[TenTec] Repair Time and Cost of Ownership (COO)

[rick@dj0ip.de]

I'm sure everyone who followed Steve's frustration over long repair time for
his Argonaut V and John Henry's response understands both sides.  More
important was the message between the lines which triggered a reminder to me
of one VERY important point in this age of computerized radios:  COST OF
OWNERSHIP. (COO)

You read about cost of ownership for cars all the time.
Many people consider it to be a very important factor in the upfront choice
of type of car.

According to Rob Sherwood, COO is one of the most important things to
consider now days.
I happen to agree.

On radios costing over $10K, one can easily get repair bills of $1000 or
$1500.
On any radio that becomes no longer repairable due to spare parts no longer
being available, the COO suddenly spikes upwards.  The more expensive the
radio was, the higher the risk.

I know this is no problem for many people on this list but for me personally
and probably several others, it is a big problem.  As a result I have
decided not to spend more than about $2k to $2.5k on any new radio.   THIS
is a personal decision, and not one I recommend for everyone.  But everyone
should consider COO and set his/her own limit.

As a result of COO, the true cost of bragging rights for expensive radios
just went through the roof.

On the subject of spare parts, running out of spare parts is not just a
question of when the manufacturer turns the product off.  In many cases it
is a reflection of the transceiver OEMs' attitude towards service.   Under
normal circumstances, all component manufacturers inform their large
customers in advance when a product will "End of Life" (EOL), and gives them
a 'Last Orders Date'.  It's up to the transceiver OEMs to decided what level
of support they wish to offer their customers after that.   Of course
bankruptcies anywhere in the food chain can cause unsuspected problems with
EOL planning.

73 - Rick, DJ0IP
(Nr. Frankfurt, Germany)