Well, perhaps I can provide a little perspective to this. Some things are not
always available elsewhere, and there are foreign hams for whom this could be
a free buffet because of the depression of our currency.
I have given insane prices for things on eBay because I didn't immediately
know where to get another one, or even as expensive as eBay was it was
cheaper than new.
For example, SB-220 filament xfrmrs regularly sell for $70 on eBay, but a
brand new one is $150 from Harbach's. In addition, Harbach's HV xformers
don't fit, according to their website.
Also, while building out my "new" SB-220 at http://www.kd4rbg.com I discovered
that this amp is the darling of both foreign hams and folks from adjacent
radio services who shall remain nameless. I got email from both groups
either congratulating me or chiding me for things I'd done on my SB-220.
I got email from both ends of the range, both suggesting I was a genius or a
total idiot, depending on how close I came to the writer's ideal. It seems
everybody is aware of this amp, and everybody has their own idea about what
it should be.
As a result, anything from a SB-220 automatically gets two prices on eBay. My
favorite example was the incomplete SB-220 kit that somebody dragged out of
their deceased father's closet. If I'm not mistaken, it was missing parts,
but if I remember right it brought $1600.00.
I have spent almost $1000 building my SB-220, but I've got a lot of spare
parts left over and I've learned a *lot* about how it works. I have no doubt
that I could fix anything that went wrong with it, now that I know how it
went together and how it worked when it was "new".
I bet it would bring almost $2000 on eBay if I sold it, simply because I've
got all the pictures from the build, the receipt from the brand new tubes,
and I can make a picture of a wattmeter showing the amp's output. I'm sure
with the depression in US currency, a foreign ham would have no trouble
giving me that or more for it if they'll pay $500 or more for one guaranteed
not to work.
If I had the time, there's almost a cottage industry that could be made from
building these from the metal like I did, documenting the build, and selling
the "new" product. You'd quickly run afoul of the FCC, though, I think,
especially if did too many too quickly. I don't know what the rule is now,
but when I was first licensed you were limited to one a year and could only
sell to licensed hams. I don't know what the rules are for international
sales.
Regardless of the rationale, I would not hesitate to recommend a build project
for *any* ham. Almost all of us build our own antennas, but there are
construction projects and kits for every level, some of them no-fail in
nature. For me, building is 75% of what being a ham is all about. If I was
forbidden to build anything, I'd probably move on.
Jeff/KD4RBG
On Friday February 6 2009 23:03, you wrote:
> > Date: Fri, 6 Feb 2009 19:50:08 -0800
> > Subject: Re: [Amps] SB-220' amp for sale on ebay.... missing parts!! look
> > at the insane price!!!
> >
> > And a 20.00 handling charge, no filament choke,, tubes or pi network. Wow
> > it is a parts amp!
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "chas" <chasm@texas.net>
> > To: "Amps Amps" <amps@contesting.com>
> > Sent: Friday, February 06, 2009 7:17 PM
> > Subject: Re: [Amps] SB-220' amp for sale on ebay.... missing parts!! look
> > at the insane price!!!
> >
> > > Heathkit SB 220 2 KW Linear Amplifier
> > > Item number: 300290609734
> > >
> > >
> > > absolutely incredible
> > >
> > > this is a PARTS amp and it is up to $355 with 15 hrs to go on ebay.
> > > WHY?!?!
> > >
> > > chas, k5dam
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