[Milsurplus] Saving stuff and estate disposal

[Ralph Cameron]

I've followed many of the comments and concerns posted here in the past 
week and one theme is common- what do we do with these "treasures" when 
dire need dictates?

I've disposed of perhaps 20 estates with significant total value. I 
enjoy doing it because I sold test equipment for 35 years- from probably 
every major electronic test equipment mfr in the U.S.  I knew of these 
estates because I knew the owners and respected their family wishes to 
dispose of what was more than a hobby or another piece of metal. The 
family were 100% beneficiaries and I do it out of respect for the owner 
in order to get a fair return for the family.  There are several ways to 
do this:

If you have no obvious heirs then consider willing it to a local club, 
state club or national organization and designate an executor for it. 
I've done this for an estate with a letter of authority from the lawyer 
executing the will. It protects me from some family member disputing the 
proceeds from the estate sale. Usually good networking of who may have 
an interest  in perpetutaing or even using a piece of equipment makes 
the sale that much easier and finding a good home is much easier. We all 
know someone who may want this boatanchor from another era. There may be 
a collector you or someone else knows that could even come and cart it 
away. Very few like to crate this stuff in order to deliver it. Many 
times I have ended up loading the station wagon so the widow can 
peacefully depart her home of 30-40 years, knowing she has peace of 
mind. It also give me a chance to bench test the gear so when sold, I 
know it works., I've been caught many times with modified gear that 
would never function or seemingly "new looking" radios that simply had a 
fault and were dead on arrival. If it doesn't work, sell it as such for 
much less than the price for working.

I wish I knew an easy way to dispose of components because with all 
these estate sales I've been told by estate owners to simply keep them 
and as a result end up with more odds and ends that I'll never use. So I 
donate them to a local Vintage Radio club. Most states have one. These 
members gobble them up and are eager to use them. What better way to 
dispose of "stuff" than the weekly garbage pick up?

The only other comment I would make is make your decisions now and act 
now;otherwise, it won't happen.  We get much less agile, have less 
muscle mass and mental flexibility as we get older and it ain't gonna 
get any better.  The one thing you have left after all is said and done 
is the memories- May yours be sweet.

Ralph
VE3BBM

-- 
EMC=electromagnetic compatibility means your consumer equipment should function in
the existing enviroment in the manner for which it was designed.If you hear shortwave or broadcast signals while listening to a DVD- what does that tell you?