[1000mp] IMD improvement

Tue, 16 Apr 2002 15:07:38 -0600

Hi John:

"Low Cost Wins" is certainly the name of the game as far as profit is
concerned. I too served as a Product Manager and as GM of Product & Business
Planning for a large computer firm. In our OEM Division (where I was,) cost
was a definite consideration, but reliability and performing to specs were
even more critical. The thing that 'plagued' us was the need to be able to
supply a number of different customers with their 'very own' brand product
and not have to have too many different engineering designs and
manufacturing lines.

I can well remember one exciting day when our Marketing/Sales group made a
bid that was below our current product cost and won it. We were all elated
because the huge production volume increase would reduce our fixed and
current component costs dramatically getting us slightly below break-even (a
profit) on the new business and providing very significant margin increases
on our existing business.

I think I agree with you that we amateurs really do get a lot for our money
when we purchase today's commercial radios. (I do like my 'MP's too and I
really would not like to try to design and build a multiband, solid-state
transceiver - much less do it for the retail cost of current units). The
current discussion though, is directed toward how we might improve the
transmitter characteristics within the economic envelope that the designers
and manufacturers must work with if they wish to stay in business. There is
simply nothing like high production volumes to reduce costs -- all types of
costs. I fear that is the problem for us amateurs. Our volume demand is
relatively small compared to the demand for personal entertainment products
such as 'game boys' and 'Play Stations'. Still, if we make known the things
that we feel are important to us when we make 'buy' decisions, there is some
possibility that those things will be incorporated into the products that
are being considered now.

Tod, KOTO

-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected]
[mailto:[email protected]]On Behalf Of John R. Winward
Sent: Tuesday, April 16, 2002 4:09 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [1000mp] IMD improvement

Tod,

It has been my experience as a now retired Product
Manager, that unless you have a government
contract where you are building to a Mil-Spec, the
bottom line was;

"Low Cost Wins".

Actually, all things considered, I think we
amateurs get a "Heck of a lot" for our money
compared to commercial equipment. Do you remember
the "Mil-Spec'd Signal One" at $11K, or the
ruggedized Icom IC-781 at a large cost also? I
love my MP.

John, K3AOT

Tod-Idaho wrote:

> I have revised the subject so we don't lose focus or unnecessarily
irritate
> anyone.
>
> Ed (or anyone else who may have input):
>
> As a matter of curiosity, do you or anyone you know have any idea of what
> cost/price increase might be required to achieve the -36 dB and -46 dB
> figures on a production basis?

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