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Author Topic: Ham Station Cost  (Read 1782 times)

N8FVJ

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Ham Station Cost
« on: May 09, 2022, 06:17:17 AM »

I can imagine a low cost 100 watt HF and 2 meter FM station costs under $1K with careful shopping using an old HF transceiver, long wire antenna with 100 watt antenna tuner and modest 2 meter FM with tone encoder.
My modest station has about $4K invested with Zero 5 80-10 meter ground plane antenna and LDG auto tuner, 2 meter/440 antenna, Yaesu FTdx-10 HF, Kenwood dual bander VHF/UHF, used Ameritron 811 with 572B tubes, Astron RS-35, Yaesu watt meter and other items such as coax cable.
How much invested in your Ham radio station?
« Last Edit: May 09, 2022, 06:19:27 AM by N8FVJ »
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K5LXP

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Re: Ham Station Cost
« Reply #1 on: May 09, 2022, 08:34:33 AM »

The actual amount, or the amount we tell the XYL? 

Mark K5LXP
Albuquerque, NM
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K1VSK

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Re: Ham Station Cost
« Reply #2 on: May 09, 2022, 09:05:35 AM »

I think many hams consider the cost to be irrelevant. It’s the value you place on it that’s important.
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K1KIM

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Re: Ham Station Cost
« Reply #3 on: May 09, 2022, 09:27:27 AM »

Years ago I saw a photo of a fellow living in a run down single-wide trailer out west, but he had an antenna farm worth in todays dollars probably $200k +.

It's all about priorities I guess.

As to your original post..... It can be done for way under $1000.
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AF5CC

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Re: Ham Station Cost
« Reply #4 on: May 09, 2022, 09:40:09 AM »

Probably less than $1500. Covers 160-70cm (minus 220mhz) with gain antennas on 20-70cm, all modes, including satellite work.  Not a big gun station on any of the bands, but I have fun with it.

73 John AF5CC
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KQ4KK

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Re: Ham Station Cost
« Reply #5 on: May 09, 2022, 09:42:43 AM »

Not as much if I was really into guns, toy trains, or boats. Like they say this is a hobby.
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K7JQ

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Re: Ham Station Cost
« Reply #6 on: May 09, 2022, 09:50:32 AM »

Look up KE5EE on qrz.com. Not even a big gun multi-station contest setup. Care to guesstimate his cost ;)?
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DL9BDM

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Re: Ham Station Cost
« Reply #7 on: May 09, 2022, 11:15:24 AM »

It is interesting to learn how other people handle and are willing to pay for their hobby.

I have in my now 45 years of life as a ham (I’m now 58 years old) never spent money on new equipment. Always only used goods at classifieds, flea markets, garage sales, gifts. Recently also more often estate sales and ham shack dissolutions for age reasons etc. The only exception was a mediocre shortwave receiver, which I bought with my confirmation money when I was young - it was not enough for a new FRG-7 at that time (today I have three FRG-7 in two shacks). In the course of these years I may have spent roughly 20000 - 25000 USD for amateur radio inclusive two towers with antennas at two locations. At the first glance this looks like a lot of money, but spread over the many years it is very little. And if I would have bought everything new, the sum would be 10- to 20-fold.

I don't always have to have the latest of the new. I have also bought my cars, guns, rc planes, model train etc. used. And my wife has always allowed me to do so.  ;)

You don't get rich by spending money unnecessarily. And most new things - once they cross the step of the vendors store door - are then only worth half as much.  ;D
« Last Edit: May 09, 2022, 11:31:56 AM by DL9BDM »
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N5KBP

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Re: Ham Station Cost
« Reply #8 on: May 09, 2022, 11:33:37 AM »

Age here is 60 and your story could be mine. The only "NEW" rigs I have ever bought where a few HT's along the way. Over the years I've owned many Heathkits, Kenwoods, Icoms, Drakes, Yaesus, Atlases, Swans etc. The operational difference between the least expensive to the flagship is not big a difference. Just more knobs and menu's to adjust.
N5KBP



It is interesting to learn how other people handle and are willing to pay for their hobby.

I have in my now 45 years of life as a ham (I’m now 58 years old) never spent money on new equipment. Always only used goods at flea markets, garage sales, gifts. Recently also more often estate sales and ham shack dissolutions for age reasons, etc. The only exception was a mediocre shortwave receiver, which I bought with my confirmation money when I was young - it was not enough for a new FRG-7 at that time (today I have three FRG-7 in two shacks). In the course of these years I may have spent roughly 20000 - 25000 USD for amateur radio inclusive two towers with antennas at two locations. At the first glance this looks like a lot of money, but spread over the many years it is very little. And if I would have bought everything new, the sum would be 10- to 20-fold.

