I think I hit the motherload! [Archive]

wb6mmj

07-28-2007, 02:15 AM

Quote[/b] (W6GQ @ July 27 2007,15:47)]Well today I get off work early and on my way home the town I am driving through was having their garage sales for the weekend.

I see a garage sale and there are 2 towers on the property, I am thinking , hmm maybe I will get something good #http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

Well I walk around and see no ham equipment, but when I hit the garage sales I always ask, you got any CBs, ham radios or police scanners? Well the lady says yes but we didnt think of selling that stuff at a garage sale. Turns out her husband has passed away and the stuff has been sitting since last year.

Well I talk to her and her son and they had planned on paying someone to take down the antennas and towers and just never got around to it, and were going to take the radio equipment to the local ebay store.

Well they both agreed that if I take down the two towers and get rid of them I can HAVE all the radio gear!

I went back to work, got my climbing belt and my cordless impact tools and within 4 houurs I had both towers down, antenna taken apart and radios loaded in my truck!

2 - 70 foot rohn 45 towers
2 - Ham IV rotors and controlers
1 - Mosley TA-34
1 - Cushcraft dual band 5 element VHF/UHF antenna
1 - Icom 746 (non pro)
1- Kenwood TS-2000
1 - Yaesu FT 847
2 - SS30M Astron power supplies
1 - FT101EE
1 - Icom 706 Non G model
1 - Kenwood TS520
1 - Ameritron AL-80B
1 - Ameritron AT-30 tuner
all kinds of wire
a few G5RVs
All kinds of coax
all kinds of just ham radio accesories

And thats not all I have to go back tommorow for more stuff in the garage!

Just goes to show how a little work will reward you

I think I did pretty good for taking two towers down and the family was happy it was going to goood use #http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
Great deal !!!! Remember everyone, it never hurts to ask. I have found some good stuff just by asking some questions.

k4avl

07-28-2007, 02:19 AM

Wow, you scored big, congratulations. Nice move to offer to take down the towers too. That's some really good stuff.
I got lucky last year when I put a post in the local "freecycle" bulletin board looking for old electronics & tube gear. The hippyish daughter of a silent key was getting ready to burn his old trailer down and offer for me to come & get the rest of the stuff. Her brother had taken all his newest rigs, but after digging through mounds of garbage most of the day I did score close to $2000 worth of old stuff and parts anyway, a few working boatanchors and test equipment as well.

ve2nsm

07-28-2007, 02:42 AM

Man, that's what happens when the husband lies to his wife about the value of the equipment. At the end the only losers are the ones left behind.

KC9ECI

07-28-2007, 02:43 AM

Nothing like taking advantage of someone that doesn't know any better.

W5IEI

07-28-2007, 02:53 AM

Quote[/b] (KC9ECI @ July 27 2007,19:43)]Nothing like taking advantage of someone that doesn't know any better.
Really,
Come on here bragging about how you screwed a dead person?http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif

My Hero!!!

ve2nsm

07-28-2007, 03:03 AM

Quote[/b] (W5IEI @ July 27 2007,22:53)]Quote[/b] (KC9ECI @ July 27 2007,19:43)]Nothing like taking advantage of someone that doesn't know any better.
Really,
Come on here bragging about how you screwed a dead person?http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif

My Hero!!!
Yes, at least I would've had the decency of keeping it under wraps.

N4AUD

07-28-2007, 03:58 AM

You guys are just jealous... http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

ky5u

07-28-2007, 04:03 AM

Quote[/b] (KC9ECI @ July 27 2007,19:43)]Nothing like taking advantage of someone that doesn't know any better.
And a widow too.

ve2nsm

07-28-2007, 04:04 AM

Jealous, a little yes, I admit. But I still would feel guilty about doing something like this, and I feel guilty about being jealous. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

W6GQ

07-28-2007, 04:16 AM

Well today I get off work early and on my way home the town I am driving through was having their garage sales for the weekend and I got a bag of M&Ms

Thank You

k7mh

07-28-2007, 04:30 AM

No one screwed anyone. They made the offer and he took it.
Some things are sort of ment to be. Karma maybe? http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif
Jealousy shows it's ugly green head on the 'Zoo methinks.
It is no easy chore getting a couple 70 ft towers down with beams etc. on them. Anyone want to ask a contractor what it would cost to take them down??

About 5 years ago, My realtor called me knowing I was into the "radio stuff". Seems there was an antenna at a house that was about to close (owner died) that needed to be taken down. I figured it was just some old CB antenna but thought I'd take a look. As I got closer to the address I was given, I got to wondering. Was this the tower overlooking the freeway with the tribander on it? I had stopped in once back in the early eighties to knock on the door there and ask the ham about his tower and how it was installed as was considering the same kind of tower ( I went with 25G instead at the time). He invited me in and we had a long conversation and "show and tell" about the tower he had.
Well, sure enough that was it! Although it was not what I wanted back then, it was exactly what I wanted and needed now! A Wilson TT45B (same as the newer US tower) tubular crank up 40 foot tower with the tilt over self supporting base with rotor at the bottom. I call back and say I can get it out of there. The realtor says they were going to have a contractor remove it for $700. I say myself and a friend (also a ham AND a general contractor) can do it for half that, rain or shine that coming weekend. Four hours, one boat trailer rental, and a couple cheeseburgers later that weekend, I have an expensive self supporting tower, and my contractor friend got the $350 which was excellent pay for an easy 4 hours of "work".
So was it just luck? Or, did some years long karma thing come into play by stopping in that one time and sharing friendship from within the ham fraternity? http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif
Now...as for passing on the karma...
The beam was a Wilson system 36. A 6 element tribander.
The boom and some elements were damaged due to age and taking it down. I already had a new quad to put up anyway. I hauled it home with the tower anyway. I put an auction on ebay for it explaining its condition and listed it at $ .01 and pickup only! Within a day I got a bid and a phone call from a guy in Idaho who had another one that desperately needed parts before he could put it up. He asked what I would sell it for and he would be HERE (in Seattle) in the MORNING http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif to buy it and haul away. I told him if he wanted it THAT bad I would let him have it!
When I got up the next morning, he was napping in his car with his wife in my driveway!! We loaded it up and off he went. I heard from him later on and he had put up the antenna and it worked just fine. The tower is up and my quad is doing fine also! http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/cool.gif http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

