No doubt the ARRL is far from perfect, and the separation between the
business side and editorial side of their businesses can be suspect.
However, note that even Consumer's Union, which does not accept
advertising, has been forced to admit that some of their automotive
testing procedures were tilted (no pun intended) to cause SUV rollover
by incorrect methodology, if I recall correctly. And, more recently,
they had to withdraw comparisons of child restraint seats due to
incorrect test protocols. NBC news did not get adequate results in their
side impact piece, so they rigged the vehicle to ignite upon collision
with some sort of igniter mechanism.
Jack
David Wilburn wrote:
There are some issues with the ARRL reviews also. They seem to be
very hesitant about saying anything much negative about rigs from the
big boys, but do not hesitate to call a smaller business out on issues.
The way they test is not always indicative of real world usage, as
highlighted in Tadeusz Raczek's, SP7HT, article "The DX Prowess of HF
Receivers" on the Elecraft website.
David Wilburn
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Jack Smith wrote:
In addition, a subjective review hits things that the manufacturer's
specs can't cover, such as:
- Ergonomics of control, menus, etc.
- For a kit, how difficult is it to build, how good are the instructions
- How is the manufacturer to deal with, should there be a problem
- How do the specifications translate into usable features and
performance
A more thorough review, such as that conducted by the ARRL, can
verify the claimed specifications. Those detailed reviews are,
unfortunately, difficult for the average ham to conduct, as they
require specialized test equipment and fair bit of experience to
interpret the results correctly.
I also think that a negative review that is a rant without reason is
appropriately discounted by the readers, compared with a negative
review that cites specific faults or dislikes.
In the interest of disclosure, I'm also the seller of a panadapter
kit that is purchased about 95% by K2 owners, although it was not
originally aimed at that market. I have one review of the Z90 on
Eham.com under Third Party Equipment rating it a 5/5.
Jack K8ZOA
www.cliftonlaboratories.com
Larry Phipps wrote:
I assure you it is! I market a digital wattmeter kit and almost
every customer I poll says that eHam.net reviews were either the
source of their initial exposure to my kit, or the deciding factor
in purchasing. Some visit the site regularly looking for products
with a rating of 5.0 or close and a large number of reviews, while
some go there to verify performance claims, which may seem hard to
believe otherwise in my case. Either way, it's by far my best
marketing tool followed by comments on reflectors and word of mouth
OTA, at club meetings, etc... all basically someone's opinion. I
suspect it's the same with Elecraft.
In other words, an impartial third party opinion counts more than a
manufacturer's claims.
73,
Larry N8LP
www.telepostinc.com
Wyn Hughes wrote:
A little marketing is good and well deserved for the Elecraft line
up in general, but I do wonder who with any average intelligence
would rely on a purely personal or subjective view. Marketing execs
tell us that people do listen to this kind of stuff, but do we? Is
this stuff worth powder and shot?
Anyhow, like Drake gear, all Elecraft stuff is by definition
"great", so who are we to argue or cause dissention among the foot
soldiers or centurions?
Best for the Lunar New Year to all
Wyn, VR2AX
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