In a message dated 96-03-20 00:23:16 EST, you write:
>
>Yes!! I recently had a rash of Sylvania light bulb failures, too. Mine were
>100 watt "Double Life" Soft White bulbs that carry the following guarentee
>on the package: "If you are not satisfied with the performance of this
>bulb, return the proof of purchase seal to the address on the bottom of this
>package along with your name and address. It will be replaced with a new
>bulb free of charge."
Perhaps it's parasitics, rooted in a manufacturer's conspiracy to sell or
build bad products?
Just a humorus thought!
73 Tom
>From PAT DOYLE <DOYLEPS@LAKEHURST.NAVY.MIL> Wed Mar 20 14:32:02 1996
From: PAT DOYLE <DOYLEPS@LAKEHURST.NAVY.MIL> (PAT DOYLE)
Subject: Reply to 'Who will be the first to admit...' (a little
Message-ID: <s14fd1af.094@LAKEHURST.NAVY.MIL>
long)
In support of Atlas Radio, I must say that my
wife, N2XQI, and I visited their factory and
office in Solana Beach, CA, last spring. We were
in San Diego and decided to drive the 20 or so
miles north to see what they were doing.
They had a staff of about six. There were about a
dozen finished radios waiting for final testing.
Two radios had been recently shipped. There were
at least a dozen more "in-the-build." Herb's son
was running the operation and assisting in the
building and testing of the radios. He seemed
happy to show us what they were doing and he
demonstrated the radio for us. The receiver
sounded good. The transmitter output what was
advertised and looked good on a 'scope. He said
that his personal 400x worked well and was hoping
that he would be getting good reports from the
delivered units.
Based on published accounts, it sounds like they
encountered a cash flow problem. If they have
gone under, I think it is a shame. They were not
acting like a fly-by-night operation and seemed
truly interested in supporting amateur radio.
They are/were not a large corporation, like most
of the radio manufacturers from Japan. Cash flow
is especially important for a small company. When
it stops, so does your operation. From the
attitude that they projected, I don't believe that
they would intentionally stiff anyone. My father
has owned an Atlas 210x for almost 20 years. It
is not the most feature-filled radio, but it has
worked very well.
We discussed their previous radios. He pointed
out that their last previous radio in the late
70's, the 350x?, was a bit of a trail-blazer in
solid-state terms. 200+ watts output and a bunch
of other features. I don't remember all the
details. The problem was that it's assembly was
too complicated for mass production and the US
component supply began to be a problem. The
Japanese radios began to undercut them, forcing
them to go out of business or to go to bankruptcy
court.
This time around, they hoped to be able to get
enough product to market in time to keep cash-flow
positive, the goal of all businesses.
73 de KA2GSL
>From Spike Lazar <slazar19@sgi.net> Wed Mar 20 14:47:37 1996
From: Spike Lazar <slazar19@sgi.net> (Spike Lazar)
Subject: WPX Calls
Message-ID: <199603201447.JAA19825@orion.bv.sgi.net>
Dear Slim Whitman,
O'boy I can't wait to Bafoofinize all those poor wannabees who are going to
show up again for the wpx. You know the type, generally speaking, they're
the good guys who are just having just a normal weekend rag chewing about
their latest bladder surgery or their homebrew dipoles. An imagine the gall
these poor misguided turkeys have for not operating in the antenna or
surgery windows and occuping my valuable contest spectrum!
Being a lowly misplaced W9 in W3 Land is my perfect opportunity to assign
myself a new call. I have my voice keyer loaded up a week in advace, it
really sounds great! Cq Contest Cq Contest Wiskey Nine ** potable
World War Three! That should get me results!
The really cool thing is, the ones with the normal prefixs, I can bust their
gonoidals for calling with me those zero point qso's! Generally the few who
are obnoxious enough to hang in there and actually work me are the same ones
who high up in the wpx honor roll. They always qsl with a sase and I always
steam off the stamps and return them to the post office for a refund.
Each year with the profits realized from the wpx, I wine & dine the contest
committee at Dayton, and it does work. I was influential enough to have the
wpx rules changed from 30 to 36 hours, remember how long all the purest
complained about that. This year I'm going to lobby them to extend the
contest for the full 48 hours. Also I'm going to lobby on behalf of dem
loco clubs to have the rule changed to 500 miles, this should help those
loco's beat those unlimitted fat cat clubs.
Yes sir Slim, I'm all set to beat one of the notable wpx records of all
times, which I hold. The most cw wpx qso's and mults without ever scoring
a point, look it up for yourself.
Your humble servant,
Dr. Bafoofnik **** (Call witheld)
If you don't ask, I won't tell
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