Speculation in Unbuilt Kits? re: GC-1000

[Robert S. Capon]

Someone mentioned that interest in unbuilt kits relates to "speculation".  As
a collector of kits, and knowing most of the other serious Heathkit
collectors, I can tell you that the interest in kits isn't about financial
speculation.  Rather, most of us are interested in preserving the Heathkit
legacy, and most are serious kit builders who reach into their collections
(on rare occassion) to build something.  Many of the serious kit collectors
were also Field Testers on the recent K2 by Elecraft.  Just guys that love to
build kits.  (Kit building must be habit forming).

I get a big kick out of opening a kit box, and looking through the user's
guide and the components.  During the past few years, I've built an ID-5001,
SA-2060, HW8, HW9 and SB-1000.  I pretty much only build stuff that I have
doubles of, and that is modern enough to get everyday use.  For example, I
get great use out of my SB-1000.  I would never build the older rare stuff
(like the GC-1 or the SB-301/401 pair).  I find that a QSO made with a
home-made rig is ten times as much fun as a QSO on a store-bought rig.

The prices on EBay astound me.  I'm quite amazed by the bidding on the
GC-1000 in particular, and believe it will go quite a bit higher before the
dust settles.  (For a WWV clock that you can get at Radio Shack for $40!)  At
the current price, I'm out of the running.  I'd much prefer to stumble across
an unbuilt Heathkit at a hamfest, which is still where the best deals are.
But they're becoming very hard to find.

73,

Rob, W3DX

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