ve2nsm

07-28-2007, 04:53 AM

Quote[/b] (W6GQ @ July 28 2007,00:16)]They knew EXACTLY what the value was because they gave me all the reciepts from when this guy bought the stuff.
If it's in fact the truth, then I retract my comments and I really am jealous http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

N5NPO

07-28-2007, 08:07 AM

One Question...
How did you get 2 70' rohn 45 towers down in under 4 hours?
Inquireing minds want to know....

wv6z

07-28-2007, 08:48 AM

Quote[/b] (KC9ECI @ July 26 2007,20:43)]Nothing like taking advantage of someone that doesn't know any better.
Ahem…… a bit jealous are we?

wv6z

07-28-2007, 08:51 AM

Quote[/b] (W6GQ @ July 26 2007,22:16)]By the way Tom, I listed an HT on QRZ for sale and you sent me a PM asking how much shipping was to Wisconsin so you could give the HT to your son because he wanted into the hobby, I GAVE YOU THE HT for free because it was for your kid and to this day, maybe 2 years later, never even got a thank you.
You didn't see a surprised look on this Tom's face, didjya? http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif

W6GQ

07-28-2007, 09:13 AM

Well today I get off work early and on my way home the town I am driving through was having their garage sales for the weekend and I got a bag of M&Ms

Thank You

N5PVL

07-28-2007, 09:36 AM

At first glance, I thought it said he hit the motherboard.

I thought we were going to hear about a novel computer repair method, akin to slapping the coke machine to get it to swallow your change.

N5NPO

07-28-2007, 11:26 AM

Quote[/b] (W6GQ @ July 28 2007,02:13)]Quote[/b] (N5NPO @ July 28 2007,01:07)]One Question...
How did you get 2 70' rohn 45 towers down in under 4 hours?
Inquireing minds want to know....
I dont know, we just kept at it until we had them both down. There was a total of 4 of us, well 5 if you include the owners son who wouldnt climb but just wanted to assist
Oh, ok, I didn't realize you had help.
I don't see it as you taking advantage of anyone.
They wanted the towers removed and you agreed to the payment.
73

KC9ECI

07-28-2007, 01:30 PM

Quote[/b] (ku4my @ July 28 2007,03:48)]Quote[/b] (KC9ECI @ July 26 2007,20:43)]Nothing like taking advantage of someone that doesn't know any better.
Ahem…… a bit jealous are we?
Not at all.

KC9ECI

07-28-2007, 01:40 PM

Quote[/b] (W6GQ @ July 27 2007,23:16)]By the way Tom, I listed an HT on QRZ for sale and you sent me a PM asking how much shipping was to Wisconsin so you could give the HT to your son because he wanted into the hobby, I GAVE YOU THE HT for free because it was for your kid and to this day, maybe 2 years later, never even got a thank you.
I'm sure I said thank you, but again, thank you.

Dan, KC9ECH still has the radio, and will be taking it along with him to UW-Plattville when he starts work on an engineering degree in September.

WA9SVD

07-28-2007, 01:46 PM

Obviously, it's your conscience, and we don't know ALL the factors that went into the deal, but one has to wonder how the family would/will feel if they ever discover the true value of your "mother of all loads." Perhaps they had some emotional reason to not want to deal with the removal, and that made your offer to remove the equipment, and painful memories associated with it "priceless."

Otherwise, isn't it somewhat akin to offering someone $1000 for a roll of 50 $20 dollar gold pieces, when you know the actual value of the gold makes them worth at least ten times as much?

WA9SVD

07-28-2007, 02:00 PM

Another comment, in reference to others: RE the value of equipment.

If you have more than one or two pielces of equipment, it might be a good idea to document EVERYTHING in pictures, and quite explicitly indicate the value of each piece, and keep this documentation in a safe place, such as a safety deposit box or fireproof safe.
While it COULD be of great help to your heirs in the event of your untimely demise, it is also useful for insurance purposes in the event of fire, theft, etc.
Even if you have "played down" the amount of $$$ you spent on equipment to preserve doemstic harmony, your heirs will thank you if they get a fair price when the time comes to dispose of your equipment in an appropriate but fair manner.

