MLS winter sale

One of the big UK dealers is holding a winter sale.

See https://www.hamradio.co.uk/wintersale.php .

MLS offers

MLS is offering some winter savings. For example, the ICOM IC7300 ships with a free PSU worth £89.95. Price drop soon? It should be much less by now.

See https://www.hamradio.co.uk/amateur-radio-base-station-radio-icom-base-station-radio-pc-309.php

MLS blunder?

The latest RadCom has an MLS advert for a 5W HF SDR transceiver from MyDel. If you read the ad (scroll down) it looks like MLS may have made a booby! The price looked very good. I suspect this was a Chinese transceiver judging by the price. It looks like the Chinese copied the design, which was not copyrighted, allegedly. I hope this ends in a good outcome for all parties.

See https://www.hamradio.co.uk/sdr-mydel/mydel/mydel-rs-918-compact-sdr-transceiver-pd-8208.php

Something for the weekend

As usual, MLS, a major UK dealer, has some special discounts. With the cashback the FT891 is £554.95. So, why is the IC7300 so expensive? Because we pay at these silly prices. Blame us.

See https://www.hamradio.co.uk/amateur-radio-pc-302.php

MLS offers

Yet again, I received a "something for the weekend" email from Martin Lynch. They also have offers on other items.

See https://www.hamradio.co.uk/ .

MLS discount for Christmas

One of the largest UK amateur radio retailers, MLS, is offering a £15 discount this Christmas for orders over £150. I suspect that orders are "thin" at this time of the year and this is to encourage us to spend. You cannot blame them.

More deals

This morning I got an email from Waters and Stanton offering 5% off in a "post Black Friday" deal. I expect MLS will be doing similar.

See http://hamradiostore.co.uk/ .

MLS Hog Roast

One of the major UK retailers, MLS, is holding a Hog Roast this weekend, Dec 3rd 2016.

See http://us13.campaign-archive2.com/?u=e333c5d40a2f50d7f47615328&id=1ef9d22431&e=e7d0ed0d96

Rally (of sorts)

Saturday 11 JUNE : MARTIN LYNCH @ 60!

Wessex House, Drake Avenue, Staines (Nr Heathrow), Middlesex, TW18 2AP

Martin Lynch wants to invite you to his 60th birthday party at his new superstore in Staines upon Thames. Customers old and new are invited, with the event co-hosted by Yaesu, Icom & Kenwood.  Instead of the usual hog roast, a 'fine-dining' experience of hot dogs and burgers(!) with hot & cold drinks.

A list of rallies can be found at http://rsgb.org/main/news/rallies/

Cynic - me?

As I grow older I think I am becoming a "grumpy old man" and a cynic.

This morning I see my email has yet another "something for the weekend" offer from one of the major UK amateur dealers with Yaesu mobiles at discounted prices. Now, these may be "lost leaders" to encourage us to buy other items. The cynic in me says two things. Firstly, are these items that are over-stocked or not selling well, possibly because there are lower cost Chinese radios around? Secondly, are these items over-priced anyway? Either way, I am not persuaded to buy.

Now, dealers have a tough job. They, rightly, have to make a profit. They have to cope with exchange rates that vary. But, are they taking us all as suckers? I am all for fair and reasonable margins, but please don't exploit us all. We are customers. We want you to remain in business for years to come but offer us fair prices! If you do, we will remain loyal customers. If you take us for a ride we will look elsewhere.

RadCom arrived today

The May 2016 RadCom arrived in the post today.

On the outside rear cover was an advert by MLS showing a £223000 Rolls Royce and a Yaesu FTdx9000NP for £8399. Do people really need their egos stroking so badly that they fork out this sort of money on what is supposed to be a hobby? Each to their own, but I could never spend this sort of money. Add a linear, HF beam and a big rotator and you are talking really serious silly money.

All I can say is I think this is very very sad. It is not for me to say how others spend their money, but I think this is about egos and not about amateur radio. I don't recognise this "cheque book radio" as being my hobby any more.

MLS deal on FT991

With a Yaesu cashback offer of £80 this "shack in a box" is available for £909.95 from MLS here in the UK including VAT. The Yaesu-ICOM price war has started.  Expect the IC7300 price to tumble soon.

