QTH.COM Swap Chat

Beware of business with Don Heck (AD4FY). He responded to my ad wanting to trade some of my equipment for a Yaesu FT-50R. After some emails and a phone call from him, he asked me to send him the agreed traded equipment and he would send me his radio after my shipment arrived. I thought about this arrangement and emailed him back suggesting that we ship at the same time, and exchange tracking numbers. Then if we weren't happy with each others equipment, we simply return the items to original ownership. Never heard from him again...It's been four days. Glad I didnt agree to his original plan.

Randy Johnson
KC7YKE

Hi Randy. Saw your post concerning Don Heck/AD4FY. A while back,I purchased an item from Don. It was shipped in a timely fasion,and in the described condition. I understand your concern on the stated deal in your post,but I had a good experience with Don and would probably do business with him again. Just thought you'd like to know my 2 cents worth. Take care and 73 ! Jerry/KB9EDM

Doing any deal posted is a risk.
In reality, one side has to take the risk. Normally I don't mind taking the first step in belief that 98% of the hams are honest. Yes, the 2% will get you one day.
However, when exchanging emails or telephone chats, if something doesn't smell right its time to ask yourself the hard questions.
There have been many postings here on how to protect yourself, all of them are good advice, but the best advice I have found is your own "gut feeling".
I have backed away from a few "to good to be true deals", but always have to wonder if i missed a good deal because the other guy didn't say the words I wanted to hear.
Makes ya wonder huh?

Tom, N8PQB

Ok on the, "gut feeling". Personally, I always make sure I call the individual on the telephone, on my dime. I am pretty good at detecting a con artist. I haven't had to many bad dealings but one bad deal that I made, was swapping of equipment. I put an ad here to swap dual-band mobiles. Well, I never called the guy on the phone, and he had a Yahoo e-mail address. Well, hoping that I wouldn' t get that 2% that is bad, I shipped at the same time. I received a piece of junk, (a parts radio at best), and he received my mint Icom. No, it wasn' t damaged during shipment. No output power, a 3 inch power cord, you get the idea. Basically butchered. It didn' t help any that he was in Hawaii, and just happend to be leaving town for his job. I tried very hard to find this person. I called Hawaii but couldn't make the connection. My bad. Anyway, when dealing with someone now, I make sure I get their phone number, and call them. If someone doesn't want to give out their number, I stop the deal there. I also make sure they have a traceable e-mail address also. Some common sense can go a long way. Just my opinion. 73 all...

OK--Don Heck did call me back and we have struck a deal. The problem was,
he sent me an email that for some reason didn't get through to me. He thought I terminated the deal, since as far as he was concerned, he never got a response. He got back to me after seeing another ad I posted on QTH.
So....I must now say Don is a gentleman of his word, and I must publically apoligize for jumping the gun about my opinion of this man.
Randy L. Johnson
KC7YKE