I consider myself a pretty typical ham. I also consider myself ethical and honest in everything I engage in.  
  
A couple of times in the past I did some serious "shack cleaning". I found dozens of items that I hadn't used in years and I posted them for sale here on eHam to generate some cash for other projects. There were probably times that I had a dozen items listed. All were sold quickly and I received emails of gratitude from the buyers after they received the shipments.  
  
I don't think that any of us can make assumptions about another ham's intentions based on the number of items that he is offering for sale.  
I saw a post about a ham not delivering the goods.. Curious, I looked at the postings by this ham and found 12 items for sale in JUST September. These are either stolen items, or flea-market rejects, and are being posted here. I strongly urge the owners of this system to seriously question the motives of someone who sells this much stuff via their classifieds.  
  
I believed that eHam calssifieds were for individual hams to sell to each other with "modest" profit or loss expectations. However, when I see the number of items from just one person on the classifieds I seriously suspect the source and reputation of that person.   
  
It is my opinion that these people are using eHam to run a business. A business that is quite questionable in ethical terms. I STRONGLY recommend that eHam show some responsibility in this area and prohibit such practices!  
Since you offer nothing to support some of your statements, I'll assume that they are conjecture.  
  
You seem to be making some pretty sweeping assumptions here. I've purchased from one ham here (I doubt it's the one you mention, though) who turned out to be local. He sells lots of stuff - here, qrz, hamfests, etc. You would assume he's selling stolen or broken stuff, nope, he's selling ham equipment for local estates, bringing more money to the estate than if the ham equipment were to be sold as "unknown, untested electronics," which is what it would be at an estate sale or auction. He gets a good supply because he provides a service, and word gets around. The prices must be reasonable, because his stuff sells.  
  
If there are some deadbeat hams, perhaps an eBay-style rating system would be in order, but assuming that multiple sellers are thieves or selling junk isn't warranted.   
I wonder what you think of people like me who have bought sold more then just a few items on e-Bay? Does that make me a crook too? What about the regulars here and on e-Bay that sell many items. Some are from their own collections from over the years that they now want to sell. Are they crooks too? That is a pitiful posting that just tells me you haven't thought out what you wrote or you've been stung and want to paint us all with the same broad brush. Either way, I think you are WAAAY out of line on that and should apologize to the honest hams who frequent this site. And also raise your feelings about hams in general.  
We give our members the benefit of the doubt when it comes to posting things for sale and abiding by the rules by allowing them to appear right after being posted. Some generally broad guidelines are applied when the decision to delete content is considered but there is no way for us to determine if the guy selling 12 items in September is running a business with our methods.   
Why not have a local Ham check on or validate an Item?   
I think the answer here is an easy one. If you don't  
like what you see here, don't come back.   
  
Feel free to start your own Ham Radio website and run it as you see fit.  
  
Kudos to eHam.net, and thanks for a great service.  
Geez you guys...  
  
Why get on this guy's case? I think he's saying that he's maybe spotted someone selling on eham who's less than completely honest and wants to warn the rest of us (see also, looking out for your fellow hams). And he's proposing that the site owner help watch for this sort of thing. I don't think that this is 'WAAAY out of line' at all.  
  
As for the 'If you don't like what you see here, don't come back' suggestion; if you followed your own advice, you wouldn't have posted anything at all. You would have just ignored the thread and moved on.  
Can anyone spell L I B E L?!!!  
  
Defaming anyone in print is a very risky business, whether is's true or not!!   
Good grief! I've bought and sold lots of stuff. Why? Oh, I wanted to try out a rig I heard a lot about, or I bought one rig and then found a rare one I really wanted and sold the first to get the second. I am putting together my idea of a perfect shack (all rare Mizuho, NCG, and Tokyo Hy-Power gear) as I can. Does this make me a crook? Not hardly.  
  
