Death and the ham...

[AE1PT]

We hams are a peculiar lot. Perhaps as a part of the hobby, we seem to venerate dead hams--and attach a curious provenance and value to the tools of our avocation. My thesis in this screed is our morbid fascination with dead ham stuff.

When I buy something at a fester or from a local, I always inquire as to ownership--past or present. Many times this info is proffered without solicitation, e.g., "this belonged to Sam, A1OF. He would be glad to know that someone (fill in the blank here...)." Opening up a rig or manual leads to looking for a call inked or graven somewhere. Dead ham stuff in which I knew the person has led to that call being put somewhere on the goods. Ultimately, who the fuck cares?

Certainly not the estate raider with plans of buying low and selling high. I know that I am not unique in wondering about this--or scrutinizing used gear for evidence of the previous owner. This fascination with the history of gear and its owners is unusual. Here is my point. If your neighbor drops dead, do you wonder what will become of his clothes or car? Yet the thought of what will become of his gear should he also be a ham will concern many. I always hear at club meetings "Billy loved his Icokensutenxon so much..." Well, he probably loved his internet porn collection as well, but no one is talking about that. :quiet:

In the alternate, many hams I know become obsessed with what will happen to their gear when they die. WTF? Perhaps a special missive detailing last wishes is called for--and don't forget to carve the call into the gear somewhere for future generations...

[WØTKX]

I'm putting my porn collection in my will, just for you... dear.

[K7SGJ]

I'm putting my porn collection in my will, just for you... dear.

Yeah, but you still have 33 minutes of record time on the disk. Be sure to fill it with something, even if it's your dog humping the neighbor lady's leg, or something.

[ki4itv]

Sometimes the vulture-like culture surrounding the inquiry and acquisition of a recently SK hams gear is really shameful and I've personally witnessed some really disgusting behavior that totally caught me by surprise. Not any more...the total lack of social skills for a large percentage of hams is fast approaching legendary.
Expect to be embarrassed.

[AE1PT]

Sometimes the vulture-like culture surrounding the inquiry and acquisition of a recently SK hams gear is really shameful and I've personally witnessed some really disgusting behavior that totally caught me by surprise. Not any more...the total lack of social skills for a large percentage of hams is fast approaching legendary.
Expect to be embarrassed.

Yes, then there are those. A very good friend died last year--one who was the center of a small daily social scene here in the county. After he passed, I was advised by a couple other locals to give his widow--also a ham--a bit of space as the family was having a strange time of what the person wanted when they died. So a couple weeks later when paying my respects I took notice that the shack was completely empty. Seems that one of the hams that suggested a bit of time had been there several days after the death and hauled everything away under the 'consignment' rubric...

There are a couple vultures that roost at local hamfesters and are prolific ebayers. Their modus operandi is to scan DAILY local obituaries, club websites, and keep track of old sick hams awaiting their demise. SWOOP IN...

I'm putting my porn collection in my will, just for you... dear.

I really appreciate the thought, but I don't care much for fat lesbian videos...

Got any Mexican midgets?

[K7SGJ]

We hams are a peculiar lot. Perhaps as a part of the hobby, we seem to venerate dead hams--and attach a curious provenance and value to the tools of our avocation. My thesis in this screed is our morbid fascination with dead ham stuff.

When I buy something at a fester or from a local, I always inquire as to ownership--past or present. Many times this info is proffered without solicitation, e.g., "this belonged to Sam, A1OF. He would be glad to know that someone (fill in the blank here...)." Opening up a rig or manual leads to looking for a call inked or graven somewhere. Dead ham stuff in which I knew the person has led to that call being put somewhere on the goods. Ultimately, who the fuck cares?

