[AMRadio] some items needed

[Donald Chester]

>From: W4AWM at aol.com

>  ...We all have an agreement that in the event of something happening,
>  one of the other guys (or both) would have first pick, and help
>  in disposing of the unwanted stuff for a reasonable price.
>  No dumpsters. >>

That is a good idea.  I  don't know how many times I have heard stories of 
some old timer passing, and his family did not know or care about the 
"stuff" and simply hauled it all to the dump.  In one  case that I saw 
personally, a priceless collection of radio  magazines (QST, RADIO, R9, 
etc). starting in the 20's, was moved to a warehouse with a badly leaking 
roof.  The magazines had been put into  garbage bags and hauled to the 
warehouse, and when we found them, they were on the floor, still in plastic 
bags full of water.  The magazines had all turned to solid blocks of paper 
pulp.  Roger, N4IBF (now also SK) managed to salvage a BC-610 from that 
mess.

When Roger passed on, his sister and daughter placed his extensive telegraph 
key collection in what they thought was a safe place - a basement closet!  
When uncovered a few months later, the keys  were carefully wrapped in 
soaking wet newspaper, and were showing signs of   severe corrosion.  
Fortunately,   they were  rescued before being destroyed by the moisture, 
but extensive damage had already occurred.  I could just hear the whirring 
sound of Roger  turning over in his grave... he  had always expressed  
horror at hearing similar stories.  His estate could have asked for much 
more money for the  collection if it had been properly taken care of.

It seems that in many cases, other family  members HATED ham radio, and 
couldn't wait to get the stuff out of  the  house.  Often,  it almost seems 
that the  first thing they do is to haul the radio stuff to the landfill, 
and once it is all safely gone,  then they call the undertaker to come get 
the body.

So, never assume your stuff will be cared for once you are no longer here to 
personally see that it is.  Make specific arrangements and leave detailed 
instructions before  the need arises.

Don K4KYV

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