2024-05-03 — 1600 Subscribers!, Why I’m Not Worried that MFJ Winding Down Presages a Downturn in Amateur Radio, John Hays K7VE Transitions to Silent Keyboard, John Hays K7VE SK
Thing about the "micro manufacturers" is that they don't have the capital or cashflow to walk a product through FCC Part 97 certification. It's one thing to introduce a Zero-Retries interesting product that might sell in the few dozen to a few hundred range, it's another thing completely to sell at the level of an MFJ. This is one reason why there are lots of SDR receivers and < 1 Watt transmitters, but very few full-blown SDRs (aside from the analog-emulators from Elecraft and Icom). No one can pay for certification, so stay below the radar and stay small.
Ready - On that point, we're in violent agreement. Small manufacturers creating products for niche, price-sensitive markets like Amateur Radio just don't have the capital to be able to do such work, thus they employ workarounds like selling the unit as a "kit" with "some assembly required" by the buyer. Often that "assembly" is minimal; one recent purchase was "just snap the pieces together and turn it on. That simple process was enough to qualify the unit as a "kit" and thus no certification was required.
Great vendor list! Thank you!
Rik WA4BAN
Henrik - Thanks... but that was hardly a comprehensive list. Those were just a handful that came readily to mind from recent mentions in Zero Retries.
Thing about the "micro manufacturers" is that they don't have the capital or cashflow to walk a product through FCC Part 97 certification. It's one thing to introduce a Zero-Retries interesting product that might sell in the few dozen to a few hundred range, it's another thing completely to sell at the level of an MFJ. This is one reason why there are lots of SDR receivers and < 1 Watt transmitters, but very few full-blown SDRs (aside from the analog-emulators from Elecraft and Icom). No one can pay for certification, so stay below the radar and stay small.
Ready - On that point, we're in violent agreement. Small manufacturers creating products for niche, price-sensitive markets like Amateur Radio just don't have the capital to be able to do such work, thus they employ workarounds like selling the unit as a "kit" with "some assembly required" by the buyer. Often that "assembly" is minimal; one recent purchase was "just snap the pieces together and turn it on. That simple process was enough to qualify the unit as a "kit" and thus no certification was required.