Give it a break!   
HI, I buy and sel lots of stuff, mostly on ebay. most of it is ham stuff and the rest is computer (laptop) stuff. I buy and sell this stuff to continually improve my station, and I also give away lots of stuff to new ham friends (a ht and a mag mount) and send stuff to kids setting up ham clubs at school and such. I have donated stuff to support one of our country's warships on static display, and I have lots of stuff here at the shack. for example in the last year I have bought and sold 2 clipperton L amps, an Amp Supply amp, 2 ameritron 811 amps, a sbe 33, a sbe 34, probally 20 vhf and uhf brick amps, a couple of keys, 12 or 15 HT's, a Icom 706, and alinco dh70, an Icom 720, 2 ft-101ee and gave a friend a ft-101 zd cause he really liked it and he did some great work on my mobile install for me, etc. I now have a pretty nice station and still have lots of stuff for horse trades. I have as much fun buying and selling this stuff as I do playing on it..I am honest and represent my self accurately. I just like playing with the equipment. I'm finally old enough to have enough money to play a little and so I have fun. SO PLEASE DON'T ACCUSE ME OF BEING A CROOK OR A SHYSTER. I try to enjoy this hobby and this is one of my favorite ways.. so guys have fun, be honest and remember, we all do itt in our own way... 73 tom N6AJR   
  
I agree with your assessment of the situation. Everyone has to trust on this kind of stuff and I would doubt whether or not anyone here that I see posting regularly would rip anyone off. And if they did then that's bad anbd I would hope "something" could be done.  
  
Your approach to your shack is quite interesting! I would love to see some photos.Is it like something out of the Mysterions movie from the 50's? I love the way the Japs design their cases and stuff.  
I know several hams who go through gear like it was peanut butter. They buy, sell and trade ham gear on a weekly if not daily basis. They keep and play with what they like, trade or sell what they don't like and horse trade to get even more goodies.  
Some of these guys sell on ebay, eham, and other areas where they can buy and sell ham gear. They sometime have a LOT of listings. This does NOT make them thieves!  
One of these guys is also very shrewd when it come to a dollar. If you give him 75 cents hw will make it into 80 cents in a week. That's just the way he is. He doesn't get rich, but he makes a buck here and there. That doesn't make him bad either. To him, part of the fun is trading the gear and making a little.  
To those who are all upset because they see a ham with more than a few listings, you should hire a detective to check out the ham you suspect. Then if he is truly selling stolen gear, point the finger. Otherwise, remember the stuff about casting stones. And hey, who cares if a guy is making a buck? If he was too greedy, no one would buy from him anyway.  
Sheesh! Some of you guys would complain about a sign you painted yourself.   
This is most valuable suggestion in this thread so far.   
I have bouht a few hard to find and not so cheap items on e-ham and QRZ. I have had good luck and met other honest hams. ..............I hope it wasn't dumb luck. I don't plan to stop checking out both e-ham and QRZ sale adds.   
I have bouht a few hard to find and not so cheap items on e-ham and QRZ. I have had good luck and met other honest hams. ..............I hope it wasn't dumb luck. I don't plan to stop checking out both e-ham and QRZ sale adds.   
Someone really opened up a can of worms. Accusing someone without 1 ounce of proof is sheer nonsense; not to mention just plain stupid. I'm beginning to think that some people just have way too much free time on their hands. Hey; I think i'll go accuse my next door neighbor of murder; i have nothing better to do. GIVE ME A BREAK !!!!   
I have a simple solution for the guy who started this whole discussion and those of a like mindset. SIMPLY DO NOT BUY ANYTHING LISTED IN THE CLASSIFIEDS FROM ANYONE....THAT INCLUDES QST, CQ, ETC. This way you will never have to worry about being taken or decieved. Oh, yes, when you find that 'place called perfect' QSL to my QTH via any means and I may move there also....maybe.   
Good grief. I've done the same thing. I am not a 'bad' HAM or a scammer. I currently have three Vibroplex Deluxe Lighting Bug keys. I acquired them in looking for the pefect model. I will sell two of them. (If the XYL reads this I will be a SK). Point being, contact the seller by email or, better yet, in person. You can tell a great deal about a person when you talk to them. They buyer does have some responsibility in a transaction.  
Tom Detchemendy  
K7CSM-The Lead Sled Dog   
You can't libel or slander someone IF what you are saying is the truth. If you call someone a crook, and you can prove they are a crook, then by stating such, you are not commiting a libel or slanderous act. Truth is the defense.   
So I guess I must have stolen all the things I have sold on eHam and QRZ and eBay. At any given time I might have 5-6 items listed. Damn and here I thought I was just selling off the stuff I havent used to buy more stuff I will not use! Silly me.  
  
---