[ICOM] IC 706mkII G price

[Jerry Flanders]

At 19:12 3/2/2005, you wrote:

>  <SNIP>
>    From  Icom's perspective raising the price on the 706 was a very smart
>    thing to do. We as hams may not like it, but... so what?
>    Wayne
>    VE3CE
>----

I haven't checked this thoroughly, but I suspect ICOM didn't raise prices. 
Global prices are probably in-line with history.

Whenever ICOM AMERICA (a separate company) pays ICOM for stock shipments, 
the effect of the US dollar slide hurts ICOM AMERICA. They need more 
dollars to buy those yen. ICOM AMERICA has had to raise prices to 
compensate. They likely make business decisions as to how much and which 
products to re-price to recoup those dollars.

There is another side to this - I can remember years ago when prices for 
Japanese products went DOWN because the dollar went the other way. Lots of 
radio and camera bargains then.

I don't know how the Canadian dollar has fared vs the Yen, but I know the 
US dollar is down even with respect to the Canadian dollar. I will vacation 
in eastern Canada this summer and will have to spend considerably more to 
do it than in past years. American economic policy over the last few years 
is now affecting us more and more. Thanks, George.

Jerry W4UK