Dwelling on a mediocre product like the 7300 is probably not the objective of
this forum.
However, learning as much as possible about direct digital receivers is
relevant because that is the way things are going to go, for KenSuCom and for
Ten Tec (as well as Elecraft).
I look back at the old mechanical switch television tuners, many of which I
have repaired or replaced, and laugh because the television companies charged
EXTRA for the Varactor diode tuned sets when they began to replace the
mechanical tuners. In reality, the manufacturing costs for Varactor tuned
tuners were a fraction of the costs for the switch type tuners. For a while,
the television makers had the best of both worlds, lower manufacturing costs
cost and higher prices. It doesn’t get any better than that from a business
perspective.
This will happen with digital direct conversion radios as well, once the
improvements in real dynamic range are made and the selling prices fall into
line with manufacturing costs.
Imagine the driving force for manufacturers:
1) No expensive crystal filters
2) No bandswitches
3) Virtual knobs that can do any function you desire (for those who,
like myself, insist on a radio with real knobs)
4) Ability to improve function with a simple downloadable firmware
upgrade - something Ten Tec pioneered
5) Every feature you can imagine, including a band scope that puts
Orion (and most other radios) to shame
6) A natural course for obsolescence, driving new sales. Obsolete one
crucial part in the radio and panic drives people to liquidate the old and buy
new
The Flex business model of introducing a new model every time the seasons
change drives prices of previous models low enough that we bargain hunters can
buy pretty awesome performance for pennies on the dollar.
As a result, the only thing that depreciates in value faster than an SDR is an
open can of Coors Lite. That’s great for us bargain hunters…
Gary
W0DVN
> On Aug 16, 2016, at 10:50 PM, Joe Papworth via TenTec <tentec@contesting.com>
> wrote:
>
> Can we buy this forum back from the 7300?
> I'll chip in $5.00 for starters...
>
> Later,
> Joe, K8MP
>
> Sent from AOL Mobile Mail
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