In the current case, it's a wonder such a well equipped station and operator wasn't a club member or known well enough that they weren't approached by hams in the area who were familiar with him. They could have offered the equipment to a club, or made a donation of the equipment to the Red Cross, Salvation Army, etc. and possibly received a tax credit in the process. And someone in a local club would most likely have offered to remove the towers as well.
it might be a good idea to put forth such instrunctions or hints where someone can find them if the unforeseen should occur.

af6de

07-28-2007, 02:33 PM

Thats why I WILL tell my wife the value of the comm gear and have it insured and registered and make sure she will sell it through the proper channels. She will be a ham too so she will have a say in the matter.

ve2nsm

07-28-2007, 04:03 PM

Quote[/b] (af6de @ July 28 2007,10:33)]Thats why I WILL tell my wife the value of the comm gear and have it insured and registered and make sure she will sell it through the proper channels. She will be a ham too so she will have a say in the matter.
Well, as the original poster said: They knew EXACTLY what the value was because they gave me all the reciepts from when this guy bought the stuff.

So these people knew what they were doing, and were happy to see all this stuff out of the house.

k0dxc

07-28-2007, 04:22 PM

Nice

k9zmd

07-28-2007, 07:06 PM

I feel bad. I got here too late to start the flame war, if that's what a little chat about conscience could be called. Am I jealous of your windfall? Actually, if I had obtained some equipment by shameful means, I believe I'd feel a bit sick at heart each time I used it.

Sure, I heard the arguments to mitigate the rip off. But it's a sad commentary on our modern society that morality seems to be whatever can be best "argued" by lawyers and other hair splitters. True, that family may have known exactly what all the gear was worth when the OM bought it. True, they may have also felt it was worth giving it all away just to get rid of the towers & regain storage space in the home. Unfortunately, it is also obvious that they were totally ignorant of the current dollar value for that equipment.

I see this as parallel to some old movie plot involving dusty acres floating on oil, a bereaved, impoverished widow who is ignorant of the potential value, and a fast-talking con man who's only out for the buck. And believe me, that fella is NOT the one wearing the white hat in that flick.

As an earlier post said, it was between you and your conscience. Please pardon those of us who suspect that the second contestant was a no-show for that particular bout.

Gary, K9ZMD
Palmdale, CA

n2cfj

07-28-2007, 07:57 PM

I have given a lecture on estate planning at model railroad conventions and club meetings. Like some hams, many modelers do not tell their spouses what the stuff costs. A brass engine can cost major bucks but once painted looks to the untrianed eye just like the $29.99 one.

The advice I give is either to tell the spouse what the stuff is worth, or, if that revelation will endanger the marriage, instruct him or her not to sell anything until they speak to (insert name of trusted fellow hobbyist), who you have talked to and knows to look out for your spouse's welfare when it comes to disposal of your stuff when you go SK

wa9cwx

07-28-2007, 08:09 PM

MY FIRST thought was, you were ripping the family off, and ought to feel at least embarrassed, and SHOULD send a check.

Your #next post about the work involved, and the fact that they KNEW the value, explained it all.

You did well, for both yourself, AND the family.

You earned the gear, got the reward of being proactive, and helped them solve an irritating problem.
(Not that I would EVER see a pair of 70' Rohn 45s as irritating !!!)

NOW...are you sharing some goodies with your 'crew'??
http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

AND, see you at Peotone.

Frank

ve2nsm

07-28-2007, 08:18 PM

Quote[/b] (wa9cwx @ July 28 2007,16:09)]MY FIRST thought was, you were ripping the family off, and ought to feel at least embarrassed, and SHOULD send a check.

Your next post about the work involved, and the fact that they KNEW the value, explained it all.

You did well, for both yourself, AND the family.

You earned the gear, got the reward of being proactive, and helped them solve an irritating problem.
(Not that I would EVER see a pair of 70' Rohn 45s as irritating !!!)

NOW...are you sharing some goodies with your 'crew'??
http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

AND, see you at Peotone.

Frank
Exactly my feeling.

W5IEI

07-28-2007, 08:23 PM

Grab everything you can in this life,that's what everyone will do to you!!!

What a sad commentary on typical Americans!!!

I'm ashamed of you OM!!!

N3ATS

07-28-2007, 08:33 PM

How much for the FT847?

kg4yus

07-28-2007, 08:48 PM

Quote[/b] (W6GQ @ July 28 2007,00:16)][quote=KC9ECI,July 27 2007,19:43]

They knew EXACTLY what the value was because they gave me all the reciepts from when this guy bought the stuff.
I smell...
Bullshat http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

N2RJ

07-28-2007, 08:50 PM

Value is in the eye of the beholder.

Ever heard of freecycle.com? People there give away loads of stuff, completely free (except shipping charges) every day. We got a free (gas powered sears push) lawn mower that was headed for the landfill.

The owner was going to throw it away! It works PERFECTLY and is JUST RIGHT for mowing our small fenced in back yard.

Some people just don't like to deal with selling stuff.

ex-TVRO owners who went pizza dish or cable are giving away their dishes so they can get the eyesore out of their yards.

So in other words, I don't think it's wrong at all.

wa9cwx

07-28-2007, 09:02 PM

I have not done the math, and I may be off base....
BUT, 4 years ago, I made the horrible mistake of hiring a 'professional' antenna crew to do some tower work.
It was a bad experience all around.

This family likely would have had to do the same.

There really are not that many spry, competent, insured, eager young hams in every part of the country just waiting to dissasemble Rohn 45s.

Try paying a crew of 4, for 4 hours (It would have been a LOT longer, I guarentee that) for dissasembly, clean up, and hauling. PLUS the managment part of the fee.

I wound up paying over $5500.00 for a couple days work, and $1600.00 worth of tower. Was it worth it, no, but at the time, I had no other real options.

