:06 PM
I forgot to add, be SURE to open the auction to international bidders. If you examine those log books, any call sign that does not begin with the letter W, K, N or A, will belong to a ham in some other country that he has talked to. He will have had friends all over the world who may be interested in this collection.
A $75.00 solid state device will always blow first to protect a 25 cent fuse ~ Murphy's Law