[TowerTalk] antenna choices

[Bry Carling AF4K]

Kelly - I didn't say it was an example of what could be done now. 

However, I do think there is a huge gap in the market between the antennas selling for $2 - 
3,000 USD and the ones selling for $200 - $6500 USD that there is a niche to be fille d by 
some enterprising person. I am sure some will disagree with what I say. I just know 
thousands of hams are out there with mnoney to spend for a beam and they are not buying 
Force, Steppir, etc. anbtennas that run in 4 and 5 digits becaise their budget does not run to 
that.  I would disagree woith you and say that yes, they ARE vot9ing with their feet.
They are pretty much stuck with whatever is available to them at an afordablle price.

For a creative and energetic person the market is there to be taken in the MID-priced 
antennas these days whether you believe it or not. The average ham is NOT spending 
$2,000 for a beam. Deny it all you want.

By the way, this doesn't fit with your claims either, but K4XS has won or come in near the 
TOP of many DX contests and he uses a number of Cushcraft beams on those 200 foot  
rotating towers! If you get some satisfaction out of crowing that those high price antennas are 
"better" than Cushcraft, then I am sure you got what you paid for - a nice happy feeling and 
reports of 22 dB over S9 instead of 20 dB over S9. I am sure that they are very good. I never 
denied that. BUT - To each his own!

Enjoy!

(multiple CC:s removed!)


On 10 Apr 2015 at 13:47, Kelly Taylor wrote:

> Again, bad example.
> 
> Cushcraft designs date back decades, in some cases to the 1950s and 60s. The
> development costs are all paid for.
> 
> As we have seen, and as much as some people choose to disagree, modern
> antenna designs outperform 50-year-old trap designs. Enough people are
> willing to help pay for the development costs to get better antennas.
> 
> Any business can only ever sell at a price the market will support. Enough
> people are buying F12, Optibeam, JK and other brands' antennas the
> businesses don't need to cut their prices. Those who don't buy their
> products aren't in enough quantity to force a lowering of price.
> 
> If enough people voted with their feet, these makers would either have to
> cut their price or go out of business.
> 
> Brian, if enough people are willing to pay you $10 for a crystal, and if you
> determine that a price cut is NOT going to alter demand for crystals, you're
> leaving the price at $10, yes?
> 
> 73, kelly
> ve4xt
> 
> 
> On 4/10/15 11:56 AM, "Bry Carling" <bcarling at cfl.rr.com> wrote:
> 
> > Mass production always lowers the price. That is not a fair comparison.
> > Somebody somewhere is quite happily making Cushcraft antennas for a much lower
> > price than these multi thousand dollar antennas.
> > 
> > Best regards - Brian Carling
> > AF4K Crystals Co.
> > 117 Sterling Pine St.
> > Sanford, FL 32773
> > 
> > Tel: +USA 321-262-5471
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> >> On Apr 10, 2015, at 11:56 AM, Jim Brown <jim at audiosystemsgroup.com> wrote:
> >> 
> >>> On Fri,4/10/2015 8:08 AM, Bry Carling wrote:
> >>> It seems like very few antennas are affordable to the average ham.
> >>> 
> >>> It seems like they need some competition. With prices in the multiple
> >>> thousands of dollars for a few aluminum tubes somebody could make lot of
> >>> money by being less expensive...
> >> 
> >> When we buy a product, we are paying for design, manufacturing, marketing,
> >> shipping, documentation, and support. None of that is free.
> >> 
> >> Want to reduce the cost of an antenna? No problem. Pull out the ARRL Antenna
> >> Book, pick a design, order the hardware, and build it. Or get some version of
> >> NEC and design it yourself.
> >> 
> >> While you're at it, keep track of the number of hours you spend. From the
> >> cost of those overpriced antennas, subtract what you paid for materials, and
> >> divide that number by the number of hours. Chances are it will be less than
> >> what you could make flipping burgers at McDonalds.
> >> 
> >> 73, Jim K9YC
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> 
> >> 
> >> 
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