[TenTec] ARRL Icom 7800 Review Published

[al_lorona at agilent.com]

I wonder how important advertising in QST is to the sales of a ham radio
manufacturer? If it's really, really important-- as in the primary means
of letting the majority of the amateur radio community know that there
is such a thing as a 7800 and what it looks like and what it can do--
then I can't see Icom pulling out of QST. Not when Yaesu, Kenwood, Ten
Tec,  et. al. maintain a strong presence. To my eyes, it seems as though
they are all slugging it out to put the *best* and *flashiest* ads in
there, and for one to leave would immediately raise numerous questions
about the product, the company's solvency, etc.

On the other hand, if presence in QST isn't that important to the sales
of the new Kensucomtec transceiver, then ARRL is in a precarious
position and, yes, would be reluctant to say anything too negative in a
product review.

So what you guys are saying is that even if the typical ham did not see
the newest Kensucomtec transceiver advertised in QST, it would not
affect his buying decision at all. That he would still be as likely or
as unlikely to buy the rig whether it is shown in QST or not.

Somehow, I doubt that. I believe that keeping your newest transceiver
out of QST is like commiting sales suicide, at least for that
transceiver. 

Just ask how many hams know what a Yaesu 847 is. If you close your eyes,
can you visualize one? You know why not? It never made it into QST.

(I believe that, even with the existence of the internet, QST has a kind
of a monopoly when it comes to disseminating information to a large
number of hams.) 

Therefore, I also believe that QST has much more latitude to be honest
in their product reviews. Therefore, I don't understand why they
sugar-coat nearly every review. Therefore, I believe that QST product
reviews are not a good source of objective information about amateur
radio equipment.

Al  W6LX


By the way, I want to take this opportunity to publicly thank Jim Lowman
for his tireless and thankless work maintaining this reflector, and
thank you, Jim, for putting up with a lot of bandwidth from me over the
years as I pushed the envelope of what was Ten-Tec related.