[Lowfer] ZL1BPU exciter total cost estimate

[Lyle Koehler]

An estimate of $50 for the raw cost of the parts should be very safe if it's
in US dollars. However, there are nasty little add-ons like
shipping/handling and sales tax. I will get hit with MN sales tax from both
Digi-Key and Pioneer Standard, since one is in MN and the other has a sales
office somewhere in the state. The shipping/handling charges are a real
pain, because every project seems to involve orders from several suppliers.
On this one, for example, Digi-Key has the TCXOs but not the TDA7052A;
Pioneer Standard apparently doesn't have the TCXOs (it's hard to tell
because they don't index their on-line catalog). Then there's the DB9 serial
connector, the RF output and power connectors, the case and the output level
pot, which are a lot cheaper from places like Mouser, and if you don't have
any toroid cores in your junkbox, it involves another order from Amidon,
Bytemark or one of those places. By the time you get done, the project cost
is doubled. Sigh!

Lyle, K0LR