Long before the term recycle became the buzzword of the times, peddlers of pre-owned satcom equipment were scouring the planet in search of post-warranty treasure bargain-priced system components scarred from years of faithful service, but with some operational time presumed to still be left on the clock.
Vast inventories of potential harvests were created by the widespread demise of teleports unable to survive fierce competition and turbulent markets, and like hungry buzzards circling high above the parched carcass of a wandering desert steer doomed to a drink-less fate, resourceful brokers would lie in wait for the last motor, blower or fan to udder its final gasp a death knell preceding the inescapable finality of liquidation.
Despite the promise of these obvious benefits, the adage buyer-beware has never been more applicable. Ive had the personal pleasure of working with used product brokers who conducted business with integrity and with the utmost in ethical practice, but history has shown that evil lurks in the shadows of this seemingly obvious value proposition.
Mesmerized by a sales pitch worthy of Dale Carnegie himself, this convincing demon lured me down a long dark path of despair a path paved with financial disaster and emotional distress.
Being a system integrator at the time, I had the immediate need for a 9 meter antenna system that was on my list of deliverables for an Earth station we were constructing for a new customer. Facing schedule pressure to meet a critical uplink, the long lead-time for a newly-manufactured antenna threatened our committed timeline with impending disaster. Boy, was I was in trouble!
While perusing the advertisements in a popular industry magazine, I came across an ad promising huge inventories of quality, used equipment ready for immediate delivery. Being new to this concept, I was skeptical to say the least.
But a guided tour of the serpents lair revealed a seemingly inexhaustible supply of de-commissioned Earth station components piled about like Lego blocks ready to be assembled into instant systems. I could actually visualize the end to a history of being slave to equipment manufacturers long deliveries and high prices.
Though delivery of the equipment to the site was expedient as promised, an 8-meter mount, 9-meter reflector and 11 meter feed equals one unusable pile of scrap metal. To quote the installers on site, the bolt-holes dont line up! With tail-tucked and white flag in hand, we appealed to the antenna manufacturers sympathy and received an expedited, though deathly long delivery.
The only way my personal tragedy could be entered into the Chronicles was to have lived it. A testimonial intended to expose the potential mine field one might be forced to navigate should the necessary due-diligence not be done prior to taking the used route.
The moral of this story is simple. The availability and brokerage of quality used equipment has a distinct and quantifiable value to the industry. When purchased through a reputable broker, great deals can be had, schedules reduced and savings realized. But a word to the wise - work only with individuals that have notoriety in the industry for standing behind their services and a reputation for going the extra mile to ensure customer satisfaction.
Quality brokers are out there vying to keep the earth’s landfills free of satcom’s pre-owned treasure. So do the world a favor, rescue a relic. After all, wasn’t analog really more fun?