The Perfect Ham Store?
 

All,

I know this sounds like a troll, but it is not, I assure you. I am at
a point where I may be forced to consider a career change. My wife
wants to teach at a reservation for the next several years, and as I do
not see very many days left in my 20 odd-year career as a software
designer, I am very much tempted to take her up on this.

Since I have a had an abiding interest in building amateur gear from
parts, and since I hear a lot of complaints on this group about certain
retail chains not being responsive to amateurs, I thought I should do a
little bit of "market research" and ask my potential customers what
they might want to see from my store if I should start one.

I know that I can't be all things to all people, and I also know from
Idiots Guide to Starting a Business that retail sales can be a tough
row to hoe.

My few advantages are that I would (hopefully) thoroughly know my
product, that I would be organized where a lot of scrap shops aren't,
that I would listen to what the customer wants, and that I wouldn't be
going into this simply for sentimental reasons but hopefully to make a
small profit to supplement my wife's earnings

So, what is the perfect homebrewer store for you all?

1) Lots of discretes at low prices?
2) Transceiver and other kits sold at slight markup?
3) Parts kits and boards for successful homebrew designs found on the
net?
4) A depot to drop off and buy antique gear and test equipment?
5) Home-made precision such as crystal filters, diode mixers, amplifier
modules?

Anything I haven't thought of?

Thanks,

The Eternal Squire

wrote in message
oups.com...
All,

I know this sounds like a troll, but it is not, I assure you. I am at
a point where I may be forced to consider a career change. My wife
wants to teach at a reservation for the next several years, and as I do
not see very many days left in my 20 odd-year career as a software
designer, I am very much tempted to take her up on this.

Since I have a had an abiding interest in building amateur gear from
parts, and since I hear a lot of complaints on this group about certain
retail chains not being responsive to amateurs, I thought I should do a
little bit of "market research" and ask my potential customers what
they might want to see from my store if I should start one.

Have you considered military/industry surplus/salvage along the lines of
Fair Radio Sales in Ohio or Skycraft Parts in Florida? I can't speak for
Fair but Skycraft turns in a very handsome profit six days a week year after
year and they are always crowded with patrons from kids building a crystal
set to aerospace engineers. There are breaks for a salvage operation as
well. Maybe it would be worth you while to visit them.

DRMS (Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service)
http://www.drms.dla.mil/

Ok.... you asked for it... lol
New hams and lots of us OT's have been frustrated at the hodge podge
arrangement of radios and accessories. Why the new person always asks
is what should I buy..... The ad's and tech info on the products need to
have a "boiled" down list of what it takes to make it all work. i.e.
examples
of radio antenna match need? Power supply? key? mic? Amp? Vertical ?
Slope?
dipole? random wire. Play radio only at home or in car too. Poor lids.
:-( and the whole
works for recommended uses like DX or contest or just rag chew.
Maybe several "typical STATION set ups for a few ranges of total cost"
Even for an OT you just cant tell from the ad's what it's going to cost in
the end
or what it will do or not do very well.

Hope your career lasts a while... seeing all the sw jobs going over seas
just
like the mfg jobs have. Hope they plan to sell the products over seas...
no one here will have a job/money to buy it.

Load Accumulator what? Which mag core ? tube! Reset!!!!
Sure ain't C or what ever else has come along in the last 10 years
since I got to retire and play with my toys. LOL

A straight key is the one for the ignition huh?

Good luck 73 K4TWO

A good Elmer list of hams who can show off their stations
and be able to "guide" a new person into the hobby without
going broke and with enough knowledge that what ever the
Elmer is showing has taken a good while to accumulate.
What ever station you build... its never right forever so it is a
life time job of rebuilding the new station for the new
and varied aspects of ham radio. Even the ARRL
handbook is an accumulation of many folks efforts.
Ham Radio is just TOO big to be a master of all
the hobby. (although some declare that they are LOL)

I didn't have an Elmer so many years back as a
novice, I was pizzzed off for 2 years before I learned
that DX didn't live in my novice band.

P.S. Make it all free, won't last long but be big hit.

You do plan on a web site eh? I have bought most of
my recent "ham stuff" on ebay or other places on the web.
By the time I spend gas and time shopping or going to
hamfests, I can have the same items shipped the next day.
Just won four 50mhz crystal mobile rigs for $6 costs more
to ship them than the purchase fee from ebay auction. But
look out 6m here I come. Tune Tweek Diddle Diddle smoke.
I need a big garage.

Need good pictures / prices and web site to sell these days.
Most commercial places are too cheap (price fixing?) to put
prices in mag' advert's and web advert's some dont even
put an email address up due to spam and customers that
are unhappy.

