Pick a radio and see what it actually sells for on eBay, where estate sales and licence upgrades keep good gear circulating for decades. Prices are pulled live, so what you see is what sellers are asking this minute, not catalogue price.
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Browse the full range of used ham radios on eBay → Prices move fast. See the biggest price drops across every category this week →Check the finals transistors first. The power amplifier output stage runs hot and fails from age, hard use, or lightning strikes. A listing mentioning the rig is still in original condition or has never been opened is a good sign. Photos of a dark or discolored final heatsink indicate the radio has been run hard, often at high power for long hours. A seller mentioning HF operation at or above legal limit without a proper station ground or dummy load is a red flag.
Watch for modifications and out-of-band tampering. Look for sellers who mention the rig has been modified or opened for service. Many older transceivers can be tweaked to transmit outside their licensed bands, and while the modification may not break the radio immediately, it often indicates hard use or neglect. Ask the seller directly if the radio has been modified and request photos of the interior if possible.
Backlight and display failures plague older rigs. HF radios from the 1990s and early 2000s often fail in the display panel due to heat stress and age. Ask the seller to confirm all segments of the display light up and respond correctly. If the seller says the display works most of the time or omits mention of it entirely, dig deeper before buying. Mobile VHF rigs handle this better but still succumb.
Missing microphone and bracket cost more than you expect. A rig without its original microphone and mounting hardware looks cheap until you price replacements. Original Icom and Yaesu mics run 40 to 80 dollars, and mobile brackets can be another 30 to 50. Confirm the listing includes both before bid.
Environmental damage from smoke and salt spray is nearly irreversible. A rig from a smoker accumulates tar residue on circuit boards and potentiometers, causing crackling audio and intermittent failures months into ownership. A rig from a coastal shack or marine use corrodes connectors and internal traces. A seller in a fishing port or retirement community warrants a closer look at photos of the connectors and back panel.
Verify parts and firmware support before buying vintage. Older models like the Yaesu FT-990 or Kenwood TS-2000 still work well but may be out of production for replacement finals and filter modules. Yaesu, Icom, and Kenwood all maintain parts lists for many older models, but TenTec and smaller makers do not. Check the manufacturer website or email support before committing to a 20-year-old rig.
Entry-level handhelds like the Baofeng UV-5R routinely sell for 20 to 40 dollars. Mobile VHF rigs run 100 to 250 dollars depending on condition and age. HF all-mode rigs such as the Icom IC-7300 or Yaesu FT-891 typically go for 500 to 800 dollars if they work. Prices reflect cosmetics, documentation, and whether the finals and display are known good.
Yes. It is the single most expensive repair on any rig and often costs more than the radio is worth. Request photos of the heatsink and ask the seller specifically whether the rig has been used for SSB or CW at high power. A rig run at 5 watts on FM for local repeater use is far safer than one that has been on the air for 20 years on 80 meters.
Icom, Yaesu, and Kenwood continue to offer parts and software updates for rigs up to 15 to 20 years old. Always verify with the manufacturer before buying a vintage rig. Chinese handhelds like Baofeng rarely receive updates, but firmware mods are available from the ham radio community. Obscure brands or discontinued lines may have no path to repair.
Budget 40 to 100 dollars for an original replacement mic and another 30 to 50 for a mobile bracket if needed. Some aftermarket mics are cheaper but may not have all the features such as up-down buttons. Check eBay listings and the manufacturer site before committing to a rig listed without these accessories.
Request a transmit and receive test. Ask the seller to key up on a local repeater or simplex frequency and hold the microphone near their phone speaker so you can hear it transmit. Ask them to confirm the display and all buttons respond correctly. For mobile rigs, ask about battery voltage and whether the power cable is included. For HF rigs, ask the seller to demonstrate that it receives on multiple bands.
A daily snapshot of the lowest genuine eBay price for every model we track, and how good that price is right now versus its usual level, updated automatically. Prices last refreshed 30 August 2026 . Tap a price to see that model's cheapest listings on eBay, or tap a model name for the full live list here.