I have also always bought my cars, guns, rc planes, model train etc. used. And my wife has always allowed me to do so.  ;)

You don't get rich by spending money unnecessarily. And most new things - once they cross the step of the vendors store door - are then only worth half as much.  ;D
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KB8VUL

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Re: Ham Station Cost
« Reply #9 on: May 09, 2022, 02:35:49 PM »

Total cost for the station I play... and mind you it's a partnership with the other guys money and my skills. 

Building, tower and land= 48K
Building electrical = 8K in materials 4K in paid labor, 200 free hours (my time)
equipment = probably 10K or so invested overall with repeaters, antennas and line, new cost , spit balling would range from 150K to 200K, when it was new.  The 5 MTR repeaters and 4 quantar repeaters alone new would be 130K figuring Quantars were 25K each new and the MTR's were around 10K with the current options. 

Site is an old AT&T microwave site.  240 foot tower, and a 25 by 50 building with 13 foot ceilings.
Site has a backup generator and a backup for that generator as well.  The main is propane and the backup is diesel.  No idea of what the tower would cost to replace with like.  But it's not some stack of Rohn 25. 
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WW5F

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Re: Ham Station Cost
« Reply #10 on: May 09, 2022, 04:04:40 PM »

Ham radio is not a good investment.  As a matter of fact, I don't know any ham who has actually had an ROI on it.

I've lost 10's of thousands of dollars because of ham radio *spending* over the years since 1974.

Edit:  100's of thousands of dollars if you account for inflation.
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AE9DX

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Re: Ham Station Cost
« Reply #11 on: May 09, 2022, 04:13:35 PM »

I read the original post with interest and I must say it provides food for thought. I agree, the cost is irrelevant if one takes into account the enjoyment we get from our hobby.
My own station would be considered somewhere in between high end and modest I expect. Only one of my radios (Icom 7600) was purchased new. I also have a 7800 and a Kenwood TS-850S along with 3 towers, 2 amps, multiple beams, vertical and wire antennas. That being said, Most of it was paid for by "horsetrading" equipment and buying and repairing Heathkits and making a bit of "radio money" that way. If there's a will, there's a way as it's said. I'm now 75 and have been doing this a long time and still enjoy every minute of it. I now collect Drake equipment which brings back great memories of my early days as a grade schooler drooling over the old Allied Radio catalog!
BTW: I'm also into model railroading, but we won't talk about that!
73
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NN2X

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Re: Ham Station Cost
« Reply #12 on: May 09, 2022, 06:42:38 PM »

I just got back into Ham Radio

FTDX 10 - $1,300

Hex Beam - $ 600

Mast (Aluminum) - $600

SB 220 Amp           $ 600

Cables ETC..           $ 300

TV Rotor                 $ 100

Approximate (Total) $ 3,500

About selling, I generally obtain 70% to 80%...of my initial investment

DE NN2X Tom
« Last Edit: May 09, 2022, 06:46:00 PM by NN2X »
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K3UIM

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Re: Ham Station Cost
« Reply #13 on: May 09, 2022, 10:38:36 PM »

Dawgies!! And some of us just build our QRP rigs and have a ball. "To each his own". LOL
Charlie
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Charlie. K3UIM
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Where I am: You will be!
So be nice to us old fogies!!

W4FID

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Re: Ham Station Cost
« Reply #14 on: May 10, 2022, 03:07:46 AM »

The "least" station I ever had was an MFJ 40M SSB/CW rig and a hamstick dipole when my life was in transition. About $250 in 1990 dollars. Or maybe it was the very used stuff I had when I was in college. An old tired Globe Scout and a PMR-8 receiver and a long wire. Maybe $100 in 1965 dollars. The "most" station I ever had was a KWM-2A with a 30L-1 and an Icom IC-746 PRO with an AL-811H both to a GAP vertical. About $4500 in 2015 dollars. But the cost is not the real thing. Ham radio and scouting were the two keys to my core values development as I evolved from a teen to an adult. That cannot be replaced at any cost. The real thing is I keep hard logs for every QSO I made in the 61+ years I have been a ham. And I have a file of every QSL card I ever received. That cannot be replaced at any cost. The hundreds of friends I have. The wonderful memories I have. The places I worked and looked up and learned a little about. That cannot be replaced at any cost.
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