How to Sell Your Used Ham Radio Equipment (And Actually Get a Fair Price)

You’ve got gear sitting on the shelf. Maybe you’re upgrading, downsizing, or just done with a radio that never quite clicked. Either way, you want to move it without leaving money on the table or burning a weekend dealing with tire-kickers.

Here’s a straight breakdown of every realistic option — what each one nets you after fees and time, and when each makes sense.

Option 1: Sell on eBay

eBay is still the biggest marketplace for used ham gear, and for the right equipment it can get you top dollar. But the math on what you actually net is ugly.

What you’ll pay:

·         eBay final value fee: ~13% of the sale price (includes shipping)

·         PayPal / payment processing: 2.9% + $0.30

·         Shipping materials: $5–20 depending on size and weight

·         Your time listing, photographing, packaging, and answering questions

On a $500 transceiver, you’re looking at losing $65–80 in fees before you count your time. And if the buyer files an “item not as described” claim, eBay almost always sides with the buyer.

Best for: High-demand, easy-to-ship gear where you have patience and the item will attract competitive bids. Rare or vintage equipment often does well here. Common, current-generation rigs — less so, because you’re competing with dozens of identical listings.

Not great for: Heavy equipment (amplifiers, linear amps), large antennas, anything fragile, or if you want the money quickly.

Option 2: Sell on QRZ.com, QTH.com or eHam.net

The ham-specific classifieds. No eBay fees, direct buyer/seller negotiation, and buyers are actual hams who know what they’re looking at. This is the most common path for gear-to-gear sales in the community.

What you’ll pay:

·         Listing is free or low-cost

·         PayPal fees on the payment (~3%)

·         Shipping

The reality: These marketplaces move slower than eBay. You’ll get inquiries, lowball offers, and questions about things you already put in the listing. The buyer pool is smaller. Expect 2–6 weeks to close on a fairly priced item. Also, you’re still handling shipping, which for a heavy amplifier can be $80–150 or more.

Best for: Transceivers, accessories, smaller gear in the $100–600 range. Also good if you enjoy dealing directly with the ham community and want to vet the buyer.

Not great for: Time-sensitive sales, large or heavy items, complete shack liquidations.

Option 3: Sell at a Hamfest

If there’s a regional hamfest near you, it’s worth considering for the right gear. Table rental is usually $15–30, and you can move multiple items in a single day with cash in hand.

Best for: Accessories, handhelds, cables, keys, smaller items where your ask is under $200. Face-to-face, cash transactions.

Not great for: High-value gear — the buyer pool at most hamfests skews toward deals under $100. Serious buyers for a $2,000 transceiver or a linear amp are more likely to be shopping online.

Option 4: Facebook Groups and Reddit

Ham radio Facebook groups (there are dozens, including brand-specific ones) and r/amateurradio on Reddit have active buy/sell communities. The audience is engaged and knowledgeable.

The reality: No buyer protection for either party. Payment is typically PayPal Friends & Family (no recourse if something goes wrong) or sometimes Venmo. Scammers are active in these spaces — fake buyer accounts, fake payment screenshots, and overpayment scams are all common. Vet anyone you deal with carefully.

Best for: Building relationships and moving gear quickly if you already have credibility in these communities. Not ideal if you’re not an active participant.

Option 5: Trade In to a Dealer

This is the option most operators don’t think about, because almost no ham radio dealers actually do it. MTC Radio is one of the only retailers in the country with an active, ongoing trade-in program.

Here’s what the trade-in path actually looks like compared to a self-managed eBay sale:

On a $500 transceiver, the eBay route nets you roughly $415–430 after fees, not counting your time. A fair trade-in offer at  often beats it  especially if you consider the hassle — and you’re done in days instead of weeks. Consider the scammers and parts swappers. This is very common. Example: a person buys a radio from you. They get it and remove some parts they need to upgrade or fix their radio and then file a dispute saying the radio doesn't work. We have also had them file disputes saying they never received the item even though tracking a, neighbors and the UPS man said they did.

Trade credit has an extra advantage: if you’re putting it toward new gear anyway, your effective buying power is the face value of the credit, not the cash-minus-fees-minus-shipping number. You can also get a tax savings. In states where we charge tax the sales tax is paid on the trade difference not the full amount.

Another option to consider is cash back. Many hams trade down and cash out. Sometimes they are moving, retiring, downsizing or just need some cash. They trade in multiple items or a whole ham shack full off stuff and get something newer and smaller and pocket the leftover cash.

Best for: Anyone who’s upgrading and would apply the value toward new equipment. Also the right call for heavy gear, estate liquidations, complete shack sales, and anyone who doesn’t want to deal with the eBay/PayPal process.

What to Do If You Have a Large Estate or Full Shack to Liquidate

This is a specific situation that almost nobody handles well. If a family member was a ham operator and left behind a shack full of equipment — or if you’re simply done with the hobby — dealing with an estate is genuinely difficult.

eBay and marketplaces require you to know what everything is, photograph it individually, price it, and ship each piece separately. Most families in this situation have no idea what any of it is worth or even what it is.

MTC Radio handles these directly. We’ll make a single offer on everything — the transceivers, the amplifiers, the antenna tuners, the test equipment, the keys, the coax — and we deal with it from there. You don’t have to sort, price, or ship anything individually. Email us at sales@mtcradio.com with a description (or photos) of what’s there and we’ll respond quickly.

The Short Version

·         Want maximum dollar and have patience: QRZ QTH or eBay

·         Want fast, low-hassle, especially if you’re upgrading: Trade in to MTC Radio

·         Have a complete shack or estate: Trade in to MTC Radio — it’s genuinely the only clean option

·         Selling accessories and small items: Hamfest or Facebook groups

If you’re on the fence, contact us first. We’ll give you a number within 24–48 hours and you can decide from there. No obligation.

Call: 903-737-0773 Email: sales@mtcradio.com Or visit us in Paris, TX

MTC Radio (Main Trading Company) has been buying and selling ham radio equipment in Paris, Texas since June 2009. We ship and buy gear nationwide.