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Author Topic: Parts Swappers  (Read 1724 times)

W2NAP

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Re: Parts Swappers
« Reply #15 on: July 12, 2022, 07:16:49 AM »

I think it's a crock of sh*t that some sellers are using to imply that the equipment works great, and if it doesn't, too bad. I'm wary of those guys and pass on their gear.  Along with paying THEIR commission to PayPal.  That's the seller's cost, like when you sell a house.  Just my .02 cents.


It has happened to me on a rig in the past so no KG6BRG it ain't a crock of ****, maybe when you have to eat several hundred dollar loss cause of a scumbag you will think differently.

And as for paythief you want me to take it, you pay the fee or piss off.
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WA8MEA

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Re: Parts Swappers
« Reply #16 on: July 12, 2022, 03:06:52 PM »

I would love to see more "For Sale" ads like this!

>Postal money order. You pay first $40 of shipping. I will insure. I will hold money order for 1 week or until you confirm radio arrived in good condition. If not working you owe me confirmation by ham radio repair shop or electrician - I’ll pay to return radio & will return your payment.<

I would have bought his rig (and offered more!), but he was selling as a bundle with other junk i didn't need.

BTW, parts swapping = urban legend.
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W9FIB

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Re: Parts Swappers
« Reply #17 on: July 13, 2022, 04:30:11 AM »

BTW, parts swapping = urban legend.

Those who choose not to believe are the ones who will eventually get burned. Be careful out there!
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73, Stan
Travelling the world one signal at a time.

VE3WGO

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Re: Parts Swappers
« Reply #18 on: July 13, 2022, 09:26:10 AM »

Is it only the buyer who is suspected of parts swapping? 

Have you ever bought something online only to have it arrive looking slightly different than the photos?  Maybe the photo was a nice generic one, and your bought unit obviously has older grubby parts. 

Seller has the usual protective caveats, says no returns, unit is untested, etc, but still...

73, Ed
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W1RKW

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Re: Parts Swappers
« Reply #19 on: July 19, 2022, 05:58:43 AM »

could always put some tiny identifying marks on various parts within the radio  or simply put  a tamper seal on the rig case or both.
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KD6VXI

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Re: Parts Swappers
« Reply #20 on: July 19, 2022, 06:08:42 AM »

could always put some tiny identifying marks on various parts within the radio  or simply put  a tamper seal on the rig case or both.

eBay hasn't always honored the tamper seals.  Nor has PayPal.  They are not a fix all.

But yeah, if you want me to buy your stuff, you adjust the price for accepting PayPal.  If you can't do simple math of adding a couple percent, how am I supposed to trust you?

I've bought and sold ham, cb and car audio gear online for over 20 years.  My favorite scammer was a kid in Florida that didn't send me the stereo I bought from him.  I tracked him down, called his mother and explained what her turd was doing.  2 days later I had the stereo, overnighted.

I don't sell nearly as much as I used to, but the whole parts swappers crap..  A hard no from me.  Selling as parts and unworking?  No. 

You can always find the same thing, possibly for a few more dollars, by a trustworthy seller.  And it's worth it to me to not have to deal with someone who goes out of his way to come up with reasons to put all the risk on me.

--Shane
WP2ASS / ex KD6VXI 
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K1KIM

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Re: Parts Swappers
« Reply #21 on: July 19, 2022, 07:04:55 AM »

Lets all face the facts.

You are buying from, or selling to a complete unknown individual!!!

Yes, feedback and the like certainly does help, but is not foolproof.

It's a "Caveat Emptor" world. For the big bucks I want to see it, feel it and play it......or buy new.

Or buy it for the JUNK price and know what you are getting.

As a seller the words "untested, worked when put into storage, etc etc" mean nothing unless you state
in CAPS "broken, not working, parts only etc".
 
NO RETURNS disclaimer means nothing. If the buyer gets it and it doesn't work as it should, it gets sent back and the seller pays shipping both ways.

I recently received a meter that didn't work properly. I contacted the seller to return the item, to which I received a note that the seller offers no returns. I contacted eBay described the issue and within 24 hours I had a return shipping label and a refund in 2 days. I honestly believe the seller had no idea the meter didn't function. But in the end, eBay stood by me.

The scales are definitely tilted towards the buyer.  But who needs the headache.

A piece of equipment that has a dozen hands in it over the years, "estate" SK sales I just don't feel comfortable with when offered in online sales. That cheap amp is no longer a bargain if it needs new tubes or power transistors.

