[AMPS] SB-220: Operate/Standby Switch

[Peter Chadwick]

Rich says:

>Consider that the price of a 25w rheostat is under $6.  

Yes. Which is why in a home brew amp, you'd fit one, 
without argument.

In the commercial world, $6 on a component is at least 
$12 on the ex-works price. In the case of a variable or
 preset control, where testing and adjustment is 
required, add another $5. These are the real costs you 
find in a production environment.

So all of a sudden, our filament rheostat is costing $20 
plus sales tax to the end user.  Similar sort of add ons
happen for step start, increased cooling for the tank 
circuit and so on. Very soon, you're talking of the $5k
plus amplifier. Which is part of the explanation of why 
Uncle Sam pays so much for equipment. Other parts 
of that are procurement practices, but that's another 
story.

Nobody goes bankrupt in the long term; but there's a
limited market for Rolls-Royces, as Colin's friend found.
Ham amps are meant for the average ham, and of 
necessity, they get cut down to what the ham will pay.

Which is why I'm so keen on home brew.....

73

Peter G3RZP




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