Nick's quite entitled to his opinion, and being ex-forces has an understandable viewpoint on mildim, airlift and dressup - but these are perfectly valid hobbies, and ham radio itself is a hobby. It's just a little sad that apparently some fashions and trends are deemed acceptable - like the 200 series bricks from the 70s, yet exactly the same demand for certain interesting looking radios now is unacceptable.
I see here rag tag random people is mismatched ex-army camp doing paintball, then you see teams of airsoft people in identical and authentic camo with real dedication. I guess it's a proper team sport. Their radio needs are specific, and don't require networking and battleground command and control - just team level comms that work properly.
I personally find the word 'knockoff' indicative of a poor quality counterfeit product that is sold to people as the original brand. I have trouble with it being used to describe a product that is very expensive, and a serious expense for a hobbiest. Knockoff also suggests a poorly performing item, and again, they work very well and are as tough as the design they're based on. If TCI or another firm took another military radio - a mobile variant perhaps, and did the same thing, people would buy them. The vehicle collectors for example. Here in the UK, we have lots of Land Rover military vehicles restored and there's a shortage of more contemporary radio kit. Clansman radio are around, but nothing newer - and people restoring later vehicles have no products to buy. A 'knockoff' radio from the 80s would sell quite well and anything newer than that would be quite sought after in these circles.
