[TenTec] Price/Orion Filter Board issues

[ac5e at comcast.net]

Barry, I tend to agree with you where it concerns "normal" folks who would destroy the machinery that threatens their livelihood,  BUT - from observation, hobbyists are by no means "normal."  And 15 grand is not really big money when it comes to riding a hobby horse.  

 Perhaps five percent of hobbyists MUST HAVE the latest and greatest of anything as soon as it hits the market, whether that's Kathy's orchids, Jimmy's motocross bikes, Couch Potato Margaret's $8,000 plasma TV,  Harry's $40,000  stereo wall  - or a couple of Yaesu entusiasts I know who have already arranged a bank loan and have the money for an FTDX9000 in hand.  

Another twenty percent will wait and see; and if the latest and greatest really is the greatest will eventually jump on the bandwagon.  And yet another forty  percent will wait until the technological advances of "the latest and greatest" trickle down to a less expensive model.  And about fifteen percent of hobbyists will stick with the Hyundai end of the market. 

Don't believe it?  Read over any of the many marketing texts on the market. I find these ratios apply in my business as they do in almost every business. Excluding yachts, high end sports cars, and other toys for those to whom price is an unimportant detail. 

And yes, I suspect the new JA rigs will be marketing successes, regardless of how they perform. 

73  Pete Allen  AC5E


> Pete, I tend to think it's a little early in the game
> to pronounce that Icom and Vertex have redefined the
> price points in the hf transceiver market going
> forward.  Until proven otherwise, I tend to consider
> their products as aberrations that might appeal to 1%
> of the market.  I've never really considered myself a
> Luddite, but I still see the Orion as the high water
> mark (in price and performance) for what reasonable
> hams will consider.
> 
> 73,
> Barry N1EU
> 
> 
> 
> 
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