[CQ-Contest] IC7800 -

[Kelly Taylor]

Waiting: it depends on what kind of consumer you are.

If you're an early adopter, you probably accept the risk that what you buy
will turn out to be buggy, poorly designed or unreliable. You see that as an
acceptable tradeoff for being the first one on the block to get it. (What
drove the early adopters of the Yugo, who knows...)

So, in the case of the IC-7800, it seems the key question is this: do the
reported benefits warrant accepting the risk? Seems that's something only
individuals can answer for themselves. After all, the financial risk for a
heart surgeon, even at the estimated $11,000US price tag is minimal. For a
burger flipper, it's considerable. Is the 7800 three times the radio the
Orion or FT-1000MP Mark V is? Again, that's a personal judgment call.

If something is poorly designed, waiting will not change that, but by
waiting you'll have the advantage of being able to listen to all the early
adopters gripe about the product before deciding it's right, or not, for
you. You'll also have the advantage of giving the manufacturer the time to
decide if the product is priced too high.

The other question is whether you are so hard done by in sticking it out
with your current radio that you simply can't wait to ditch it and get
something new?

Be that as it may, if it weren't for early adopters, we'd still be paying
$1,300 for a CD player...

73, kelly




----- Original Message -----
From: "Ragnar Otterstad" <otterstad at enter.vg>
To: <cq-contest at contesting.com>
Sent: Saturday, March 13, 2004 5:04 AM
Subject: RE: [CQ-Contest] IC7800 -


> >
> >
> >Fo that reason I never buy the latest of anything  but rather wait some
12
> >months before
> >considering buying.  That has saved me a lot of agrevation over the years
!
>
> Rag--does waiting really work?
> ---------------------------------
> YES and NO !  At least all bugs and weaknesses in the production process
are
> sorted out !
> If the design leaves somewhat to be desired - waiting will not change
that.
> I just think the reliability
> of the equipment is improved over time as the manufacturer goes through
the
> learning curve.
>
>
>
>
>
> I am still waiting for Yaesu to fix
> their key clicks and the wait continues through three MODELS.  And
> they STILL don't get it.
> -----------------------------------
> Have somebody approached the factory in Japan ?
>
>
>
>
> They seem to ramp up their production line and won't stop it for
> any needed mods, nor do they seem to listen when they do each
> successive generation.  I know that when I once sent my IC-781
> in for repairs, after a number of years of good service, I asked Icom
> to incorporate any factory mods into it as well.  They said there were
> none.  At the time I believed that maybe the design was so good that
> they never found anything to improve.   Now I wonder if it is just that
> they don't want to admit any mistakes.  Is the hari-kari tradition
> still alive in Japan?  We are not really expecting the design engineers
> to fall on their own swords.  Just change a couple of 2-cent parts.
>
> 73   and   (grins)    John   W0UN
> --------------------------------------------
> I believe the traditon of saving face is still alive and may explain what
is
> not happening.
>
> 73   Rag LA5HE
>
>
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------
>     The world's top contesters battle it out in Finland!
> THE OFFICIAL FILM of WRTC 2002 now on professional DVD and VHS!
>        http://home1.pacific.net.sg/~jamesb/
> ---------------------------------------------------------------
>
> _______________________________________________
> CQ-Contest mailing list
> CQ-Contest at contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/cq-contest