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What happens to my test and measurement devices if something happens to me?
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nctnico:

--- Quote from: RK_aus_S on November 09, 2023, 12:48:30 pm ---
--- Quote from: LaserSteve on November 09, 2023, 12:42:39 pm ---Last Will and testament,  get one. Otherwise the local version of the ProbatevCourt decides. Your family will be miserable
if you don't have one.

--- End quote ---

Sure, a last will.
But my question would be, how do I find institutions in need - worldwide?

--- End quote ---
By that time nobody wants your old crap. You have to be realistic about this; I know it is tempting to see your own stuff as valuable as you may have spend quite a bit of money on it a long time ago. But by the time you pass away, it is just old crap. This is even true for 99.9% of jewelry no matter how much work went into it or how pretty you may find it; typically it is worth only the weight of the materials it is made off.
RAPo:

Make a spreadsheet with all your stuff. Add a column After I'm dead, I would like to pass it on to XXX [for a price of yyy].
For the XXX, contact now the most favourable organisations in your opinion in a range of about 100km.

If money is important, state: never sell the whole lot in one go.

If speed is important, state that the item can be given away people have to come and get it. If it is not picked up after two months, bring it to the local disposal centre.
Make this part of your will, where you can add a special directive: I would like that person Z to take care of the activities as described in the spreadsheet.
CatalinaWOW:
Dealing with an estate is a huge burden.  Just finished one, and even with all the proper legal work done by the decedent it was two years and hundreds of hours of tedium.

If you want your gear to get used you will have to do it yourself,, before you die (or become incapacitated).

There may be third world institutions that will value your gear, but as others have pointed out first world institutions outside the hobby world won't.  The third world ones will have few resources to acquire your gear so you will have to arrange for all export compliance, shipping, duties and any other costs.

Recognize that your older gear probably won't be of interest to many, possibly nobody.  A VTVM was once wonderful, is now a heavy, power hungry and limited piece of gear.  GPIB was once the marvel of automated data collection and is now disdained by those who demand Ethernet or USB or even Bluetooth connections.

My advise is to go through your collection carefully to examine what you will likely use in your remaining days.  Keep in mind that energy and capability are unlikely to increase.  Climbing that 150 ft (50 meter) tower and heaving around that 80 lb (40 kg) signal generator will be activities that are going away.  Take the rest and start disposing of it now.  Write to aid agencies and educational ministries in the areas you think might benefit.  Start a local club and teach electronics.  Recruit others for your club.  Sell on eBay.  These activities will keep you busy for quite a while and you will have reduced your stockpile to a core that you use regularly.

I'm doing this and it is a long job.  There are many things that end up getting trashed because no on wants it.   The hardest part is realizing it really isn't too good to throw away.
daqq:
They get sent to a farm to measure and play.
2N3055:
Best thing is to get rid of the things you don't use ASAP as a general principle.
Any T&M equipment keeps value some time, as long as it is in active support from manufacturer.
After that is still valuable to you if it performs function but resale value is fraction what you paid for.
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