I suspect the situation would have been about the same for them.

Not everyone considers money an all important issue. The convenience of the job, the completness and care of the work, all add to the value.

I don't know if it would be true or not, but the thought of a bunch of hams picking though her husbands personal gear, saying things like, "Look at this crap", or "Does this do PSK on HF", or "So where's the manual?" or other mindless hamfest drivel churns my stomach.

A club "auction" might bring a lot less than some of you think, Hams are notoriously cheap.

My guess is GQ did polite, quick, courteous work, cleaned up the yard, basement, and did so without being a PITA, or irritating the family.

I think it LIKELY was a good idea all the way around.

WA9SVD

07-28-2007, 10:41 PM

Much of the equipment was fairly new, so the value on the used market was within the ballpark of the receipts the family had; probably lower because it was used equipment; but they DID have a clue. As was mentioned previously, perhaps it WAS by choice they wanted everything gone, and price was no object. Since there's no evidence that coercion or any underhanded dealings occurred, then we have to assume that all parties were satisfied. (Some [W6GQ] more satisfied than others!)
It's certainly an unusual case of being in the right place at the right time.

W6GQ

07-29-2007, 12:08 AM

Well today I get off work early and on my way home the town I am driving through was having their garage sales for the weekend and I got a bag of M&Ms

Thank You

N3ATS

07-29-2007, 12:10 AM

So... How much for the 847?

wa9cwx

07-29-2007, 02:17 AM

GQ,

Although the situation is different, I can tell you I understand the non-ham family members just wanting the gear gone, and no real concern for money, as much as convenience, ease, and efficient removal of all the technical stuff, and to not have things linger on, or have a mess to deal with.

When my 'Elmer' ( I HATE that term! ) died several years ago, his son (age 42) wanted the gear gone, and, in this case, whatever money might be had, with no expectations of anything.
Another ham, experienced, estimated barely over a thousand bucks, the gear was filthy, and smoke filled.

I traveled to the house, about 100 miles, and simply loaded all the gear up. I took everything home, and spent 3 months scrubbing, brushing, tweeking and tuning his gear. The gear was beautiful, and worked well, I had done a rather decent job of cleaning out the smoke, and years of dust.

I invited the son to the Starved Rock hamfest at Princeton, where he had gone with his dad a few times.

We had a ball, and eventually managed to get almost $3000.00 for the gear. (a couple more hamfests were involved). I even had a fellow come up to me later at another hamfest, and give me an additional $100.00, for the TR4CW, since he felt that the $400.00 he payed, was less than it was worth. The son was thrilled and suprised at all of this.

I kept, for MY pay for the work, his keys, which I use regularly.

Now the value of the keys, may have been a lot more than my simple 'cleaning' skills were worth, but no one was unhappy, and the son was more than pleased with the amount received.

I think you did a great job, and a nice service, and deserve the gear. And yes, you WERE in the right place at the right time, but YOU had to take the initiative, and do the follow up work, something a lot of people THINK about, but seldom do.

Frank

ka0sog

07-29-2007, 02:50 AM

When somone has a passion for this or any other hobby and the family sees the happiness it brings... well let me tell you a story.

My other hobby is Napoleonic Era military reenacting (War of 1812 and the Penninsular campaign). Several years ago a good and decent man left his family after a rough patch of cancer. He was a reenactor and a musician.He researched and played the music from the time period. It was as much his passion as DXing might be to you.

He researched and built an instrument called a hurdy gurdy. It took two years and it was beautiful and worth no small amount change when finished. When he died the widow got several offers to sell it. She gave it to a young man that would use it rather than take money because it was a way to keep her husbands passion for old music alive. Hearing it played by loving hands was, well priceless. I know exactly why she gave you that stuff in exchange for taking down the tower.

Fire it up and make a contact.

wa9cwx

07-29-2007, 02:56 AM

Well said. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

k9kjm

07-29-2007, 04:22 AM

Any time a SK estate is liquidated is a very sad time.
I ran across a very similar deal, Only much less equipment. Only a single Rohn 45 tower and an Icom 706 radio.

As in this case, The family had all the receipts for everything and knew EXACTLY what was paid for the items.

They also had checked on Ebay to see what a 706 would bring, And had gotten price quotes to have the tower removed (Price of removal far exceeded the value of the 706)

The family was VERY happy to sell it all to me for a few hundred bucks with the provision that I remove the tower and all.

The family was also very happy to see the equipment go to someone who would put it back into ham service, Instead of the tower going to a scrap yard.

ve2nsm

07-29-2007, 04:41 AM

Quote[/b] (W6GQ @ July 28 2007,20:08)]Wow I am sorry I posted this, I wanted to let new hams know there is a way to earn some equipment with some hard work.

73 everyone and please Enjoy YOUR hobby!
Well, don't be so hard on the ones who accused you. From your first post, I had the impression you were happy and bragging about screwing somebody. Some details were missing that's why some of us came to that conclusion.

W6GQ

07-29-2007, 08:18 AM

Well today I get off work early and on my way home the town I am driving through was having their garage sales for the weekend and I got a bag of M&Ms

Thank You

w2amr

07-29-2007, 10:05 AM

Quote[/b] (W5IEI @ July 28 2007,13:23)]Grab everything you can in this life,that's what everyone will do to you!!!

What a sad commentary on typical Americans!!!

