RadioBanter - View Single Post

April 29th 04, 11:10 PM

(Fractenna) wrote in message ...
My name is Kevin, Mr. Fractenna. The reason I don't call the reps is
because I am not nearly as interested in the numbers they tell me as I
am in the numbers that folks have already negotiated. In this way
when I eventually call them I have an idea of how much I am getting
ripped off. Last time I called a rep he wanted me to pay 60 cents for
a nickel part. So how much I am overpaying is the answer I am after.

You indicate that you are aware of less expensive alternatives to
4003. Would you kindly let me know what those are. Are we talking
materials other than FR408? BTW the frequency is in the 3-4GHz band,
so loss tangent and other stuff only somewhat matters. There is a
price/efficiency tradeoff in play. I would like to 'see the whole
field' before I decide which way to run.

Thanks.
Kevin Smith

...and that's exactly why you need the reps in.

We do thousands of square feet of PCB a year, and we never had to use a
newsgroup to figure out a good price, or ask anyone in the way you suggest.
Call the reps. If you want to play games, then you can invite them over on the
same day and ask for their best price.

The substrate houses are eager for business and you owe it to good
vendor-customer relationships to play it straight. That's my opinion. But hey,
what do I know:-)?

BTW, putting FR4 and 4003 in the same sentence indicates you may really need
the vendors to fill you in: No one uses FR4 efficiently at those freqs--lousy
loss tangent. OTH, I, personally, do not choose 4003 much due to cost, save
for very specific high margin needs. But others, of course, may choose these
great product according to their needs.

73,
Chip N1IR

Mr. Fractenna you call it games, everyone else calls it business and
the reps are playing. Are you SURE you are getting the best price for
those thousands of square feet? What if you could knock it down by a
penny/sq in? What better place than a forum like this to figure out
what the right price is?

BTW I know the differences between FR4 and 4003 properties. I don't
know the difference in cost so I only have half the equation (if you
look above, I told you that there is a cost/efficiency tradoff in
place for my application).

BTW You have NOT answered one question I asked so far. It would be
helpful if you either answered the questions or stopped wasting my
time. You, my friend are the one that's playing games.