[TenTec] SDR-1000/Orion II

[Stuart Rohre]

David,
Government contracts get varied treatment from the manufacturers.  As a 
government contractor, they make us jump thru so many hoops, sometimes a 
small contract is hardly worth it.  However, you keep your foot in there for 
the rare "big buy" if a program takes off and all of NATO and allies get the 
same black box.  Quick reaction requirement contracts get the best 
treatment, naturally for they are issued with great need to field something. 
You should hardly expect a civilian product of small quantity like ham gear 
to equal the importance of the government contracts that in the whole total 
pay the day to day bills.

Gone are the days of lavish government spending on expensive hammers, or way 
more spares than they will ever use.   In fact, now, the lifetime of 
components is so short, that government is often in a bind to find 
replacement ICs for something designed only 5 years ago.  The manufacturers 
have to struggle to design something that will not be supported by 
components availability in a year from now.

-Stuart
K5KVH