[Boatanchors] Re: Today's gear in 2055?

[Jim Wilhite]

One has but to try to find some of the processors in ham 
equipment produced just 5 - 10 years ago today to find what 
you are speaking about in modern commercial equipment.  It 
will be gone after the lightning strike or when a voltage 
surge comes down the electrical line.

Change for the better is one thing, change for the sake of 
change is not good for anyone.

73  Jim
W5JO


Sheldon Daitch wrote:
> There is a parallel between the below concern and our experience
> with modern day broadcast equipment.  Not withstanding the
> issues of equipment reliability in a 24/7 operation, the
> energy savings from today's modern equipment and the tax
> ramifications of depreciation, none of these generally are of
> concern to the ham/boat anchor area, I submit that it will almost
> be impossible to maintain a large fleet of today's equipment
> 50 years from now.

> The newer transmitter, all solid state, but at the same power,
> relies on software and firmware for proper operation and I
> suspect at some point, we will be unable to get small parts
> for it.  Already, one major A/D - D/A chip is unavailable and
> a replacement module board for that stage has been marketed by
> the transmitter manufacturer.
> 
> I submit we will probably get into the same situation with
> equipment in the nature of the IC-7800, unless there happens to
> be a pool of excessed units is maintained as parts bins for
> a decreasing operational "fleet" of 7800s.  I realize this is not
> much different than parts for today's 50 year old gear, but so
> many components used in our boat anchors can be fabricated
> or replaced with newer discrete components.  Unless there is
> a hugh demand for repair parts or someone with big bucks can
> reverse engineer specialized ICs used in today's equipment,
> even the 7800 might not be around, other than display units.
> 
> The technology is moving too fast, me thinks.
> 
> 73
> Sheldon
> WA4MZZ
>