Fair Radio Sales is Closing

[David Dunlop]

For those who did not know, this company, based in Lima, Ohio, is going out of business. Check their website for details.

David

[maple_leaf_eh]

https://fairradio.com/

The trouble for me is most of what I want is covered by ITARS or Controlled Goods.

[Bruce MacMillan]

It is reflecting the end of an era relating to WW2 and maybe Korea. I first bought from Fair back in the 1970s and still have a few catalogues. Prices were realistic back then, paying $120 for a complete GRC109 set. The likes of Sabre Industies in Winterpeg are history as are most regional surplus stores.

There is also the paranoia post 911 of everything ex military being used by nefarious people. I was bored one month so spent time going through the ITAR rules. They are focused on modern material that could be a threat not WW2 signals equipment. I think businesses have enough sales in the CONUS to use ITAR as an excuse not to sell.

It hasn't stopped US hams from importing UK Clansman or Bowman stuff.

Maybe one has to form a mercenary group to receive nice toys.

[David Dunlop]

You are correct, Bruce. there are not many surplus vehicle or electronics businesses left anywhere that had their start in the era of Second World War surplus. Any big players still out there today are likely dealing with more and more ITARS controlled products, so complete items arrive in the front door and bits and pieces leave out the back. It does not appear to be a logical, or sustainable business model. The available inventory of intact equipment steadily dries up while the spare parts needed to sustain them continues to expand.

I suspect that once the 'Cherry Pickers' are done with Fair Radio, the bulk of their inventory will be sold off to scrappers and their property will be gobbled up by local developers.

David

[Aide Memoire]

Currently the "store closing - discount prices" are not all that discounted, given a bunch of reports. The other news is that they're "planning to stay open a little longer now" and are thinking May 2024 so there's still some good old fashioned carnival salesmanship going on. Will there be more pricing flexibility closer to May in the face of having to shift all of that inventory? Who knows. Personal experience in similar situations points towards a firm 'No' however.

Although they've said they're retiring because they've run it long enough etc. etc., Bruce is correct. They really don't have anything to sell anymore now that everything goes straight to the shredder. They're sort of the last gasp of the old-school surplus electronic places all the old Hams would frequent. In the surplus world we still have Mike Murphy and American Milspec and a couple of others but only if you live on the other side of the 49th and then only if you have the deepest of pockets.

Meanwhile Britain sells everything - Clansman, Bowman, armoured vehicles - fully equipped Ptarmigan pods - and to my knowledge despite being a small nation in the midst of many other nations - has not yet had someone try to hold up a Sainsburys with a 25 yr old radio. There's probably a lesson to be learned there - but it won't be learned by whomever is running the show in the electronics disposal section of DLA/ DRMS.

[brengunman]

They have 2 volt vibrators for the WS 58 power supply.
George