Some thoughts on SDRs and residual values

Mike VE3CKO

Because of a recent claims of an increase of radios being sold on QTH, I thought I'd take a look for myself and did a search on QTH.com this morning for each Flexradio, Yaesu and Icom for just the month of May and HF transceivers for sale/trade. Results:
  FLEX ads: 25
  ICOM ads: 79
  YAESU ads: 97

This did not include wanted and I did not check for duplicates which I'm sure there are a few with each brand. Not scientific but one could easily conclude there is a fire sale of ICOM and YAESU. Must be a lot of unhappy users to be selling their radios right? Really doesn't matter we can all use data and manipulated it fit what we want to say. People sell radio for various reasons, to upgrade, they need money, too many radios, whatever. Myself, I've sold radios to upgrade the station.

Bill -VA3WTB

There is no way the 6300 and 6500 is becoming obsolete, and the new radios are slot modules, at this time mainly for servicing.

Walt

Without knowing total sales number ratios, I do not think a comparison can be made based on re-sale ratios.  Rumors were that Icom sold 13,000 IC-7300's alone, not counting every other HF radio they have sold over the last ten years.  Yaesu ?  rumors of 25,000 of the FT-817 alone.  How many total HF radios for those individual companies ?  50,000,  100,000?   I cannot verify any of those numbers - they are all rumors . .

Just one of those trade secrets that manufactures will always keep close to the chest.  And I do not blame them.  Its a competitive market out there - and getting more so as more hams think about SDR - and market share is the name of the game. 

Cheers

AA0KM

I will believe the numbers when I see them. Your right it won't happen.

For a radio that isn't even market ready yet sure is a lot of worries.

Now where is the next version of software (worry).1.20.0 ? hopefully this next week its been 3 months almost. Its time.

A radio is only as good as its software will be the future saying.

Flexradio has put a lot of thought into this they got it figured out I'd say.



Lasse Moell

I fully agree with John and Ria. This type of radio is really only the beginning, and buying one and then start to worry about losses will take all the fun out of the hobby! I have been through this before, with D-SLR cameras, same worries and same complaints

BTW I was really drooling over the new offering at first, but started to think what is would give me to have a 6600M rather than a 6500. Pretty much nada! Same software, same Maestro (a nicer LCD though) and true SO2R which I currently not actively uses. As far as specs goes, they are very close and me beeing hardly "a little pistol" would not notice any difference at all. So my concution is to keep on beeing a happy owner of a 6500.

73 Lasse SM5GLC

Steve K9ZW

Excepting specialist collection of classic radios our hobby should be viewed in enjoyment per money spent. If worry of residual value is big part of a person's enjoyment they should avoid leading-edge products and technologies completely. If you approach a leading edge purchase as "gone and spent" any later residual value is an unexpected plus. If calculated life-cycle, depreciation and firm resale predictions are what you need leading-edge is not where you should spend your hobby money. It remains an absolute that you should never spend money you "need" on a hobby, especially with a view to selling the gear as a source for future needed funds. Have fun, but don't create your own economic **** along the way. 73 Steve K9ZW

Bill Garfield W1BG

One of the things that has happened over the last year or two is a fairly significant drop in some retail prices which understandably drags down the secondary market.  I too have seen this price drop, which some are blaming on the 7300 for offering a top-tier receiver at entry level pricing along with a suite of bells & whistles historically associated with high end gear.  Newcomers to this hobby are the ultimate winners as it makes it a lot more affordable to start out with something decent rather than some old relic with hard to find tubes and soft finals. If I was truly worried about depreciation, I'd look for an arrangement whereby I could rent or lease the equipment.  Ham gear should never be looked upon as an investment.

73 - Bill - W1BG