With almost 200 items up for bid -- and almost 1000 bids placed -- the Fifth Annual ARRL On-Line Auction closed on October 25 with winning bids on every auction item. ARRL Business Services Manager Deb Jahnke, K1DAJ, said that she was happy with the responses the Auction received during its run. The generosity of many donors, Jahnke says, made it possible for the auction to offer a diverse list of items that included transceivers, ARRL Lab-tested and reviewed equipment, vintage gear, one-of-a-kind treasures, mystery “junque” boxes and more.

Items that appeared in QST’s Product Review column included an RF Concepts Alpha 9500 HF Linear Amplifier, a Yaesu FTdx9000MP and an ICOM ID-880H Dual Band Transceiver with D-STAR. In all, 38 product review items were sold. The Yaesu FTdx9000MP attracted five bids and sold for the highest amount in the Auction -- $7680. Perhaps one of the most interesting items in this year’s Auction was a First Edition ARRL Handbook. Originally listed for $40, this rare, collectable book from 1926 sold for $775 after garnering 22 bids, the most in the Auction!

One of the more popular items in this year’s auction included three “junque boxes,” donated by the ARRL Lab. Garnering 38 bids between them, these Amateur Radio treasure troves went for more than $200 each, raising almost $650. “We featured the ‘junque boxes’ in our first auction, and they proved to be extremely popular with our bidders,” Jahnke said. “We’ve brought them back each year, and once again, we couldn’t believe how they were all the rage. I can’t even begin to describe how well received they were this year.” The contents of each box are a mystery, Jahnke said, known only to the ARRL Lab staff. “And they won’t tell!” she said.

Jahnke said that donors also added to the Auction excitement by donating gear and products and services. Thanks to our 2010 ARRL On-Line Auction donors: A&A Engineering; ASA Inc; Barker Specialty Company; Engraved Memories; Hotpress Ham Hats; K8RA Iambic & Single Lever CW Keys; KB3IFH QSL Cards, and TNT Electrical Trades Gift Store. Special thanks to Hi-Q Antennas who acted as the ARRL On-Line Auction Golden Gavel Sponsor.

Proceeds from the Auction benefit ARRL education programs, including activities to license new hams, strengthen Amateur Radio’s emergency service training, offer continuing technical and operating education, as well as to create instructional materials.