Newcomer / Intro First Trade Runs?

[Kafka1]

Hi,
I finally got loaded and got the hand of docking and travelling, now I'm ready to start trading.

I must be thick, but I can't see how.

So my Sidewinder starts with no cargo racks and 1000 Credits.

I buy cargo racks for 1000Cr (cannot buy less) which leaves me exactly 0 Credits to buy anything to trade.

So how?

 

[daveystella]

Your sidewinder starts with a 2 tonne cargo rack. If you want to buy more, or need more money, sell the guns and the scanner and put in another rack.

Hope this helps.

 

[Kafka1]

I can't see any cargo capacity on my basic Sidewinder - on the RH screen on the Cargo tab it says 0/0.
Earlier I flew to a station to pick up grain to sell and I wasn't able to get any as no cargo space.
I don't get it!

 

[DragonIV]

You may have sold your cargo rack. Go to the outfitting window in a station--and see what you have. As the previous poster said--sell your scanner. Your guns won't help with cargo, but selling them will lighten the craft and give you a longer jump range.

Buy as much cargo space as you can fit. If you can't afford to buy a cargo container, you'll need to do courier missions (require no hold space) until you've earned a few quid.

 

[Kafka1]

In the outfitting window it says Cargo Capacity - Current = 0.0T - Max 0.0T
The basic Discovery Scanner sell value is 0 Cr
I have 1000Cr
On the menu on the left under Internal it says;
Empty
Internal Compartment 2
I can then buy a 2T Cargo Rack for 1000Cr.
Which leaves me with 0 Cr to buy anything to trade.

Beats me!

 

[cmdr lowest]

The free sidewinder should start with 4T of cargo space. Removing the discovery scanner allows you to add an extra 2T giving the Sidewinder a maximum capacity of 6T.

And yeah, you won't get any money for selling the discovery scanner. All the modules on the starting ship are "loaned" as you didn't buy them.

Don't start with trading in the Sidewinder. Go find some smuggled goods in a USS. That way you don't have to pay for them and get free profit. Just find a nice little outpost with a black market first or you'll have a lot of trouble selling your stolen goods. To get you started, there's one in the Potriti system.

 

[Johnny Cyclops]

Smuggling won't work without a cargo hold to store it in.

Back to the OP. Something's clearly happened to leave you with no cargo rack. If you've not yet earned any rep, or credits, or kills, you could reset the game and start over from the main menu. This should give you a Sidewinder with a cargo rack (I suspect you accidently sold it for NIL credits, a bit like the scanner would 'sell' for NIL).

Alternatively, keep with what you have and use the Basic Discover Scanner, and buy a 309cr fuel scoop, and jet off to explore unexplored local systems. 10 systems of data, when sold via Universal Cartographics will net 200/300 per system, so maybe 2000/3000 for 60 minutes work popping around other systems. Just jump into a system from the Galaxy Map, stay in Supercruise, kill speed to NIL (will glide at 30km/s), nose to the star and hit "T" for target to reveal the star's name, then fire the basic discovery scanner (should be mapped to a firegroup, right hand HUD), and finally, nudge the thrusters forward until the fuel scoop kicks in at 80% heat, then kill the speed again at 90%. With more experience you can hover at 98% heat, but if you go over 100% you'll start taking heat damage. The scanner picks up bodies within 500ls - you'll get more credits if you go and target (reveal name) of each body, but usually just doing the scan and naming the star bags enough credits.

With your explorer funds you'll be able to buy a cargo rack, and some left over to trade. That said, you only need 100cr to start trading - pick an Agricultural system to start and trade Grain outbound and Biowaste inbound.

Good luck Commander.

 

[M0rdresh]

Run cargo missions and to find them 50k bring slaves missions, only two cargo required.
Save up for a hauler and start to 'buy low, sell high'. Upgrade it to maximum cargo as you earn credits.

Beyond that you should set your eyes on a T6, that when the real credits start flowing.
Alternatively you can look into running rare trades, look that on the boards here using search.

 

[Kafka1]

Thanks for your advice, Commanders.
I suspect in my noobish-ness I 'sold' the Cargo Rack for nothing somehow.
Anyway, last night, following another tip elsewhere in the forums, I went and hung out round a Nav Beacon and popped off a couple of wanted guys for 300 bounty.
Now I'm starting to trade a bit.
I like Jonny Cyclops idea of exploring for credits. I'll try that later.
I'm not going to get into smuggling or illegal goods