I'm ashamed of you OM!!!
Around here, We call them Radio ghouls. Hams who look for the estates of recent SK's. Buy the gear for next to nothing , then sell it on E-bay or ham festers for full price . Disgusting

KI4NGN

07-29-2007, 10:56 AM

Quote[/b] (w4crt @ July 27 2007,17:49)]Why would you tell this bunch about your lucky find? You know someone will rag you about ripping the poor widow off. That may have been something you should have kept to yourself. I've never seen a post here that didn't turn into a flame fest and it's usually the same idiots who start it.
OK, I am one of those idiots.

Take down the towers and they're yours, great deal.

I couldn't have just accepted all that other gear without relating just how much it was worth, giving them the opportunity to make an informed decision. Maybe you did and just didn't mention it.

kg6top

07-29-2007, 12:23 PM

Quote[/b] (W6GQ @ July 29 2007,01:18)]Quote[/b] (N3ATS @ July 28 2007,13:33)]How much for the FT847?
As soon as I confirm the stuff works properly I will let you know
I'll give you 50 smack-a-roos for the 847. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

N8UZE

07-29-2007, 12:37 PM

Do you guys really think widows are such idiots? #Believe you me, women know about what their husbands spend even if he doesn't tell them. #And if they don't know, they are bright enough to get it evaluated even if they know nothing about it. #Many of them just don't want the hassle of evaluating and selling the gear. #A local ham widow had the help of our club members. #It took over a year of publicized sales (notifications went directly to all ham clubs in the area) and club members hauling the stuff to ham fests and selling the remainder on eBay to dispose of it. #This was a rather long, grueling chore. #The net proceeds hardly justified the effort despite the quanity of stuff. #It delayed her ability to sell the property and move. #Was it worth it? #Well only she would be able to say. #Personally it would not have been worth it to me.

We also run into a general problem with selling used stuff in our society. #There are fewer people who want to buy used stuff. #They would rather pay a bit more and get new. #When I remarried, I had a very good washer and dryer. #I tried to sell them and couldn't get any takers no matter how I lowered the price. #Finally, I just set them on the curb for the scavangers to take.

If I should die before him, I've given the OM these instructions: #Keep what he wants, let my daughters pick out what they want, give the rest away to charity or other people as he sees fit. #Don't hassle with trying to sell it.

N3ATS

07-29-2007, 12:45 PM

Quote[/b] (W6GQ @ July 29 2007,03:18)]Quote[/b] (N3ATS @ July 28 2007,13:33)]How much for the FT847?
As soon as I confirm the stuff works properly I will let you know
Thanks Bill.

k7mh

07-29-2007, 05:31 PM

All these guys whining!

Must be democrats. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif

w2amr

07-29-2007, 05:49 PM

Quote[/b] (k7mh @ July 29 2007,10:31)]All these guys whining!

Must be democrats. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif
Yeah, IEI is a campaign worker for Mrs. Clinton.

ad4mg

07-29-2007, 06:52 PM

Quote[/b] (w2amr @ July 29 2007,13:49)]Quote[/b] (k7mh @ July 29 2007,10:31)]All these guys whining!

Must be democrats. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif
Yeah, IEI is a campaign worker for Mrs. Clinton.
OMG! Mike's a good sort. Don't ever insult him like that again!

http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

w2amr

07-29-2007, 07:11 PM

Quote[/b] (ad4mg @ July 29 2007,11:52)]Quote[/b] (w2amr @ July 29 2007,13:49)]Quote[/b] (k7mh @ July 29 2007,10:31)]All these guys whining!

Must be democrats. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif
Yeah, IEI is a campaign worker for Mrs. Clinton.
OMG! #Mike's a good sort. #Don't ever insult him like that again!

http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif
Sorry, I don't know what I was thinking. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

KI4NGN

07-29-2007, 10:20 PM

Quote[/b] (N8UZE @ July 29 2007,05:37)]Do you guys really think widows are such idiots? #Believe you me, women know about what their husbands spend even if he doesn't tell them. #And if they don't know, they are bright enough to get it evaluated even if they know nothing about it. #Many of them just don't want the hassle of evaluating and selling the gear. #A local ham widow had the help of our club members. #It took over a year of publicized sales (notifications went directly to all ham clubs in the area) and club members hauling the stuff to ham fests and selling the remainder on eBay to dispose of it. #This was a rather long, grueling chore. #The net proceeds hardly justified the effort despite the quanity of stuff. #It delayed her ability to sell the property and move. #Was it worth it? #Well only she would be able to say. #Personally it would not have been worth it to me.

We also run into a general problem with selling used stuff in our society. #There are fewer people who want to buy used stuff. #They would rather pay a bit more and get new. #When I remarried, I had a very good washer and dryer. #I tried to sell them and couldn't get any takers no matter how I lowered the price. #Finally, I just set them on the curb for the scavangers to take.

If I should die before him, I've given the OM these instructions: #Keep what he wants, let my daughters pick out what they want, give the rest away to charity or other people as he sees fit. #Don't hassle with trying to sell it.
No, I don't think widows or widowers are idiots at all.

However I do know that my wife would be clueless about the worth of my shack.

I do know that it is often difficult for a spouse to deal with all of the belongings of their passed significant others.

You mentioned a real hassle of a year spent trying to get the best buck for the gear.

The other extreme is getting nothing for the gear.

A ham accepting the gear does have some idea of the value though, as the original poster obviously did, hence hitting the mother lode. I personally would not have been able to accept the gear without first making sure that she knew the possible worth, even a bare minimum.