Yet, I see every day people paying ridiculous money for these items even though the seller states "working when taken out of service, in storage last 5 years etc"

Back to the Caveat Emptor..............
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K7JQ

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Re: Parts Swappers
« Reply #22 on: July 19, 2022, 07:28:13 AM »

I like the ad that states…”never a problem with this amp. Just back from xxx company for checkup/full calibration and latest firmware update”. Who does that, spending at least a couple hundred $$ to ship back and forth? Translation…it was broken and I had it repaired ;).
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K0UA

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Re: Parts Swappers
« Reply #23 on: July 19, 2022, 09:01:58 AM »

I like the ad that states…”never a problem with this amp. Just back from xxx company for checkup/full calibration and latest firmware update”. Who does that, spending at least a couple hundred $$ to ship back and forth? Translation…it was broken and I had it repaired ;).

Yep, bought an amp like that. AND he wasn't lying, he had the invoice which he passed along showing that Ameritron had just went thru it and replaced the tubes and a diode.  Soon I was replacing tubes and D16 diodes like they were candy as constant tube arc's take out the "safety diode" pretty handily. In less than a month I was replacing the T/R relays.  That was a PITA job to get to them and getting them unsoldered off of the board. It was a happy day when I had it fully operational and sold it to someone else. I have had zero problems with my Solid State kit amp and it is coming up on two years pretty soon.   811A and 572B tubes suck from Chinese suppliers. Ameritron wants way too much money for their relays. I found them later online for much less. But too late. I did change out the D16 to a higher current one and that seemed to stop the endless diode replacement routine.
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73  James K0UA

AF5CC

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Re: Parts Swappers
« Reply #24 on: July 19, 2022, 10:34:06 AM »

What solid state amp have you had good luck with?
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K0UA

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Re: Parts Swappers
« Reply #25 on: July 19, 2022, 11:49:23 AM »

What solid state amp have you had good luck with?

Mercury IIIs.  It is used nearly daily and will be two years in December.  I run it hard and put it away wet, with a lot of FT8 operation. It sees its share of CW and SSB operation also. The only bad thing about the Mercury IIIs is the waiting line for one has gotten quite long. I waited less than 3 weeks for mine back then.

https://www.km3km.com/elementor-1915/
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73  James K0UA

VA3VF

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Re: Parts Swappers
« Reply #26 on: July 19, 2022, 12:17:36 PM »

Quote
What solid state amp have you had good luck with?

KC0W likes the Juma PA1000.

Search eHam for some of his comments and a review.
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W4AMP

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Re: Parts Swappers
« Reply #27 on: July 28, 2022, 07:21:25 AM »

Quote
What solid state amp have you had good luck with?

KC0W likes the Juma PA1000.

Search eHam for some of his comments and a review.

They have stopped taking orders for now.
http://www.jumaradio.com/juma-pa1000/
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WA8MEA

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Re: Parts Swappers
« Reply #28 on: August 07, 2022, 11:52:31 AM »

I am beginning to think this "part swapping" business is an urban legend.  Yes, it might have happened to one or two people, but I doubt it is rampant.  In fact, in a brief Google and Bing search, I found NOTHING about ham radio part swapping.  I did see one post over on another discussion forum where a guy complained that the mic he bought from another ham had some parts swapped out.  He even admits it might not have been the original seller who did this.  But NOTHING about buying something and the ham op returning the equipment because he wanted parts from the item he bought.

Then came the clincher.  Auto parts swapping!  It is everywhere on Google.  Has someone taken this VERY common auto practice and somehow turned it into a conspiracy theory for amateur radio operators?

Now I am certain that a dozen people in this forum will step forward and claim they were victimized by the ever popular amateur radio "part swappers."  If so, please identify who did this to you, please tell us where you posted the "bad guy" report and explain to us exactly the parts he/she/it/they/them/ours swapped out.
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W3WN

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Re: Parts Swappers
« Reply #29 on: August 07, 2022, 06:46:21 PM »

I am beginning to think this "part swapping" business is an urban legend.  Yes, it might have happened to one or two people, but I doubt it is rampant.  In fact, in a brief Google and Bing search, I found NOTHING about ham radio part swapping.  I did see one post over on another discussion forum where a guy complained that the mic he bought from another ham had some parts swapped out.  He even admits it might not have been the original seller who did this.  But NOTHING about buying something and the ham op returning the equipment because he wanted parts from the item he bought.

Then came the clincher.  Auto parts swapping!  It is everywhere on Google.  Has someone taken this VERY common auto practice and somehow turned it into a conspiracy theory for amateur radio operators?

Now I am certain that a dozen people in this forum will step forward and claim they were victimized by the ever popular amateur radio "part swappers."  If so, please identify who did this to you, please tell us where you posted the "bad guy" report and explain to us exactly the parts he/she/it/they/them/ours swapped out.
You may want to redo your search.  Try looking for "Radio-Mart" and "Martyn Allison"
« Last Edit: August 07, 2022, 06:48:24 PM by W3WN »
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