[Hallicrafters] More SX-88

[WA1KBQ at aol.com]

RE: Icom IC-7800 $10,599.99 Are they  Kidding?  
by K0RS on May 5, 2004 Mail this to a friend! 
I think  it's great that Icom takes the amateur market seriously enough to 
even bother  producing a radio like this. They sure didn't do to make money. 
Judging from the  hams I see at swapmeets, most are to damn tight to even invest 
in a bar of soap.  The mystery is why the whiners take so much offence at the 
fact Icom has built a  perfectly nice radio for the high end market. 

Icom will never recoup  their development costs for this radio, regardless of 
how successful it is. This  product is a "loss-leader," intended to establish 
a corporate image for the  company rather than sell like hot cakes. 
Hallicrafters did exactly the same  thing in the '50's with their beautiful SX-88...in 
order to steal a little  thunder from Collins. Every SX-88 sold at a loss to 
Hallicrafters, but the  company's reputation soared. The development and 
production costs of the 7800  will be written off as advertising. Ironically, the 
purchaser will be getting a  radio that should probably sell for much more, if 
it was intended to be  profitable. It's a great deal...if you can afford it.  

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