Certainly not the estate raider with plans of buying low and selling high. I know that I am not unique in wondering about this--or scrutinizing used gear for evidence of the previous owner. This fascination with the history of gear and its owners is unusual. Here is my point. If your neighbor drops dead, do you wonder what will become of his clothes or car? Yet the thought of what will become of his gear should he also be a ham will concern many. I always hear at club meetings "Billy loved his Icokensutenxon so much..." Well, he probably loved his internet porn collection as well, but no one is talking about that. :quiet:

In the alternate, many hams I know become obsessed with what will happen to their gear when they die. WTF? Perhaps a special missive detailing last wishes is called for--and don't forget to carve the call into the gear somewhere for future generations...

Here's my take on it. When I die, I'll probably be dead and won't give a fuck. I don't care how much it brings, or if it's given away, or thrown in the dumpster. (Is it still unlawful to destroy radio equipment?) If my wife is still alive she can deal with it like she does now. "Just get rid of it". Which is why I won't care who is boning her when I'm gone, either.

[N2RJ]

Here's my take on it. When I die, I'll probably be dead and won't give a fuck. I don't care how much it brings, or if it's given away, or thrown in the dumpster. (Is it still unlawful to destroy radio equipment?) If my wife is still alive she can deal with it like she does now. "Just get rid of it". Which is why I won't care who is boning her when I'm gone, either.

I think that I want whatever I had to either be passed down if the kids are interested or sold for the best price possible. Money is the primary concern. If I pass away, I want them to get the most money for my belongings because my family will need the money... I don't really give a shit about sentimental value so much, except for gifts.

[WX7P]

I think that I want whatever I had to either be passed down if the kids are interested or sold for the best price possible. Money is the primary concern. If I pass away, I want them to get the most money for my belongings because my family will need the money... I don't really give a shit about sentimental value so much, except for gifts.

Yep, sentiment and feeling for fellow humanity (allegedly) outside your family is foreign to you, that's clear from your posts.

It's all about you.

[W3WN]

I think that I want whatever I had to either be passed down if the kids are interested or sold for the best price possible. Money is the primary concern. If I pass away, I want them to get the most money for my belongings because my family will need the money... I don't really give a shit about sentimental value so much, except for gifts.

I think you've touched on the real issue.

I know the boss has no idea how much my gear is worth, even used. Quite a bit of it I've had for years. Some has been the results of trades, with or without additional cash considerations. A few pieces have been gifts. I even have had from time to time a hamfest prize (which have long since been sold or traded for other gear). Suffice to say, the working equipment, if put on a hamfest table tomorrow, ought to be worth a couple of pretty pennies.

Unfortunately, we have a few vultures out there. They will low ball a widow (or in some cases widower) and their family... if not outright lie... and then demand top dollar. When they resell the item(s), very often they will tell you who the SK was... partly to hope that said SK's reputation will be enough to justify the claimed condition of the equipment... partly to give them an excuse to defer why they know little of the equipment itself, so if it's not working, they have a fall-back to keep your shekels.

I've got no illusions about my gear. When my time comes, I don't expect anyone in my family to be interested (of course, I hope that may change, but I'm not counting on it). Outside of an item or two that I might want a friend to have for sentimental or other reasons, I'd prefer to see the estate liquidate the equipment and use the $$ for the family. But I too worry that some sleezeball will tell the boss a believable (but phony) story, and talk her out of everything for a song... or less.

What we should do is refuse to buy from the sleezoids. If there's no profit in it, they'll stop. Problem is, by the time you find out that Old Joe's shack was confiscated by a con man for snake oil, it's too late... the gear was moved weeks before.

[n2ize]

I don;t think this is unique to hams. It holds true for others with like minded interests. A stamp collector dies and other collectors wonder, will his collection be preserved ? Will it got to someone who appreciates them and who will share their history with others ? An RC enthusiast dies and other hobbyists wonder, what will happen to all the planes, boats, cars, etc that he built ? Will they just be discarded by some uncaring relative ? Will they go to someone who appreciates them, takes care of them, and uses them ? Or a great teacher or professor dies and his colleagues wonder, who will continue his research ? will they have the same interests and enthusiasm ? where will his notes, writings, papers, manuscripts, etc. end up ? I think the same is true for musicians, etc. Who owned this musical instrument before me ? etc. I don't think it's a ham only thing.