[TowerTalk] Yaesu G2800 Rotor Calibration Question and Complaint

[Joe Giacobello]

Pete, is that six pin connector on the controller end also a 
non-standard connector?  I assumed that it was a standard Molex 
connector and it would be easily available.

73, Joe
K2XX

Pete Smith wrote:
> The Yaesu rotators are made by Kenpro.  I just found a listing on the Wimo 
> (German) web site offering both end connectors (the one for the control box 
> too) for 20 Euros.  Given European taxes and the generally high cost of 
> imported electronics there, maybe we can agree that Yaesu USA is gouging a 
> little bit...
>
> 73, Pete
>
> At 11:02 AM 3/26/2007, mryan wrote:
>   
>> If an order for the minimum of 50 were placed I would buy a couple of them
>> at $10 or $12 each to have around here. Anyone else want to jump in?
>> - Mike
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: towertalk-bounces at contesting.com
>> [mailto:towertalk-bounces at contesting.com]On Behalf Of Joe Giacobello
>> Sent: Monday, March 26, 2007 9:55 AM
>> To: Jim Lux
>> Cc: towertalk at contesting.com
>> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Yaesu G2800 Rotor Calibration Question and
>> Complaint
>>
>>
>> Jim, with all due respect and deference to your experience in the
>> industry, the price for the plug penetrates the envelope.  I would have
>> to guesstimate that the cost of manufacture and bulk shipment for the
>> plug is around $1-2 per unit.  A markup of 2300-4700%, barring special
>> situations, is gouging in my lexicon.
>>
>> As frame of reference, my experiences with Yaesu's competitors are
>> relevant.  I have received difficult-to-obtain precision metering shunt
>> resistors from Tentec and MFJ and a microphone wind screen from Icom at
>> no charge whatsoever .  Admittedly, in each of these cases - and there
>> have been others, but these are the recollections that immediately come
>> to mind - I was relying on the good nature of the individual employee to
>> slip the item into an envelope and address it to me.  Nevertheless, even
>> if they had to go through normal processing channels, a typical supplier
>> either has some kind of minimum charge or simply adds on a nominal
>> handling fee of $5-10.
>>
>> Of course, given that Yaesu USA is in California and given the price of
>> housing, real estate and routine living costs  there relative to most
>> other parts of the country, $48, on further reflection, may have been a
>> bargain. :-)
>>
>> 73, Joe
>> K2XX
>>
>> Jim Lux wrote:
>>     
>>> At 02:47 PM 3/25/2007, Joe Giacobello wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>       
>>>> During the installation, we damaged the seven pin rotor plug and had to
>>>> buy a replacement from Yaesu for $48!!!!  I was really appalled at such
>>>> blatant gouging.  I have since done a search for the plug's Japanese
>>>> manufacturer (Nanaboshi) and found a posting from some equally incensed
>>>> hams who apparently identified a US distributor where they could be
>>>> obtained for about $7/ea. in lots of 50.  If anyone knows of a source
>>>> for these plugs or an equivalent at a reasonable price, please let me
>>>>         
>> know.
>>     
>>> I think gouging is too strong a term.
>>>
>>> If the only distributor requires a minimum order of 50, at $7 each,
>>> then Yaesu is doing you a favor by zapping you for $50.. it could
>>> have cost you $350.<grin>
>>>
>>> I don't think it's so much Yaesu charging too much (their "per order"
>>> handling and stocking costs could easily be $30, and a part that
>>> sells for $7 in qty 50 could easily sell for $15 in qty 1), but that
>>> they happened to select a part that isn't readily available at low
>>> cost.  But then, that might not be on their list of design
>>> objectives, either..  (things like manufacturing availability,
>>> compatibility with existing fixturing, etc. would be higher on the list)
>>>
>>> It's a truism that building a car from retail replacement parts would
>>> cost 10 times as much as buying the car already assembled, and you'd
>>> supply the labor. Same applies to most anything else.
>>>
>>>
>>>
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>>>
>>>       
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