Adam,
Adam Till wrote:
> Does anybody know why we're still forced to use single-frequency, crystal
> based radios? I've always wondered why you can get a $100 VHF radio with
> multi-channel capability, yet you have to go into the stratospheric ranges
> to get similar capability with a model TX. It better have more to do with
> cross-talk between channels and less about selling <somewhat expensive,
> expletive deleted> crystals and modules. Why, why, why?
>
I suspect it has to do with econonies of scale. If you can sell 1 billion radios
(near current market penetration of cell phones
world wide), then a lot of companies will put a lot of engineering into them. If,
however, the entire market for RC radios is
something like 30,000 units / year worldwide, then that is a different picture.
While the technology is available, and proven, it may not be economical to produce one
for the RC market. For example, if such a
radio could get licensed, and it worked perfect, how many people would pay $3500 for
one?
If such a radio were introduced to the RC market today, I expect it would have about
the price and market penetration that HDTV's do
right now.
The TX's we use now (and the RF decks in particular) are using existing, proven, and
relatively inexpensive technology, which fits
right into the budget of many modelers. Lately computers have been added to some TX,
RX, and servos to give added features, but at
some added cost.
My company is spending many many millions of $'s per year producing a new type of
radio technology that possibly may not be accepted
by the marketplace at all. These are the kinds of risks that companies have to face.
They can dream up a product, but to a
company's bottom line is:
- how much will it cost to design
- how much will each unit cost to build in X volume
- If I price in X profit, and sell it at some cost, then how many will the market buy
at that price?
Sometimes that last question kills a product before it is ever completely designed.
In the case of synthesized radios, you can see
that they are more expensive to make in the relatively small quantities that the RC
market demands. And since there are cheaper
alternatives (i.e those with one frequency and module), then most people choose the
cheaper, but adequate option for themselves.
And there we are...
Jon Stone
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