Barn full of test gear FS

[Ultrapurple]

On the front page of the Times (UK) 28 January 2019 there was a story about how a Norfolk warehouse full of all sorts of high-tech military equipment was going to be sold by the liquidators (and the Powers That Be were concerned that things like jammers would fall into the Wrong Hands).

Due to my day job I was contacted today by someone working on behalf of the Liquidators asking if anyone I knew of might be interested in the auction. As I write there are no lots on the auction site but I understand they will start going up today.

There is a relatively mediocre but HD video  (jerky, never in one place long enough) that looks at some of the racks of test gear that will be on offer. There's a lot of what you'd expect - relatively vintage HP, Tek, Anritsu, Philips, Marconi etc.

  video

Apologies if this is posted inappropriately; I normally hang around the Thermal Imaging area and am not certain of the etiquette of the Test Gear section. If a Moderator believes I'm out of order please delete this post and drop me a line - I'm here in good faith and not in any way connected with the sale.

[Miti]

Do you know which piece of equipment Keysight may want back later? I want it...

[tggzzz]

An Alladin's cave indeed.

Looks like they will be selling it by the shelf-load, not individual items. I wonder if the pics will enable you to see what's on each shelf, rather than just "count the items" and "guess the logo"?

Viewing this Thursday, pickup 15th Feb.

[mikeselectricstuff]

Hmm... only a couple of hours from me. it's a while since I had some interesting teardown stuff..

[mikeselectricstuff]

Having watched the video, I think I'll pass - mostly low-value and ancient garbage.
May be the odd nugget in there, and I bet the interesting military stuff has been pulled due to the times story.
 

[Specmaster]

This looks kind of interesting but only if the lots are not going to be sold by the shelf / bay type of thing but it does last 6 days on a timed basis so heres hoping that it does indeed go down to single items, especially on the larger stuff.

[bd139]

If it goes by the shelf it’ll be bloody cheap. Keen eye might make a bargain or two.

[CJay]

Already spotted some interesting stuff, definitely worth keeping an eye on but only if it goes for cheap

[srce]

I bet the interesting military stuff has been pulled due to the times story.

Good advertising too, though. 

[mikeselectricstuff]

If it goes by the shelf it’ll be bloody cheap. Keen eye might make a bargain or two.

A potential issue is that unless you get in first on collection day, if there is one valuable item in a shelf of crap you may find it no longer there when you go to collect. Especially in a fairly ramshackle place like that. The auctioneer just wants it gone and isn't going to have many staff around to keep an eye on things.

[Specmaster]

If it goes by the shelf it’ll be bloody cheap. Keen eye might make a bargain or two.

A potential issue is that unless you get in first on collection day, if there is one valuable item in a shelf of crap you may find it no longer there when you go to collect. Especially in a fairly ramshackle place like that. The auctioneer just wants it gone and isn't going to have many staff around to keep an eye on things.

Collection is normally by appointment and the auctioneers bring the stuff to you so that should not happen.

[mikeselectricstuff]

If it goes by the shelf it’ll be bloody cheap. Keen eye might make a bargain or two.

A potential issue is that unless you get in first on collection day, if there is one valuable item in a shelf of crap you may find it no longer there when you go to collect. Especially in a fairly ramshackle place like that. The auctioneer just wants it gone and isn't going to have many staff around to keep an eye on things.

Collection is normally by appointment and the auctioneers bring the stuff to you so that should not happen.

IME not if it's being sold by the rack/shelf in an in-situ type setting like this.
I have experience with this auctioneer, though that time it actually worked out in my favour - they were embarrassed about missing items, and there was a big pile of un-lotted stuff in the corner they were happy to let me have as compensation.
 

[bd139]

If it goes by the shelf it’ll be bloody cheap. Keen eye might make a bargain or two.

