Carl R. Stevenson wrote:

Joe, I'd gladly use the Analog Devices DDS chips if they offered them in
something other than a SadoMasochistic Device (SMD) package. It's a darn
shame they can't make a limited run (say 10k) of some of these chips in a
PDIP package for hams and other r.f. experimenters.

That would be cost-prohibitive ... to tool up to make the parts in
obsolete packages that the production line is no longer using would
cost a fortune.

Absolutely right, Carl - it ain't gonna happen.

A very good article in 'Communications Quarterly' (RIP) explained how
the IC samples system works. Basically the economics of complex ICs are
the same as for developing a new drug - most of the selling price is
aimed at recovering the large upfront development costs. By comparison,
once the line is set up and rolling, the *production* cost of the actual
parts (or pills) is often quite minimal. It's a very good investment to
give away samples as bait, if they're going to help reel in orders for
large quantities.

Analog Devices (and also Maxim) are very clear that samples supplied to
amateurs are much less likely to bring in orders than those supplied to
commercial developers... yet they do it anyway, for the public good, and
because it doesn't cost them much. And we're very grateful for it.

But that's as far as their charity extends. As Carl says, nobody is ever
going to provide free samples of anything for which there's no
commercial market.

Frankly, it's also as far as charity to amateurs and other experimenters
*should* extend. They are not in business to featherbed us.

Fortunately, most amateurs have a "can do" attitude towards SMD. This
just arrived on another mailing list:

I broke my neck a few years ago and due to nerve damage my hands don't
work as well as they did but I was able to do the mod
[which involved SMD work on a $2000 transceiver]
without much trouble. I did it before the rig had even been on the
air, brand new out of the box, scary, yes but worth it.

I'm proud to be in the same ham community as that person.


--
73 from Ian G3SEK 'In Practice' columnist for RadCom (RSGB)

http://www.ifwtech.co.uk/g3sek