Under each model is the actual listing that price came from, so you can see whether it is the thing you want or a bundle, a variant, or an accessory that happens to share the name.
| Model ↕ | Cheapest now ↕ | vs typical ↕ | vs recent |
|---|---|---|---|
Baofeng UV-5R Baofeng UV-5R VOX VHF/UHF 128CH Handheld Two-Way Radio w/ Charger Orange | $15 lowest yet | 25% under | ▼ 25% |
Yaesu FT-7900R Yaesu FT-7900R Dual Band | $180 lowest yet | 20% under | ▼ 20% |
Kenwood TM-V71A Kenwood TM-V71A 144/440MHz Dual Band FM Mobile Transceiver w/ LCD Screen | $450 | 13% under | ▼ 13% |
Elecraft K3 Elecraft K3/100 High Perf 160-6m Transceiver KPA3 2.7 # 4995 100 Watts | $1,330 lowest yet | 11% under | ▼ 11% |
Yaesu FT-2900R Yaesu FT-2900R ( FT-2980R style),power cables DTMF, hand microphone | $179 lowest yet | 7% under | ▼ 9% |
Icom IC-7000 Icom IC-7000 Ham Radio HF VHF UHF All-Mode Transceiver (US version, please re… | $932 | 4% under | ▼ 15% |
Kenwood TS-590S Kenwood TS-590S HF/50MHz All Mode Dual Band DSP Transceiver Black w/ Box | $1,000 lowest yet | 4% under | ▼ 4% |
Motorola Maratrac Motorola T73XTA7TA7BK Maratrac VHF 144-174 MHz Mobile | $40 same 24 days | about typical | steady |
Icom IC-V86 Icom IC-V86 VHF 2M (144-148 MHz) FM Portable HT Handheld Amateur Radio Plus .… | $145 same 22 days | about typical | steady |
Yaesu FT-8900R Yaesu FT-8900R 8900 Ham Radio Quad-Band Mobile FM Transceiver + Box (excellen… | $520 same 15 days | about typical | steady |
Yaesu FT-891 Yaesu 50MHzHF all-mode amateur radio 100W free FT shipping 891 | $670 | about typical | steady |
Yaesu FT-897D Yaesu FT-897D Ham Radio Transceiver Confirmed Operation Free Shipping | $798 | about typical | steady |
Kenwood TS-2000 Kenwood TS-2000 All-Mode HF/VHF/UHF Transceiver 100W DSP AM/FM/SSB/CW With GM… | $999 same 17 days | about typical | steady |
Yaesu FT-990 Yaesu FT 990 transceiver | $1,020 same 18 days | about typical | steady |
Yaesu FT-857D YAESU FT-857D HF-430MHz 100W All-Mode Transceiver compact amateur communicati… | $1,062 | about typical | steady |
Icom IC-7300 Icom IC-7300 HF/50MHz 100W Ham Radio Transceiver LCD Screen SSB CW AM FM | $800 | above typical | ▲ 5% |
Icom IC-7610 Icom IC-7610 HF/50MHz Ham Radio Transceiver w/ Mic, LCD, Spectrum Scope | $3,150 | above typical | ▲ 26% |
Icom IC-706MKIIG ICOM IC 706MKIIG 100W All Mode HF 50 144 430MHz Mobile Transceiver Ham Radio… | $798 | above typical | steady |
Yaesu FT-950 Yaesu FT-950 Ham Radio HF 50MHz Transceiver + Box (US version, excellent) | $938 | above typical | ▲ 23% |
Icom IC-2300H ICOM IC-2300H FM Transceiver VHF Marine Radio Mobile Radio Car Radio Station/# | $223 | above typical | ▲ 29% |
Baofeng BF-F8HP Advanced Baofeng BF-F8HP | $29 | – | new |
Vertex VX-160 Vertex Standard VX-160/-180 | $70 | – | new |