See http://www.hamradio.co.uk/amateur-radio-main-equipment-base-station-radio-yaesu-base-station-radio/yaesu/yaesu-ft-991-only-909-95-after-cashback-pd-5621.php.

MLS selling ICOM IC7300s from today

Southgate News reports that MLS are selling IC7300 transceivers from today. It looks a nice radio but I think it is selling for too much. My opinion, others may disagree.

See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2016/march/ic_7300_announcement.htm .

More on the IC7300

See http://yo9irf.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/icom-ic-7300-review.html?utm_source=amateur-radio-weekly&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter .

YO9IRF takes a look at the IC7300. MLS is offering this for sale but at a price over £1000, which may interest "early adopters", but is much higher than most are prepared to pay, I believe. Expect the price to drop soon. Even with  the dollar and yen exchange rates, I think a much lower price should be expected and demanded.

£799 would seem a fair price to me. Don't forget that early radios are often riddled with bugs that later get sorted. This is the first time the transceiver will have been mass produced so it is quite likely this will occur, although not inevitable. Personally, I can wait.

I found this via Amateur Radio Weekly at AmateurRadio.com. Always a good source of data.

MLS Hog Roast today

A reminder that one of the largest UK amateur radio retailers has an event today until 4pm. MLS is holding its Hog Roast. If you are in the area, you may want to go along.

See http://www.hamradio.co.uk/  .

MLS FT991 video

MLS have dropped their price to match the competition this weekend, but I expect to see further falls soon They have a nice video introducing this radio.

RSGB Convention - Oct 9 to 11th (this weekend)

The convention programme of lectures (all interests) is available on the RSGB website.  The principal sponsor is Martin Lynch and Sons.

What a pity that the RSGB depends on sponsors, but I guess they need them these days. No doubt MLS, and other sponsors will have some good deals.

All rallies can be found at http://rsgb.org/main/news/rallies/

Even lower price for the Yaesu FT991

Steve G1KQH has just informed me that the Yaesu FT991 is being sold at £991 by Moonraker until stocks are exhausted or Oct 4th. I am sure we will see lower prices still in the months ahead. I can see MLS, Waters and Stanton and others doing battle.

The question is what price will the IC7300 be?  Once this becomes available there will be a price war between the UK dealers to offer the best deals. I expect even now a better deal can be had for the FT991 if paying cash and not looking for terms.

A price war is brewing....

Yaesu rebate (UK/ Europe)

I see MLS is offering rebates on Yaesu gear for the next few weeks. The rebate on the FT817 is £36, making the effective retail price around £413. As  far as I can see this is just a marketing ploy. A few years ago you could buy the FT817 for £349.

With the very good exchange rate currently I am surprised they don't just slash the price and clear the shelves ready for the replacement. All development costs for the FT817 were recovered years ago, so the true retail price should be below £400. Yet again we are being taken for a ride I think.

The prices are as they are because we, Joe Public, is prepared to buy at these prices. My heart bleeds for all the poor dealers.

Yaesu FT991

FT991 at www.hamradio.co.uk

There is only one commercial rig that I fancy and that is the FT991 from Yaesu.  This covers all HF including 50MHz as well as 144 and 432MHz. It does NOT cover 70MHz.  It also supports C4FM, not that this bothers me. For a 100W radio (it would get used at much lower powers) it is quite small. It is rated as a 50W radio on 144 and 432MHz.

Price in the UK is still too high at £1279.95. I am quite prepared to wait until the price reaches £999 or less. A price war will erupt soon between the main suppliers forcing prices downwards. Certainly by Christmas I expect it to be £999 with VAT. I can wait and wait. Of course, I suspect a cash price is already well below £1279, but I have not asked.

Of course, I'd prefer a 5W rig and if an FT817 replacement appears in the meantime that might well be considered at the right price. It is a pity they don't sell the 30W version which I suspect is available in Japan. Usual these are the S versions so keep an eye out for the FT991S. A true QRP version would be even better.

It appears there may have been some teething issues with the very first radios, but  these appear to have been resolved now. Most recent reviews on eHam have been very good.

See MLS at http://www.hamradio.co.uk/amateur-radio-main-equipment-base-station-radio-yaesu-base-station-radio/yaesu/yaesu-ft-991-hf-50mhz-vhf-uhf-base-station-transceiver-pd-5621.php.

For eHam reviews see http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/12025 .