$200 Rubber Duck Antenna

[prcguy]

Their are lots of rubber duck type antennas that cost $200 on up, just look at what's on newer broad band military radios. I have drawers full of them.

For $200, you could buy the rubber plantation!

 

[KK4JUG]

Their are lots of rubber duck type antennas that cost $200 on up, just look at what's on newer broad band military radios. I have drawers full of them.

Yeah, but that's the government. I could buy the same antennae for $19.95 and probably with shipping included.

 

[prcguy]

Some of them are very complex with expensive connectors and components. Plus the manufacturing process has many inspections and lots of people are involved with lots of salaries and overhead, etc. Just the engineering phase of the antenna could have taken many people months of work before the first antenna was produced and the total amount of antennas may not be that many, causing the end price to include engineering costs, etc. These are not garage based companies run by one person.

The high prices on most military antennas and electronics is justified. I worked for the largest US aerospace company in the 80s and 90s and experienced everything I mentioned above.

Yeah, but that's the government. I could buy the same antennae for $19.95 and probably with shipping included.

 

[KK4JUG]

That was an attempt at humor but I see I hit a sensitive spot. My bad. I'll back out of this one.

 

[KevinC]

Sounds about right for that seller. What a scumbag.

Ouch!

 

[prcguy]

I'm not trying to bite anyone's head off, sorry about that. I have this same conversation several times a year and a lot of people are not aware of what a Govt contractor goes through to produce stuff.

I've had some modern late model surplus radios at a ham swap meet in the past, radios that easily sell in the several $K on up range and have had hams tell me they could build the same radio for $50 so why should they give me market value of several $K? I think I did bite that guys head off and we have all probably had that conversation with super miserly hamsters on equipment prices.

I guess I'm still in the swap meet guy mode and didn't realize it was a tongue in cheek kind of post.....

That was an attempt at humor but I see I hit a sensitive spot. My bad. I'll back out of this one.