On Thu, 2008-04-17 at 20:43 +0300, Geoffrey S. Mendelson wrote:
> On Thu, Apr 17, 2008 at 12:12:00PM -0500, Lyle Dunlap wrote:
>
> > New generation of hams are like the new married couples. They want to
> > start
> > out with everything, complete with white picket fence and new car in the
> > garage.
>
> My point exactly, but written from the what can Ten-Tec do about it
> point of view.
>
> Ten years ago, my landlord saw my bug on a table and said "the Internet
> made that all obsolete". This is in a country that had only had private
> access to the Internet for less than two years.
>
> The new generation of people see things differently than we do, and
> they are willing to spend money. Most of the people I know have limited
> budgets for hobbies, so $200-$300 is about as far as they would go.
>
> For that money you will not find a used rig that can be plugged in,
> connected to a wire antenna and used. Bear in mind their entire
> "ham radio experience" if they have been on the air at all has been
> 2m FM.
Well, the Kenwood TS-120 and 130 have been selling in that price class
for a couple years. They do need an antenna tuner (like all solid state
radios) but have enough bells and whistles to be useful, but not so many
as to confuse the neophyte.
Otherwise for CW and digital modes there are many QRP products that can
be a learning experience to build and to use. Might not cover DC to
light, might only cover 7040+/- 10 KHz.
>
> I figure we have two choices, tell them how good they have it,
> and why they should make do with 20 year old radios that don't
> work the way they think, or sell them something they understand
> and want. You're welcome to do what you want, I prefer to try the
> later.
>
> Geoff.
>
73, Jerry, K0CQ
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