[geeks] Moved to geeks: Cheap Ham radios (was Dayton Hamfest)

[Lionel Peterson]

>From: "Geoffrey S. Mendelson" <gsm at mendelson.com>
>Date: 2008/05/18 Sun AM 01:06:14 EDT
>To: geeks list <geeks at sunhelp.org>
>Subject: [geeks] Moved to geeks: Cheap Ham radios (was Dayton Hamfest)

>> I guess the ones that are used to digital tuning would have problems
>> mentally subtracting .2 from the analog dial reading. :)
>
>Yes, People no longer think in "around 14.2 mHz", they think in "14.200.000".
>Channelization would be even better, but I don't want to make them
>too attractive to people thinking they are "new CB radios".
>
>> They are probably more familiar with a digital frequency readout than
>> a microprocessor controlled frequency synthesizer. That is usually
>> transparent to the user.
>
>No, look at the Ten-Tec Scout. Internally it was a disaster. It used an
>analog tuning system with a digital display. In order to keep it on the
>frequency it was set to, the microprocessor had to constantly retune it.
>
>Digital synthesizer chips are cheap enough these days.
>
>After all, if Wal-Mart can sell a 28mHz AM rig (CB) for $35, someone
>should be able to make an entry level 14mHz SSB rig to sell for $200.

Geoffery, have you forgotten about economy of scale? A 20 meter rig would have a much small, and more geographically-diverse market than an entry-level 11 meter AM rig would.

Assuming similar technology, would a 20 meter rig with one mode of operation (AM, CW, or SSB), offerred 5-12 watts PEP input power, and the cruddy selectivity, sensitivity, and modulation of a $35 11 meter rig sell? I would consider it the OLPC of the amateur radio market myself, and it would be crushed by a market of vastly superior radios for 50-100% more ($300-400).

Granted, such a rig *could* spark market interest in a low-cost HF radio, but it would get crushed in the process.

Lionel