[ICOM] Ham radio industry and other impacts

[WD8ARZ]

Time will tell what the impacts will be. The auto industry is already having 
to react to the changing schedules ... remember just in time? That sensitive 
schedule will have a domino effect that could affect items unexpectedly. Ham 
radio inventories for all but the newest of items is probably ok until some 
cause generates a rush on them.

Sure we would expect there to be a run on Geiger Counters .... have you 
tried to order one this week? Take a look at the Denver reading some one is 
feeding to the network ... need more of them out there to balance out error 
reports by the way.  http://www.radiationnetwork.com/  I have a unit on the 
way that will be added to this network soon after I receive it ... next 
week, next month??? Wished I had ordered one last year!!

Next week it could be portable radios for the field operations....
Or a run on batteries and flashlights .... generators, etc etc

Think of what the recovery / rebuilding in Japan is going to do to the 
supply and demand of those materials!

Hopefully your as prepared as you want to be other than the routine 
refreshing of items from time to time.... and  if your neighbors are too, 
even more peace of mind. There are concerns about any other 'events' that 
might occur, be them Mother Nature, or Man Kind generated. With the talk in 
the news about guns, I wouldnt be surprised that there will be another run 
on guns and ammo ....

Point is that many of the possible shortages will be created more out of 
perception than in error, than actually being a genuine production / 
distribution shortage.

Many of us have more than one set of station gear ... I am sure we could 
share and keep our commuities going for some time to come.

Me, I love ham radio, and would hate to be with out anything of need when 
its needed, but I think I will buy more toliet paper just in case ... hi hi

73 from Bill - WD8ARZ