[TenTec] Orion 2 situation

[R. Eric Sluder]

I'm going to chime in on this discussion, and it will sound like I'm defending Ten-Tec, however my intent is to explain a possible (and likely feasible) scenario.

The big three out of Japan sell not only to the Amateur market, but to commercial markets - to set the stage... watch Deadliest Catch on Discovery and you'll see ICOM HF rigs used quite often.  I've used ICOM marine radios before on HF and VHF myself.  Then there is the Land Mobile  Radio market.  Kenwood, Yaesu and ICOM all have a piece of it and have chipped away at Motorola for years.  All of my 900 MHz rigs are Kenwood LMR radios retuned to our shared band on 900 MHz - I don't find any Ten-Tec commercial 900 MHz rigs because if I could... I would own them.

The point to my paragraph above is.... their buying power/capabilities for components is far greater than Ten-Tec's financial capabilities.  Many of the final transistors used in the rigs today can be used in both Ham and commercially type accepted radios which equates to a much less reduced price per unit cost for the big three compared to an order that Ten-Tec can afford to make.  The big three can establish a supply chain agreement with Asian manufacturers that will assure components, pre-built assemblies and other necessary supplies for a very foreseeable future.  I suspect Ten-Tec cannot.

If Ten-Tec was having pre-built sub-assemblies made oversees (or even here) and their supplier wants out of that biz due to low volume (or exchange rates have weakened the suppliers profits to near nil) that puts the burden on Ten-Tec to either setup assembly operations to resolve the deficit, redesign the radio (not likely) or cease the sale of the product.  Typically the decision is made once a financial analysis is done to determine if a profit can be made (remember they're not a nonprofit business) and the impact to internal resources is so great it negatively influences other product lines.

I seriously doubt it was their desire to stop the sale before a replacement product was available, and I'm sure they realize there will be a loss in the customer base for the high-end market.  However, as I was once told... if you're out of options; you have to just stand their and take it like a jackass in a hailstorm and then move on! 

Much of Ten-Tec's customer base is built on those of us who like their QSK design, made in America, and just like to follow one manufacturer instead of owning one of everything.  For me, its all of that and... I can even stop in for a tour of the facility.  I can talk to the folks who are defying the odds of a once nearly all American made equipment market by staying in business in the foothills of Tennessee.

I close with this... when I bought an IC-703 and it was popping  finals so often it was like a kid going through candy - I could not have an email dialog with anyone at ICOM engineering.   Fast forward to now and owning an Eagle... I can (if needed) email John Henry or Paul and get an answer!  That's a nice chunk of insurance when you drop four figures into a hobby.

Long live all of the American Ham radio manufacturers!

73,
Eric
W9WLW

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