[ICOM] FW: Icom Prices... long

[Bill NY9H]

At 08:23 AM 5/23/2007, you wrote:
>What would happen? They'd stop producing amateur radios.

I sent a letter to TenTec about 15 years ago complaining about 
certain issues on the then new Omni 5. Among other more critical 
issues, I compared the fit and finish compared to my Icom products. I 
received back a nice long letter talking about the economics of 
building radios.
Specifically about how TenTec must spread engineering costs across 
many fewer radios..now my words.. that leaves much less  for parts or 
profit.""  a radio for $3,000 from icom ( selling 10 or 20 times or 
more per model)  either has more profit for icom , and/or more money 
for parts and or engineering .....and fit and finish.

Don't forget that Icom has a highly automated plant ( in Osaka, JA ) 
to crank out the SMT boards. While the production equipment costs 
"billions" it increases productivity dramatically cutting 
costs...increasing reliability.

Can you tell I like ICOM...  I like TenTec also , but Mr. Inoue's 
machine is made and sold $ 242,000,000 in 06. That is a big pile of radios.

bill ny9h