Posted: 9/3/2011 2:26:30 PM EDT
Any tips on buying off QTH?
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Do a call look up, make sure it matches...
lookup Check Swap Chat (search call or name or both) to see if there is any negatives Chat Search I also google call sign for good measure :) Email seller from site, ask all questions then-not later. Almost everything I've bought since April (Ham Ticket) has been from QTH Swap-with Great Success! Know what you are buying, and firm idea of what it's worth-there are some great deals avail-others not so great Good Luck 
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Another thing you can do... if you know other hams in the seller's area, contact them.
For example, there was an Icom 718 for sale by a guy in Wisconsin. He said it was near new, took it in on a trade, it worked fine. I looked him up on QRZ and found that he restored boat anchors. Since I had a good friend and "Elmer" in the same state I asked him about the seller. He responded that while he had not bought anything from him, others he knew said he was a straight shooter. Further, he told me that the seller ran a computer repair business (so has electronic skills), had a side business buying, restoring, and selling boat anchors, and generally had a good reputation. And the 718 I bought from the guy was exactly as advertised, looked like it WAS new. And worked perfectly. You could tell it was very low mileage. And it was very well packed to protect it from shipping damage. Another 718 I bought was from a guy about 70 miles away. He said he won the radio as a door prize at last year's hamfest, and he had plenty of other radios. He said he did hook it up and operated for about 30 minutes to make sure it was OK. I asked around about him. Several said, sure, they knew him well, a long time area ham, good guy. Two even remembered that he won the 718 at that hamfest. That seller and I met halfway at a truck stop just off the 4-lane, cash for radio, which DID look new, packed in the original box, all acc present. And it also worked perfectly. I got a Yaesu FT-1802M from yet another seller. Though he did not say new, he said "lightly used". Again, it was apparently used only to check that it worked. All of the hardware still in the sealed baggies, the "new" still all over everything. Clean, no dust, obviously just taken out of the box and put back in. And it works just great, in use in my "shack" now. I've been more than satisfied by my purchases from the ham sites. |
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Guys, after I posted above, bubbahana contacted me about checking out the listing. I looked up the seller's QRZ info and remarked back to bubba that "Hey, I know a ham that lives near the seller!"
I emailed my friend, who emailed right back, "I don't know him but will check him out for you." Looking at the maps on QRZ it seems my friend lives about 15 minutes from the seller bubba is asking about. Is this cool or what??? (Jeopardy music playing while we wait) |
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Quoted:
Guys, after I posted above, bubbahana contacted me about checking out the listing. I looked up the seller's QRZ info and remarked back to bubba that "Hey, I know a ham that lives near the seller!" I emailed my friend, who emailed right back, "I don't know him but will check him out for you." Looking at the maps on QRZ it seems my friend lives about 15 minutes from the seller bubba is asking about. Is this cool or what??? (Jeopardy music playing while we wait) And this is why I came to ARFCOM
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| There are a few career scammers on QTH but Scott and Al usually put the boot to their asses as soon as they're outed. A little Internet research is always a good thing to do before you buy, especially when purchasing something which is highly sought after...and is likely to be used as bait by the lads. |
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Google is your friend. Google the callsign and/or email. And don't just look at the first few pages of results.
I haven't had any problems on there. I did have a small problem on EHAM because he didn't take PP and I sent a check. I almost never send a check. Great comm until none. Took about 2 weeks but did get my money back though. I do a lot one QTH and buy my domains and hosting from Scott. ETA: You're not buying FROM QTH. |
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It is also good to check the Scams and Ripoff forum on QRZ, there are a couple of licensed hams that are known for scamming, and QTH is one of the spots that the most recent one has been using.
Here is the recent thread, http://forums.qrz.com/showthread.php?310671-kj4tlc |
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Never ever buy anything from "Radiomart" on ebay.
Regarding the OP's purchase... my friend lives abotu 15 minutes away from the seller he wants to buy from. I emailed my friend, who did not know the guy, but then, the call sign is a new vanity call. My friend was to do his net tonight. I advised bubba to contact the seller, "Would you mind if (my friend's call), who lives near you, picks this up for me?" I advised that if the seller says, "sure, no problem", go ahead with the purchase and just say, "Never mind, go on and ship it." It all looks good. |
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I've only done one deal on QTH - but only have been licensed myself for less than a year. Checked the guy's feedback, which was all positive. Seller was an extra with several prior QTH deals. Quick communication, and my Kenwood D710a could be mistaken for NIB - better appearance than advertised.
My lesson learned, though, was to ask about smoking before buying. Just sitting in the shack mostly unused, the rig absorbed a bunch of cig odor. Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |
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Quoted:
Never ever buy anything from "Radiomart" on ebay. Regarding the OP's purchase... my friend lives abotu 15 minutes away from the seller he wants to buy from. I emailed my friend, who did not know the guy, but then, the call sign is a new vanity call. My friend was to do his net tonight. I advised bubba to contact the seller, "Would you mind if (my friend's call), who lives near you, picks this up for me?" I advised that if the seller says, "sure, no problem", go ahead with the purchase and just say, "Never mind, go on and ship it." It all looks good. Radiomart has been trying to buy and sell on QTH under the call K4TEC. Do not even sell a radio to this guy. http://forums.qrz.com/showthread.php?312041-Radio-Mart-Martyn-Allison-Scammer |
