Amateur HAM Radio Deceased Death SilentKey Best Standard Practices

Amateur HAM Radio Deceased/Death/SilentKey Best Standard Practices

One of the members of our local radio club has been asked to help dispose of the ham radio equipment of a recent Silent Key. He is wondering if there are any Standard Practices or recommendations available, so he does not have to reinvent the wheel. 

Does anyone in the group have experience with a similar situation? 

Have any suggestions I could pass on to him, based on experience?

“SK” - Silent Key // from morse code device keyer  (commonly known in Amateur Radio as Deceased)

More to follow.

“SK” - Silent Key // from morse code device keyer  (commonly known in Amateur Radio as Death)

Be very open and keep good records - experience shows that the vultures soon gather round any estate! Cousin Fred, who had not seen the deceased in thirty years suddenly becomes a devoted relative

a) Set up an auction thru the local club or clubs with the members getting to bid on the equipment. Set low bid price at from 1/2 to 1/3 of new value, if newer equipment, older starting price can be taken off ebay and ham equipment outlets.


Contact the local club if the SK was a Member, or any other local clubs then they will include a ‘Silent Key sale’ listing commonly compliments(free).

b) advertise with local clubs on their website's if they have a for sale page, again setting a minimum price. Always sale as "as is, no refunds, cash or local check"

What to do with the radios and aerials

We are often called to advise surviving relatives how to deal with the radio equipment, aerials and so forth. There are three general approaches we recommend:

• Members: If the person was, or had ever been, a Member of the local clubs, contact your area’s local clubs Representative, who are all volunteers. Local Clubs Websites will let you see which Region you are in and you can click on your area of the map to contact the right person. Let them know you need help  clearing a shack and include your phone number. 
• Local Clubs can give you a lot of help in working out what’s valuable and how & where it might be sold, or perhaps donated for the benefit of others (eg to a Club or Scout troop).
• Local Clubs: Another possibility is to contact your nearest amateur radio club. Our online club finder will help you find your nearest club(s) and you can ask for similar help as you would from a Regional Representative. Many clubs also hold in-house sales from time to time, variously on an auction or fixed-price basis, and will gladly advise.

For Sale Website Ads: If you want, you can offer the late amateur’s equipment for sale via online auctions in Canada such as:   kijiji, ebay(ca/com), KWARC, local club website listing, Ad.


** Sale of Amateur Radio equipment can only be offered to license Amateur Radio Operators.  

*** The governing body 🇨🇦 formally Industry Canada, ISED has to be notified.

“SK” - Silent Key // from the device, morse code keyer  (commonly known in Amateur Radio as Deceased)

Right now we are researching Google and YouTube. 

Does anyone in the group have experience with a similar situation?

Have any suggestions I could pass on to him, based on experience?



Under-development 

To be updated 

Email suggestions:   SK@ARRL.CA

VE3WZW 

A.