[RVRC] WB0YLE on Wouxon

[E Drew Moore]

Excerpt from the Wouxon yahoo group digest May 21, 2010

 

 

Even HRO will have a hard time competing with this.

 

 

Yeah..when I went in to the New Castle DE store a week and half ago to pick
up a new legal limit tuner and supplies for field day, I also remembered to
ask the mgr if he had any of the female sma to BNC adapters, holding out my
HT.  He kind of sneered (such a pleasant fellow, you know...hihi) and said
something to the effect of "what, is everyone buying these things"?

 

I shot back....'let's see...brand Y (or K, or I)...350 dollars...brand
W...115 dollars....do the same thing...use the same programming cable...use
the same speakermic...probably made in the same factory...can't tell the
difference on the air...hmmmmmm...what can I buy with the 250 dollars I
saved???'  He just turned and walked away...but did give me the 2 adapters
gratis (considering I also dropped 6 bills with him that day...).

 

Remember what happened in the late 60s/early 70s as the Japanese electronics
started to flood the US in force, displacing the Zeniths, Magnavox's,
Motorola's, etc.?  A lot of it had to do with the cost of production and
perceived feature set.  It even destroyed Heathkit since their u-build model
fell apart since they couldn't even sell kits full of components for less
than fully assembled and full featured rigs.  Same thing happening here.

 

For the 95th percentile of us, there is NO functional difference between the
UVD1P and (pick your own favorite) HT from the usual suspects.  And the cost
of entry, thus initial investment, is more achievable.  If it breaks after 2
years?  Take the battery out, toss it.  It really is that inexpensive, and
who knows what they'll do with the feature set/technology they will develop
between now and then.  My local club even thought about buying a stock of
them and offering them to newly licensed techs at cost if they passed the
exams at the monthly session to get them OTA quickly with minimal
investment.

 

While I do have issues with the political system these are produced under
(and actively work in trying to keep them at a long arm's length in the IT
security field...), at this level, there is a real compelling reason why
even the big guns in the amateur equipment business are beginning to take
notice...now what they will do about it?  

 

(I'm betting that the AESs and HROs of the world will have them in the
catalogue before too long...perhaps not at the price point we're seeing
now...but certainly a lot less than brand Y, K, or I.)

 

As for mobile and base rigs...now, that would be an interesting development,
if the price percentage difference was maintained. A Y brand FTDX9000 at 10K
or an equivalent feature Wouxun at 3K, probably made in the same building
(wouldn't need the flashlight, though...).

 

Exciting times ahead.  No doubt, there will be a shift in the locus and
players, if history repeats itself.

 

Just my $.02 USD.

 

73 de WB0YLE

Bryan