A potential issue is that unless you get in first on collection day, if there is one valuable item in a shelf of crap you may find it no longer there when you go to collect. Especially in a fairly ramshackle place like that. The auctioneer just wants it gone and isn't going to have many staff around to keep an eye on things.

Yeah been there when I did IT auctions years ago. Anything missing, contract voided. If you want me to take it away now you can reneg for at least 50% off or hire a solicitor. Usually get to meet somehwere in the middle. I had I think 50 aeron chairs once loaded into a luton and threatened to unload them all 

Collection is normally by appointment and the auctioneers bring the stuff to you so that should not happen.

Most of them do this now thank goodness. Many a time have I been a member of the chuckle brothers hauling shit around that they should have handled

[mikeselectricstuff]

And obviously take your own photo of any lots you're interested in.

[bicycleguy]

No wonder people complain of no good surplus deals in UK.  Somebody's been hoarding it all 

[Specmaster]

No wonder people complain of no good surplus deals in UK.  Somebody's been hoarding it all 

Oh OK, so it's not the other auction then, boo hiss to them then. Might still go and see if anything, if its not yet on line. Asked for a catalogue not heard back yet.

[factory]

So that explains what happened to UES&S, their online store disappeared some time ago, I didn't realise they had gone into liquidation.

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/keysight-ip-intimidation/msg2157823/#msg2157823


David

[bd139]

On a positive note, most of this shit is going to end up on ebay and it's going to be saturated for months which should keep the prices down.

[Specmaster]

So what if the equipment does have some government only upgrades in them, who the hell is going to know about them and or know what the hell they are or how to make use of them? The only thing I can think of is that maybe there is some memory storage in them that may not have had any sensitive data deleted and that begs the question of, how would any know what the data related to anyway and aren't they more likely to just flush the memory in order to make way for their own data to be stored?

Edit. As of 10:49pm the auction house still has not listed anything on their online site and neither have they replied to my email requesting a list, so have been asked not to do anything with at the moment???

[Romain]

So what if the equipment does have some government only upgrades in them, who the hell is going to know about them and or know what the hell they are or how to make use of them? The only thing I can think of is that maybe there is some memory storage in them that may not have had any sensitive data deleted and that begs the question of, how would any know what the data related to anyway and aren't they more likely to just flush the memory in order to make way for their own data to be stored?

I don't think the equipment would have left the premises with data stored in them (procedures anyone?).
By the looks of the gear, even if it did, I doubt the information would still be pertinent nowadays...

[tggzzz]

Edit. As of 10:49pm the auction house still has not listed anything on their online site and neither have they replied to my email requesting a list, so have been asked not to do anything with at the moment???

They might be satisfied with people visiting on Thursday; no visit = not serious = don't want as customer.

[Specmaster]

Edit. As of 10:49pm the auction house still has not listed anything on their online site and neither have they replied to my email requesting a list, so have been asked not to do anything with at the moment???

They might be satisfied with people visiting on Thursday; no visit = not serious = don't want as customer.

So it you're right, how do they propose to dispose of the gear, its advertised on their web site as a 6 day on line auction with each lot being allocated a time slot to sell in?

[tggzzz]

Edit. As of 10:49pm the auction house still has not listed anything on their online site and neither have they replied to my email requesting a list, so have been asked not to do anything with at the moment???

They might be satisfied with people visiting on Thursday; no visit = not serious = don't want as customer.

So it you're right, how do they propose to dispose of the gear, its advertised on their web site as a 6 day on line auction with each lot being allocated a time slot to sell in?

The same way most auctions work: viewing on one day, auction process on a different day, pickup on yet another day?

[bd139]

It’s 2019. This needs to change. No one wants to haul their arse up to Norfolk and then do the same thing again for some potentially broken stuff. Should be lot listed and catalogued properly if they want to clear it.

[Doctorandus_P]

Half of that stuff looks older than Mr Carlsons Cave, and also in much worse condition.
The video also makes me motion sick so I did not see much of it.