OFCOM: Baldock Monitoring Station: equipment auction - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Nymrod121 · 17th Oct 2016, 3:00 pm

As per this link:

http://www.ppauctions.com/eshots/20161103/

Best wishes
Guy

17th Oct 2016, 3:09 pm

The huge rotatable log periodic isn't for sale as far as I can see. Just the bit of kit I would love to have along with the huge garden to house it!

Sean Williams · 17th Oct 2016, 3:36 pm

Thats gonna be an expensive auction!

Radio Wrangler · 17th Oct 2016, 3:41 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by merlinmaxwell

The huge rotatable log periodic isn't for sale as far as I can see. Just the bit of kit I would love to have along with the huge garden to house it!

Put a bid in for the site as well?

David

turretslug · 17th Oct 2016, 7:23 pm

"Re-organisation".... hmmm, does this impressive pile of expensive hardware represent the normal turnover of time-served equipment, or is it more ominously emblematic of a trend towards apathy and toothlessness as regards policing and enforcement of spectrum hygiene?

Sean Williams · 17th Oct 2016, 7:31 pm

Operations there have been drastically scaled back due to budget cuts - I was lucky enough to get in there about 10 years ago (before the big dishes went) and salvaged a lot of Heliax, and some rotators.

The piles of kit on the racks will mostly be redundant cast off kit from the remote teams that used to spend a lot of time chasing pirates, and dealing with interference complaints - this work has been drastically scaled back in recent times.

There is of course a large pile of stuff that has been kept because it is easier to store it in a cupboard than get it removed from an asset register.....

paulsherwin · 17th Oct 2016, 8:08 pm

Presumably most of this will be bought by dealers for a few thousand quid.

Radio Wrangler · 17th Oct 2016, 9:08 pm

Most dealers are fairly canny and know what they can sell stuff for, and have an idea of the speed of turnover versus price.

Most government sell-offs have been in big lots, too big for an individual to contemplate. It's rather good to see it being publicised and done in small enough lots for there to be a chance. The ordinary taxpayer stands a chance of getting something out of it.

There has been a lot of good equipment put on the market over the last decade or so, and secondhand prices are quite a bit down on what they were.

If there are any real bargains in this lot, it will be things no one else wants and the dealers think would hang around too long.

David

Sean Williams · 17th Oct 2016, 9:15 pm

When the MOD cleared a large quantity of 6960B power meters I purchased a number of them - £75 each complete with a number of measuring heads.

They must have released thousands of them, because all the usual test equipment dealers bought plenty of them, and there was little or no competition, hence there were bargains to be had.

This auction may well turn out to be the same, there is a lot of duplicated kit, that will not sell quickly - RF test gear isn't exactly everyone's cup of tea, could still work out an expensive day though, for those that really want specific things

17th Oct 2016, 3:00 pm	#1
Nymrod121 Nonode Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Worcestershire, UK. Posts: 2,052	OFCOM: Baldock Monitoring Station: equipment auction As per this link: http://www.ppauctions.com/eshots/20161103/ Best wishes Guy __________________ "What a depressingly stupid machine." [Marvin: HHGTTG]

17th Oct 2016, 3:09 pm	#2
Guest Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Ofcom: Baldock Monitoring Station: equipment auction The huge rotatable log periodic isn't for sale as far as I can see. Just the bit of kit I would love to have along with the huge garden to house it!

17th Oct 2016, 3:36 pm	#3
Sean Williams Dekatron Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: St.Ippolyts, Hitchin, Hertfordshire QRA IO91UW Posts: 3,517	Re: OFCOM: Baldock Monitoring Station: equipment auction Thats gonna be an expensive auction! __________________ Engineers make things work and have spare bits when finished

17th Oct 2016, 7:23 pm	#5
turretslug Dekatron Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Surrey, UK. Posts: 4,393	Re: OFCOM: Baldock Monitoring Station: equipment auction "Re-organisation".... hmmm, does this impressive pile of expensive hardware represent the normal turnover of time-served equipment, or is it more ominously emblematic of a trend towards apathy and toothlessness as regards policing and enforcement of spectrum hygiene?

17th Oct 2016, 7:31 pm	#6
Sean Williams Dekatron Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: St.Ippolyts, Hitchin, Hertfordshire QRA IO91UW Posts: 3,517	Re: OFCOM: Baldock Monitoring Station: equipment auction Operations there have been drastically scaled back due to budget cuts - I was lucky enough to get in there about 10 years ago (before the big dishes went) and salvaged a lot of Heliax, and some rotators. The piles of kit on the racks will mostly be redundant cast off kit from the remote teams that used to spend a lot of time chasing pirates, and dealing with interference complaints - this work has been drastically scaled back in recent times. There is of course a large pile of stuff that has been kept because it is easier to store it in a cupboard than get it removed from an asset register..... __________________ Engineers make things work and have spare bits when finished

17th Oct 2016, 8:08 pm	#7
paulsherwin Moderator Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Oxford, UK Posts: 27,927	Re: OFCOM: Baldock Monitoring Station: equipment auction Presumably most of this will be bought by dealers for a few thousand quid.

17th Oct 2016, 9:08 pm	#8
Radio Wrangler Moderator Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Fife, Scotland, UK. Posts: 22,858	Re: OFCOM: Baldock Monitoring Station: equipment auction Most dealers are fairly canny and know what they can sell stuff for, and have an idea of the speed of turnover versus price. Most government sell-offs have been in big lots, too big for an individual to contemplate. It's rather good to see it being publicised and done in small enough lots for there to be a chance. The ordinary taxpayer stands a chance of getting something out of it. There has been a lot of good equipment put on the market over the last decade or so, and secondhand prices are quite a bit down on what they were. If there are any real bargains in this lot, it will be things no one else wants and the dealers think would hang around too long. David __________________ Can't afford the volcanic island yet, but the plans for my monorail and the goons' uniforms are done

17th Oct 2016, 9:15 pm	#9
Sean Williams Dekatron Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: St.Ippolyts, Hitchin, Hertfordshire QRA IO91UW Posts: 3,517	Re: OFCOM: Baldock Monitoring Station: equipment auction When the MOD cleared a large quantity of 6960B power meters I purchased a number of them - £75 each complete with a number of measuring heads. They must have released thousands of them, because all the usual test equipment dealers bought plenty of them, and there was little or no competition, hence there were bargains to be had. This auction may well turn out to be the same, there is a lot of duplicated kit, that will not sell quickly - RF test gear isn't exactly everyone's cup of tea, could still work out an expensive day though, for those that really want specific things __________________ Engineers make things work and have spare bits when finished