Maurizio Panicara wrote:
> As a product manager (not in Ham radio) I suspect 50 letters about key
> clicks could be not a a strong enough weapon for the product manager to push
> a company in a different direction. Know also that some company produces by
> lots and re works or re engineering are not convenient or possible,
> sometimes a product is already discontinued and production lines aren't
> existing any more not much time after the product is launched on the market.
Effectively worded complaints to the manufacturer can demonstrate that
there is a problem. Enough of those complaints can generate action on
the part of the manufacturer to make certain that the particular problem
doesnt' crop up again.
> On the other hand there is nothing "terrible" if an Ham performs some mods
> or betterments to his own equiment, this fixes also with older products.
W8JI's FT-1000MP fix isn't an easy one for a young fellow with good eyes
and steady hands. As manufacturers rely more on LSI and chip
components, modifying commericial equipment becomes more difficult.
Then there's the understandable view that if one pays top dollar for a
top shelf piece of equipment, he has every right to expect it to perform
like a top shelf piece of equipment.
> The real point is that average Ham doesn't even know (or care) any more
> about technical problems or works inside, or know what does it happen (not
> even the headlines) in their equipments.
I'll have to disagree with you on this one. I'm aquainted with plenty
of fellows who know and even more who care. They care about having a
good, clean signal and they have no desire to become known as the
station which hoses up 160m for numerous others.
> But average Hams is the majority who buy equipments, much more than 50
> pieces, and like low costs, lights and wisthles.
Even if I buy one of the more economical transceivers having few
features, I have every right to assume that it is going to transmit a
clean signal.
> At this point, sadly, the only effective solution that fix something like
> key clicks is actually forcing the manufacturers to comply with stringent
> equipments specifications issued by the authority.
I don't know that it is the only effective solution but I'd worry about
clean signals if I were a foreign manufacturer hoping to sell to the
U.S. domestic market. Sending e-mails and writing letters to the U.S.
sales and repair arms of the Japanese radio companies will get attention
if only for the reason that the fellows selling the rigs have motivation
to see that the customer is satisfied. They'd like to sell you a new
one not only THIS time but the NEXT time you're in the market for new
equipment.
Dave Heil K8MN
Cameron, WV
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