[Amps] Solid State Amps

[Manfred Mornhinweg]

Chris,

> The industry standard dot matrix display is a great idea, but what
> chance manufacturers agree to such a selfless act of kindness to us
> end users? ;) Individuality has its costs...

I'm not sure if perhaps you misinterpreted my "industry standard dot matrix 
display" concept. I don't mean that Kenwood, Icom, Vertex, etc, should define a 
standard shared by them! What I do mean is using _existing_ industry standard 
displays, instead of special displays custom-made for each radio model. So the 
manufacturers of ham equipment don't need to agree.

The displays I mean range from small, single line, 16 character ones, over 2 
line, 4 line, all the way to graphics-capable ones. Their electrical interfaces 
are so well standardized that one can usually be swapped for another with little 
or no changes, and they exist in several more or less standard physical sizes.

If just one manufacturer sells radios built just from standard parts, with 
nothing critical customized in any way, and the buyers prefer those radios over 
any using special parts, it would be a win-win situation, and the other 
manufacturers would be forced to follow.

But of course this scheme fails, because 98% of all hams buy radios without the 
slightest regard for long-term maintainability, and aren't even able to tell a 
custom display from a standard one! And since custom displays are usually 
prettier than standard ones, radios with custom displays sell better...

Manfred

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