If he let her know that and she just gave him the gear anyway, then more power to him. I just didn't see any mention of it.

Mike

wa9cwx

07-29-2007, 11:19 PM

Bottom line, it all depends on your point of view. If # 'MONEY' is your all important point of reference in relationships, nothing GQ did will seem right, simply because he did make a nice profit, period.

If service, convenience, respect, courtesy, efficiency are qualities you can recognize, and value, then you might see this as a possible two way good deal.

If this woman was starving, had young kids, the house was being forclosed, power about to be shut off, and her clothes were rotting, then GQ is a bad person.
He should have demanded she take a check.

However, by his statements, he did a nice job, offered a service that was wanted and needed, and accepted a decent payment in response. The lady had no desire or apparent need for anything else, she wanted the towers, and gear, gone.
I imagine she, or her son, could have negotiated any OTHER terms, if they had wanted to.

It sounds like some people here have trouble placing value on service.

Next time you go to your Doctor, ask him to only charge you for the cost of the cotton balls, or disposable needle, or tounge depressor, or paper cover on his exam table, plus a pro-rated $20.00/HR.
You don't want to pay #for his service, or skill, or experience, just his out of pocket expenses, and a simple hourly wage.....
# http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

k4avl

07-29-2007, 11:28 PM

If something happened to me, my wife would probably hire the first guy she finds to haul it all to the dump, just so she has more space to invite her sister & nephew to move in the house. She has no patience for the detailed things.

k7mh

07-29-2007, 11:45 PM

Once helped take down 120 ft of AB105 tower. Pretty big stuff! Big mono banders on it and a prop pitch rotor. She just wanted it all out of there so it went for free. She hated the ham radio thing. I don't remember what happened to the radio stuff.

W5IEI

07-30-2007, 09:40 AM

Quote[/b] (w2amr @ July 29 2007,12:11)]Quote[/b] (ad4mg @ July 29 2007,11:52)]Quote[/b] (w2amr @ July 29 2007,13:49)]Quote[/b] (k7mh @ July 29 2007,10:31)]All these guys whining!

Must be democrats. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif
Yeah, IEI is a campaign worker for Mrs. Clinton.
OMG! Mike's a good sort. Don't ever insult him like that again!

http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif
Sorry, I don't know what I was thinking. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
You're lucjy,I've decided to let that slide this time http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

w2amr

07-30-2007, 09:43 AM

Quote[/b] (W5IEI @ July 30 2007,02:40)]Quote[/b] (w2amr @ July 29 2007,12:11)]Quote[/b] (ad4mg @ July 29 2007,11:52)]Quote[/b] (w2amr @ July 29 2007,13:49)]Quote[/b] (k7mh @ July 29 2007,10:31)]All these guys whining!

Must be democrats. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif
Yeah, IEI is a campaign worker for Mrs. Clinton.
OMG! #Mike's a good sort. #Don't ever insult him like that again!

http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif
Sorry, I don't know what I was thinking. #http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
You're lucjy,I've decided to let that slide this time http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif
Thanks buddy. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

KI4NGN

07-30-2007, 10:06 AM

Quote[/b] (wa9cwx @ July 29 2007,16:19)]Bottom line, it all depends on your point of view. If # 'MONEY' is your all important point of reference in relationships, nothing GQ did will seem right, simply because he did make a nice profit, period.

If service, convenience, respect, courtesy, efficiency are qualities you can recognize, and value, then you might see this as a possible two way good deal.

If this woman was starving, had young kids, the house was being forclosed, power about to be shut off, and her clothes were rotting, then GQ is a bad person.
He should have demanded she take a check.

However, by his statements, he did a nice job, offered a service that was wanted and needed, and accepted a decent payment in response. The lady had no desire or apparent need for anything else, she wanted the towers, and gear, gone.
I imagine she, or her son, could have negotiated any OTHER terms, if they had wanted to.

It sounds like some people here have trouble placing value on service.

Next time you go to your Doctor, ask him to only charge you for the cost of the cotton balls, or disposable needle, or tounge depressor, or paper cover on his exam table, plus a pro-rated $20.00/HR.
You don't want to pay #for his service, or skill, or experience, just his out of pocket expenses, and a simple hourly wage.....
# http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
Very often the survivors of someone who has passed are not thinking clearly, or the possibility of what to do in the event of a passing were not discussed by the spouses or children.

Somone who already had access to all of the equipment for bringing down and hauling away two towers was already getting a good deal when the price for the towers was just to take them away.

One doesn't have to be destitute to care about the worth of something, and I saw no discussion about whether this widow's point of view was determined.

You're assuming a lot about her state of mind and finances.

As I said, if she was explicitly informed about the potential value of what she was giving away, then more power to the recipient. If not, .....

Anyway, nothing but opinions here, and I've stated mine. Sorry if I seemed argumentative, this just kind of sparked an emotional reaction.

N8UZE

07-30-2007, 12:41 PM

Quote[/b] (KI4NGN @ July 29 2007,18:20)]
No, I don't think widows or widowers are idiots at all.

However I do know that my wife would be clueless about the worth of my shack.

I do know that it is often difficult for a spouse to deal with all of the belongings of their passed significant others.

You mentioned a real hassle of a year spent trying to get the best buck for the gear.

The other extreme is getting nothing for the gear.

