[K3CAL] Donated Gear for Sale

[KB3WFV]

The Calvert Amateur Radio Association (CARA) is a Non Profit organization, dedicated to supporting amateur radio. Promoting Science, Technology, Engineering and Math in Calvert County. Your donations help to further education, ensuring that communications remain on the air in times of need. Equipment donations are one way that the association generates the income to fund activities, events, educational seminars and maintain the club owned equipment used for emergency communications. Every year the families of ailing amateur radio operators donate radio gear to the club. The club relieves the stress and the work load of disposing of gear from loving families, by collecting, sorting and distributing the donated gear to other amateurs at fair prices, raising the much needed money to fund the club. It's a core value of CARA.... Amateurs helping Amateurs who help Amateurs.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

Q: How can I help?
A: Volunteers are a huge help to any non profit organization including CARA. Volunteer to collect donated gear, Volunteer to sort through and test gear, Volunteer to create inventory and price list, and volunteer to organize and run raffles or sales of the gear. Help is always appreciated.

Q: How do I find out what equipment is for sale?
A: Participate on the k3cal email reflector, the k3cal Facebook page, the weekly CARA nets, get on the air on the k3cal repeater system, attend the monthly CARA meetings. The volunteers announce and discuss the availability of donated gear for sale multiple times through these information resources.

Q: How is the donated gear sold?
A: The donated gear is either raffled on the club website at k3cal.club/raffle or sold at an equipment sale. Equipment sales dates, times, and locations are announced in club emails, on the club repeater nets and at club meetings. Think Mini Ham Fest, Flea Market or Yard Sale or Garage Sale.

Q: How do I purchase donated gear?
A: If the gear for sale is a raffle, visit k3cal.club/raffle and purchase your  chance to win the item. If the gear is for sale at an equipment sale, attend the sale on the announced date, time and location of the sale.

Q: How can I see the gear before a sale?
A: The only way to see donated gear before a raffle or a sale, is to volunteer to collect it, sort it, test it, or create an inventory and price list.

Q: Can an item be held for me?
A: The donated gear is made available for purchase to everyone through a raffle on the club website or at an equipment sale. Those who want a particular item should actively participate in the online raffles or attend the sales in person.

Q: Does this equipment work?
A: Remember,This gear is donated to CARA by the family members of an ailing amateur radio operator. Often this equipment has not been in use for many years. Due to the sheer volume of gear and the limited number of volunteers, it is impossible to effectively test every thing prior to an online raffle or a sale. As a result, some items may not work, while other items may work perfectly. Buyers may be purchasing a working item, or a project item to repair, or an item that can be parted out. One person's donation becomes another person's treasure.

Q: How are prices set?
A: Volunteers spend a considerable amount of time researching the prices of donated items. Online auctions, social media, and amateur radio websites, are used to determine the fair market value of a similar working item. Untested donated equipment prices are adjusted to a value well below the item's normal selling price. Sometimes as much as 50 to 75 percent lower. All monies collected from the sale of donated equipment directly fund the all volunteer activities of the Calvert Amateur Radio Association.

Q: Is there a warranty?
A: Donated gear is sold at prices that are well below market value. This is done in part to raise the much needed money to support CARA activities. All items are sold in a unknown, untested condition. All Sales are Final, As Is, Where Is. The buyer is responsible for his or her purchase. The buyer is responsible for picking up his or her purchase.

Q: Can I donate equipment to CARA?
A: Absolutely! CARA encourages all amateur radio operators to donate any equipment no longer in use, especially if it is in good working condition. Do so before their family members are faced with the task of throwing stuff out. To make an equipment donation to CARA, contact the club using the contact form at, https://www.k3cal.club/contact.html

Thank you for supporting amateur radio with CARA!
The Calvert Amateur Radio Association.
A Non Profit Organization