[Elecraft] GENERAL COMMENTS FROM WB8IDY
Alan Bloom
n1al at cds1.net
Fri Jan 7 17:06:01 EST 2011
I believe Heath and Drake had the first two synthesized HF amateur
transceivers on the market. (SB-104 and TR-7) And both had solid-state
gear before that. I don't think their problems were being late adopting
new technology.
IMO Heathkit went belly-up because of poor execution on a number of
their designs. The SB-104 for example had multiple issues (horrible
birdies, poor sensitivity, poor dynamic range, intermittent
oscillations, etc.)
The reports of Drake's death are greatly exaggerated. Although they no
longer manufacture ham equipment the company is alive and well.
Al N1AL
On Fri, 2011-01-07 at 13:44 -0800, k6rb at baymoon.com wrote:
> I don't disagree with Brian's plaudits for Elecraft's focus on customer
> service but that wasn't the primary reason that the companies he sited
> went out of business. In a book entitled "The Innovator's Dilemma," the
> author showed that large companies get caught when technologies change.
> Heath, Drake, Collins and others were leaders before solid-state
> technology advanced. They were simply not quick enough on their feet to
> make the switch to solid state that allowed Yaesu, Icom and Kenwood to eat
> their lunch. And, now, that software-defined radio has moved from
> edge-of-the-art to state-of-the-art, those companies are being surpassed
> as leaders by companies like Elecraft. Historically, leaders in one
> technology are not able to make the leap as quickly as new innovators who
> don't have the legacy baggage to drag behind them. IBM led in mainframes,
> but DEC and HP led in minicomputers, and so on. Nokia led in cell phones,
> but is having its lunch eaten by Apple, HTC, LG and Samsung in
> smartphones. Customer service is just one part of the complex reasons why
> new leaders emerge.
>
> Rob K6RB
>
> > I usually dont comment on these types of forums, and invariably someone
> > will find fault with your comments and take you to task. However; in spite
> > of that I feel burden to share the following perspectives with this group.
> >
> > I have had 69 years of experience, many levels of electronic maintenance,
> > from vacuum type electronics, in the 1950 through large scale integration
> > using computers and digital logic. Through this time the following has
> > happened to me.
> >
> > 1. I have seen the following go out of business Heathkit, Collins,
> > Drake,
> > and many others. As companies grew larger, they forgot their roots and
> > those
> > things which made their product so great.
> >
> > 2. I have IC 821 that was a great radio. Company after 6 years has
> > decided not to support the radio cant get parts. Solution: Throw it way
> > and
> > buy another radio. The same manufacture has decided not to sell another
> > produce last year because they new they had a lot of field problems
> > because
> > of the complaints of the customer. Their solution was to not support the
> > radio any more. I ask you is that customer service ? We all now the
> > answer.
> >
> > 3. Some manufactures have proprietary hardware chips and software. When
> > you
> > have problems and they have chosen at the corporate level not to support
> > or
> > move support services overseas to off shore companies, what happens. We
> > have
> > all had this happen to us with some computer companies. It is
> > ex-asperating.
> >
> >
> > I could go on, on and on, so here is my point. Elecraft Company is doing
> > it
> > right. Bring jobs back from over seas back to USA. Designing a great
> > product. It appears they wont leave you in the dark. Your support and
> > further purchases depend on your satisfaction. So lets continue to help
> > support in all ways to make this company stay in business.
> >
> > Brian Mc Inerney
> > WB8IDY
> > CF 989-859-9374
> >
> >
> > --
> > Brian McInerney WB8IDY
> > ______________________________________________________________
> > Elecraft mailing list
> > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> > Post: mailto:Elecraft at mailman.qth.net
> >
> > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> >
> >
>
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:Elecraft at mailman.qth.net
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
More information about the Elecraft
mailing list