Dick: > On Mar 28, 2020, at 9:17 PM, Dick Dickinson <[email protected]> wrote: > > The Big Three Automobile manufacturers often looked towards peaks in Monday > auto sales after their models performed well in NASCAR races over the > weekend. > > > > I wonder if amateur radio manufacturers look for similar peaks following > contest events.
Interesting question, but there are huge differences in events: 1. The NASCAR race itself is very public and the results are known at the end of the race (contest). Such races are publicized through news media so that even those that don’t watch the race live can easily find out the results after the race. As part of the publicity, each team is described as a ‘Ford”, “GM”, “Honda”, team etc. even though the cars themselves are indistinguishable except for the label that is slapped on them. NASCAR fans indeed have ‘brand loyalty’ and may well be influenced by racing results. 2 An amateur contest is conducted in closed hamshacks running for significant periods of time (over a weekend) and no one necessarily knows who is competing until logs are submitted. Generally, no one knows (including the contestants) the results for a month or more after the event. And when the results are announced, the contestants are described by their name/call, location and perhaps club affiliation. No one is highlighting their equipment unless a photo is included in the article providing the contest results that provides a glimpse of their shack. Consequently, I seriously doubt that there are peaks in sales due to the results of specific contest events themselves. That said, we are seeing some equipment touted based upon advertising conducted by the manufacturers themselves: 1. Flex Radio touts their “SO2R” solution for contesters and others highlighting the ease of Flex products being able to operate SO2R with relatively minimal wiring/cabling. This includes having contesters explaining how they're benefiting competitively from Flex product offerings. 2. Manufacturers are supporting DXpeditions where the manufacturers themselves publicize their support for a particular operating group from some rare location. Both Elecraft and Flex have done this. In addition, the DX Team publicly highlights the financial support provided by major donors, including equipping their team with the equipment that is utilized. I can’t say that there is a direct correlation between specific contesting and DX events as having a correlation with amateur radio equipment sales. However, it is probably fair to say that manufacturers are now paying attention to contesters in helping to determine the features/bells & whistles being put into their products. Flex in particular has been doing that with their SmartSDR development. Their transceivers and PGXL amplifier are based in part of meeting contester preferences. Their strategy is presumably based in part of two factors: 1. Contesters are spending real $$$ on their stations to develop a competitive edge. When your focus is on the contest and not the wallet, they’re more likely to spend money on technology that will enhance their capabilities or provide ease of finding and making QSOs. 2 There is indeed a ’trickle down’ impact where the capabilities introduced to support contesters becomes available to other amateur operators. Again, Flex touts their focus on contesters because the contesters are in a sense underwriting the development effort by being ‘early adopters.’ However, once developed, features/capabilities become available to a wider audience who may be interested in taking advantage of particular new features that appeal to them. BTW, this isn’t necessarily a new phenomena. There has been plenty of technology developed for other markets over the past 10 years or so that have been introduced into amateur radio products (e.g. DOD/NSA-> amateur radio). Software Defined Radio has grown tremendously because organizations with ‘real money’ underwrite technology and product development that later gets introduced into the amateur radio market. FWIW, Barry Baines, WD4ASW Keller, TX > > > > > > As ever, > > Dick - KA5KKT > > > > ______________________________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:[email protected] > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > Message delivered to [email protected] ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[email protected] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to [email protected]
