On 4/10/15 10:34 AM, Roger (K8RI) on TT wrote:
Setting up an assembly line for low volume products is an expensive
proposition. Then again, other than fixtures for drilling holes and
making custom insulators, what in building antenna "kits" can be
automated? One of my first jobs was working in an automotive plant
which thankfully was only a couple of years. So I'm well aquainted with
production lines and small parts even if it is old information.
M2 does this.. they have a "make 50 pieces of tubing X mm long" machine
(well, not quite).. so they can kit up all the elements for a given
antenna pretty quickly from a huge stock of precut pieces of aluminum.
They use the same hardware on all the antennas, so whether you are
buying a 2 wavelength long 2 meter Yagi or a 5 wavelength long crossed
yagi UHF antenna, it's about the same production cost.
A manufacturer can purchase tubing in standard lengths of 24 feet and in
bulk for quite a bit less than DX Engineering sells it for, but theirs
is reasonably priced for small lots. Remember they are a retail
operation, so that tubing has probably gone through at least 3 levels of
sales.
To me, large ham antennas do not lend themselves to mass production like
TV antennas where the elements are small, thin, rolled sheet that is
fragile (read cheap) for a mass market. the entire antenna can be
assembled before shipping. The customer just snaps the elements into
place. Still, they are so fragile it's easy to break an element even on
top end models.
Exactly.. can you ship it UPS in a package less than 6 feet long? A 20
meter Yagi made up of pieces where no piece is longer than 2 meters is
going to be a mechanical nightmare, and take a while to assemble.
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