A ham accepting the gear does have some idea of the value though, as the original poster obviously did, hence hitting the mother lode. I personally would not have been able to accept the gear without first making sure that she knew the possible worth, even a bare minimum.

If he let her know that and she just gave him the gear anyway, then more power to him. I just didn't see any mention of it.

Mike[/QUOTE]
1. #If your wife is clueless about the value of the shack, then you have not done right by your wife. #The fault lays squarely at your feet. #If she gets cheated after you die, it will be your fault. #Put a list with your important papers, the ones she will have to deal with immediately, so that she has the info at her finger tips.

2. #Since there is no immediate need in most cases to deal with the ham gear, it will likely sit until the widow gets around to it. #This generally gives them time to be in a stable and functioning frame of mind. #In the case that started this thread, it was mentioned that the family hadn't got around to it yet implying that some time had elapsed.

3. #I did not say they were trying to get the best buck for it. # It took a year because they weren't getting any offers. #The advertised sale only moved a fraction of the gear. #It took several hamfests on some items before there were any offers at all. #I've got a a dozen multimeters for example and if I tried to sell them at a hamfest, I'd probably end up taking a dozen home unless I did give them away. #One of these days when I get a round to it, I'll box them up and give them away at the club meeting.

4. #I have found that hams have inflated ideas of what their gear is worth on the used market. #Purchasers of used gear are seldom willing to pay more than 1/2 the price of equivalent new. #On older gear (unless it has collectable value like Heathkits), they are willing to pay even less. #And you have to keep in mind that people comparing new vs used are looking at the current new price not what you might have paid for it. #I bought my TS-2000 not too long after they came out. #They were going for right around $2000 as the best available internet price. #Now they are going for $1600 new. #That means I might be able to get $800 for it, i.e. half the current new price not half what I paid for it. #However, it's more likely that it wouldn't sell at all. #The prospective purchaser will instead buy an old TS-430 for a couple of hundred and use it while he saves up for a new TS-2000. #That's exactly the position my husband was in shortly before we met. #He needed to sell his radio (an ICOM 746) and he put a reasonable price on it. #NO ONE was even interested in it. #He took it to hamfests, advertised on eham, etc.

KI4NGN

07-30-2007, 02:14 PM

Quote[/b] (N8UZE @ July 30 2007,05:41)]1. #If your wife is clueless about the value of the shack, then you have not done right by your wife. #The fault lays squarely at your feet. #If she gets cheated after you die, it will be your fault. #Put a list with your important papers, the ones she will have to deal with immediately, so that she has the info at her finger tips.

2. #Since there is no immediate need in most cases to deal with the ham gear, it will likely sit until the widow gets around to it. #This generally gives them time to be in a stable and functioning frame of mind. #In the case that started this thread, it was mentioned that the family hadn't got around to it yet implying that some time had elapsed.

3. #I did not say they were trying to get the best buck for it. # It took a year because they weren't getting any offers. #The advertised sale only moved a fraction of the gear. #It took several hamfests on some items before there were any offers at all. #I've got a a dozen multimeters for example and if I tried to sell them at a hamfest, I'd probably end up taking a dozen home unless I did give them away. #One of these days when I get a round to it, I'll box them up and give them away at the club meeting.

4. #I have found that hams have inflated ideas of what their gear is worth on the used market. #Purchasers of used gear are seldom willing to pay more than 1/2 the price of equivalent new. #On older gear (unless it has collectable value like Heathkits), they are willing to pay even less. #And you have to keep in mind that people comparing new vs used are looking at the current new price not what you might have paid for it. #I bought my TS-2000 not too long after they came out. #They were going for right around $2000 as the best available internet price. #Now they are going for $1600 new. #That means I might be able to get $800 for it, i.e. half the current new price not half what I paid for it. #However, it's more likely that it wouldn't sell at all. #The prospective purchaser will instead buy an old TS-430 for a couple of hundred and use it while he saves up for a new TS-2000. #That's exactly the position my husband was in shortly before we met. #He needed to sell his radio (an ICOM 746) and he put a reasonable price on it. #NO ONE was even interested in it. #He took it to hamfests, advertised on eham, etc.
As I said in another post, a matter of opinion.

However I do take except to your comment about not having done right by my wife. You have no clue about my relationship with my spouse, or my life for that matter.

I am assuming from your comments that you have had a spouse pass and handled it with a clear mind and no problems? Even if so, you should be aware that many people do not have that well of strength, and many are unable to deal with the on-going life details that occur for quite a while after losing a spouse.

If someone cheats my wife after I pass, it's the fault of cheater and no one else's. That was quite a presumptuous statement on your part.

I suppose you also have the perspective that victims of crime are to blame for what happened to them. They should have been armed, they should have been prepared.

You are also assuming quite a bit about the widow in this thread. The family not getting around to it yet may imply something to you, but it implies something entirely different to me.

As far as getting rid of gear, I wasn't suggesting getting a best deal, and I'm not discussing inflated values either. I'm suggesting that it would have been decent to say, for example, that all of the gear combined is worth at least $500 (for example), and either offer that or suggest that it is highly likely it could all be sold in a single lot for that amount. Not the best value, far from it, but $500 is nothing to ignore, at least not by anyone that I know.

Mike

N8UZE

07-30-2007, 02:52 PM

Please note I said IF you have not kept your wife informed. I've not assumed anything about your relationship. However, you did state she did not have a clue about the value of the stuff. One could be tempted to draw any one of several conclusions based on that. Personally I believe that a person has a responsibility to their spouse to keep that spouse up-to-date and informed on the status of the estate. Death can can at any time.

