[TenTec] IMD Measurements - Yaesu/Inrad vs Orion

[Billy Cox]

AA4NU wrote:
>>On the other hand ... folks like W8JI have provided us with solutions
>that make the click issue go away ... Tom's site mentions that with the
>change, the MP series now becomes one of the cleanest rigs out there.

W4ZV wrote:
>Agreed, but in over 15 years, why didn't Yaesu simply make a design
>change?  TQC means you correct the process to remove defects based upon
>user feedback.  The issue was certainly not a cost issue to implement
>in production.  It was a customer non-responsiveness issue.

And (surprise, perhaps to some) ... I agree, even if your point is
only valid for CW, the typical SSB only user ... does not care.

You know Bill ... looking from a TQC/QS/IS/TS engineering background,
considering the actual parts needed ... their position makes no sense. And
from a vantage point of strong customer support, it's just amazing that
Yaesu can take the position that have. Talk about having a strong brand
identity to leverage against market <think customer/end user> demands.

You and I have used similar rigs over time ... as we both used the TS930
and then the MP ... so we have similar very expectations I'd predict.

(Before the 930, fellow TT forum 'rulers', there was a Omni C ... and  also
a IC765 too ... now I'm looking to replace a pair of MPs with something
that is as reliable as they have been here for almost 10 years. Have they
been perfect? no, but they've not had some of the concerns posted here).

Looking forward though, Yaesu's past brand strength is not going to hold
up (that's simply MY subjective thought) as from a marketing view, their
new top tier rig is, at this point too confusing as to functional product
design, and behind the curve as to any innovative engineering design. It
will be interesting to see if they ramp up the support side or not ... or
go the route Kenwood has? (Anyone looked at those products lately).

With the new ProIII's price now approaching the base Orion, well ... it may
be interesting to see how that plays out as to performance verses features.
I spent some time in Denver at the local HRO with the ProII ... to me, it's
a very confusing piece of gear ... to others is may be better than sliced
bread, and nope I was not impressed by the color display either. B-)

In fact I wonder if the smaller price difference might actually serve to
benefit TT as to the purchaser's nod to buy the Orion being the choice
over the  ProIII?

We'll just have to see how the market demand plays out ...

>That is a HUGE contrast to Ten-Tec in my opinion.

Ten-Tec faces the same struggles that other technology firms do, as
in how much of your resources go to support/improve existing units
verses how much of the resources go to support/develop new units.

It's a two-edged sword, with no "always right 100% of the time"
answer, for some will appreciate it, and other will abuse it. While
there's a great warm fuzzy about doing what's right ... there's also
that gnawing from trying to do right, and getting burned badly by
someone who is abusing the whole reason customer support exists.

It will be interesting to see how they work out the balance in the future,
as some of the frequent complaints concerning the current Orion platform
could certainly fall into the same "customer non-responsiveness issue" that
we might agree is not acceptable, especially after the first 30 days.

If the Paragon's RFI issues were fixed with the additional 0.01 cap, and X
amount of "I have RFI on SSB" problem posts could have been prevented,
well again, there's the tradeoffs of when and how to introduce products
without reasonable risk ... raising it's ugly head once again.

What's reasonable?

There's the rub, is it reasonable to expect no problems from taking brand
? off the desk, and replacing it with brand TT and not having to address
some of the issues being described on this forum.

No one wants to be the 5 out of the 100 who have problems, but much
of the focus on here is simply that. There's still room for improvement,
otherwise, why do those types of posts continue ... though some want
to NOT hear anything other than positive comments.

My boss would fire me if I thought it would be OK to show up for
work ... 95 days out of the 100 he expected to be there and working.

How does the present 5 out of 100 failures become 1 out of 100, or some
measurable positive change? There's lots of variables here ... a poor sub-
vendor can damage the finished product's success, perhaps that's a below
the radar issue ... it's a very frequent manufacturing challenge in the real
world, and when it happens, it bites. But you don't go blame the user ...

>Don't believe everything you read on this reflector.

Wise words indeed, and I agree ... likewise don't discount the content
of any post without careful review either. Everyone's mileage varies ...

MC & HNY

73 Billy AA4NU