And you did say trying to get the best price in one of your posts. Here is the direct quote.

Quote[/b] ]You mentioned a real hassle of a year spent trying to get the best buck for the gear.

N8UZE

07-30-2007, 02:57 PM

Quote[/b] (KI4NGN @ July 30 2007,10:14)]If someone cheats my wife after I pass, it's the fault of cheater and no one else's. That was quite a presumptuous statement on your part.
Actually my personal belief is that people who get cheated have only themselves to blame.

However, IF, if a person has not been kept up-to-date by their spouse, it's a lot tougher on them and they are more easily victimized.

N8UZE

07-30-2007, 03:12 PM

Quote[/b] (KI4NGN @ July 30 2007,10:14)]I suppose you also have the perspective that victims of crime are to blame for what happened to them. They should have been armed, they should have been prepared.
No I do not have that perspective.

Being cheated is often (but I grant not always) well within the control of the victim where other crimes are not. A person can choose not to research the value of items they wish to sell or wish to buy (I've seen bidders on eBay, for example, bid items up to higher than NEW prices). They can choose to fall for every "get rich" scheme coming down the pike by not taking the time to investigate it. Nobody is forcing them into this position.

A person cannot choose whether someone is going to break into their house. A person cannot choose if someone is going to accost them on the way to work or the store, etc. A person cannot choose if they are going to get hit by a drunken driver. All they can do is to attempt to minimize the risks by taking the steps they personally deem reasonable to do so but they cannot eliminate them.

KI4NGN

07-30-2007, 03:37 PM

Quote[/b] (N8UZE @ July 30 2007,07:52)]Please note I said IF you have not kept your wife informed. #I've not assumed anything about your relationship. #However, you did state she did not have a clue about the value of the stuff. #One could be tempted to draw any one of several conclusions based on that. #Personally I believe that a person has a responsibility to their spouse to keep that spouse up-to-date and informed on the status of the estate. #Death can can at any time.

And you did say trying to get the best price in one of your posts. # Here is the direct quote.

Quote[/b] ]You mentioned a real hassle of a year spent trying to get the best buck for the gear.

Sorry for the confusion, I was referencing the lack of an attempt to get anything for the spouse in the current thread. I meant that I was not suggesting that she be told or should go after the best price.

Yes, death can occur at any time.... and I've told my wife (she's an adult whom I don't have to instruct) that my wishes are that she sells everything for whatever she can get, depending on the hassle she feels like going through.

I don't want to give her a precise value on what the gear should be worth for all of the resaons that you have previously stated, and the example that you gave about an estate liquidation. I don't want to burden her with some monetary goal for my shack. I just don't want her to give it away unless that is exactly what she feels like doing with a clear head, knowing that it is worth more than nothing.

KI4NGN

07-30-2007, 03:44 PM

Quote[/b] (N8UZE @ July 30 2007,07:57)]Quote[/b] (KI4NGN @ July 30 2007,10:14)]If someone cheats my wife after I pass, it's the fault of cheater and no one else's. That was quite a presumptuous statement on your part.
Actually my personal belief is that people who get cheated have only themselves to blame.

However, IF, if a person has not been kept up-to-date by their spouse, it's a lot tougher on them and they are more easily victimized.
Tell that to all of the Enron people who lost everything. They have no one to blame but themselves?

I agree, sometimes cheated people do only have themselves to blame. "Purchased the Brooklyn Bridge for a good price, eh? Good for you!" There are certainly many naive and clueless people out there.

Most people have different levels of vulnerability during their lives. I can't think of a situation where a person is more vulnerable then when they have lost a spouse, parent, or child. Vulnerable does not mean brainless, stupid, or ignorant, but in this case just maybe not thinking clearly.

N8UZE

07-30-2007, 03:58 PM

I did grant that there were exceptions. Although speaking of Enron, some people simply forgot the cardinal principle of "if it sounds too good to be true, it is". Also "cooking the books" is the one area where it is difficult for an investor to always have factual data. Investors can protect themselves by limiting the damage by making sure they don't have all their eggs in one basket as is recommended by financial advisors.

I'm relieved to hear that you have had such discussions with your spouse. I've seen cases where this was not true. As you can probably guess, I have very strong feelings about people keeping their spouses in the "financial dark".

May I suggest that even if you don't wish to make value estimates that instead you leave a list of clubs or people (if you haven't already done so) that she could contact to help here should she ever need to sell or otherwise dispose of this gear.

KI4NGN

07-30-2007, 04:59 PM

Quote[/b] (N8UZE @ July 30 2007,08:58)]May I suggest that even if you don't wish to make value estimates that instead you leave a list of clubs or people (if you haven't already done so) that she could contact to help here should she ever need to sell or otherwise dispose of this gear.
Nah. I suggested that she list things on Ebay because of the exact reasons that you've stated and I have personally experienced: she may get more than the equipment is actually worth, and anything is more than nothing.

I'm with you....I've seen people purchase items on Ebay for amounts that, if increased just a little bit more, could have purchased a new item. I purchased a used RigBlaster Plus on Ebay, used it for six months, and then sold it on Ebay for more than I paid for it. That's just luck, but for about 20% more the purchaser could have owned a new one. It just astonishes me. I'll grant that 20% is not an insignificant percentage, but when applied to an under $100 purchase price, one has to wonder.