Yeah, I got my rag chew award a long time back lol

A copy of an email I sent to the ARRL recently below:

ALL the files and adverts I see in QST or on the web can drowned and
overwhelm a new ham.
What is ALWAYS missing is "what this radio needs to work is.... AC line...
DC power supply... Antenna match... Types of Antennas a user might connect.
Sheeez get some of the basics out to the "New Hams" they want to sell
these things too.
Let them know about how much MORE it is going to cost than the listed price
of the current unit under test.
How about a Key or Speaker or Mic, need a rotor?.... Come on lets get the
newbies a chance to spend his few dollars with out getting
a box and then wish for Christmas to come so he/she can connect it up and
really get on the air.
Go look at the advert's and "reviews" as though you were NEW to the hobby
and about to invest some hard earned money.
While most of the tech info can be impressive, it is fluff to a newbie.
Just tell me how it worked and what needed to make it usable.
How much were all those "options they said were available?" Money for what
filter? What warrantee??? It is the price of a car is it 5 years too?
Thanks.... Hope this message gets to where it will do some good.
Might even put some "shop and compare tables" out for them.
I been around a long time and was getting ready to upgrade from my GTX757II
to a "last good radio" for my retired years and wading through
all the poo has just about put me off buying another radio. I did apply
for a new 4 land call for retired call... I hope Vanity call. Can get a
little vain when that's all that is left. hihi
I just spent 2 days rebuilding the optical dial that froze up in my 757 so I
better move on before it gets arthritis again.
Now WHAT to buy?? eh


wrote in message
oups.com...
All,

I know this sounds like a troll, but it is not, I assure you. I am at
a point where I may be forced to consider a career change. My wife
wants to teach at a reservation for the next several years, and as I do
not see very many days left in my 20 odd-year career as a software
designer, I am very much tempted to take her up on this.

Since I have a had an abiding interest in building amateur gear from
parts, and since I hear a lot of complaints on this group about certain
retail chains not being responsive to amateurs, I thought I should do a
little bit of "market research" and ask my potential customers what
they might want to see from my store if I should start one.

I know that I can't be all things to all people, and I also know from
Idiots Guide to Starting a Business that retail sales can be a tough
row to hoe.

My few advantages are that I would (hopefully) thoroughly know my
product, that I would be organized where a lot of scrap shops aren't,
that I would listen to what the customer wants, and that I wouldn't be
going into this simply for sentimental reasons but hopefully to make a
small profit to supplement my wife's earnings

So, what is the perfect homebrewer store for you all?

1) Lots of discretes at low prices?
2) Transceiver and other kits sold at slight markup?
3) Parts kits and boards for successful homebrew designs found on the
net?
4) A depot to drop off and buy antique gear and test equipment?
5) Home-made precision such as crystal filters, diode mixers, amplifier
modules?

Anything I haven't thought of?

Thanks,

The Eternal Squire

) writes:
All,

I know this sounds like a troll, but it is not, I assure you. I am at
a point where I may be forced to consider a career change. My wife
wants to teach at a reservation for the next several years, and as I do
not see very many days left in my 20 odd-year career as a software
designer, I am very much tempted to take her up on this.

Since I have a had an abiding interest in building amateur gear from
parts, and since I hear a lot of complaints on this group about certain
retail chains not being responsive to amateurs,

You do realize that for some reason people like to gripe about Radio
Shack. They have contempt for the place, while all the while expecting
it to deal with them.

Radio Shack hasn't been a main place to buy parts since a few years after
Tandy bought it in the sixties. Selection was/is limited and prices high.
They were a great place to get something quick, because a store would likely
be nearby, and a place to get them in the off hours.

But just because people like to gripe about Radio Shack doesn't mean
a thing about the state of buying parts generally. Note they are griping
at one store, not talking about other places.

There are plenty of places to buy parts. Sadly they may not be in a cluster
downtown in your city, which was the case decades ago. But they still
exist. Some places have risen up to deal with specialty items, filling
a void that is missing. Amidon is a classic example, starting at a time
when toroids were virtually unknown, and being the standard for buying
the cores in small quantities (be it the hobbyist or the prototyper).

So you really need to not be looking at the griping at Radio Shack,
or Radio Shack itself, but at what exists today and whether it
can fill the market, or if there are gaps that need filling.

Michael VE2BVW

My opinion, the easist way to profit is by unique product development
and marketing, or in the service sector. I just can't see making a living
in amateur radio retail... the competition is stiff and the profit margins
are small.

You are a software developer? I suggest you use your talents to develop
something in the amateur software area. Can't off hand suggest more
specifically, but digital radio, digital voice, and even video are areas
one might look into. Then there are the other peripheral products like
logging, QSL, maps, world time and geographical info, radio control,
propagation info, antenna measurement, etc, and a whole lot more I can't
even think of at the moment.. Good luck.

Ed K7AAT

Don't forget the 3-feet cardboard box filled with junk.

Ah, yes, I remember those well from hamfests.

I wonder, should I be the equivalent of FTD and offer to ship
3 foot cardboard boxes of unsorted electronics in lieu of flowers
for the YL or YM who really wants to say 88's to that special
ham in thier life?? :) :) :)

It would save on cataloging:)

Keep those suggestions coming, please!

wrote in message
oups.com...

little bit of "market research" and ask my potential customers what
they might want to see from my store if I should start one.

Of course, market guidance is a good thing, but keep in mind that this
newsgroup is probably far from representative.

So, what is the perfect homebrewer store for you all?

DigiKey, with some RF parts added.

1) Lots of discretes at low prices?

There are lots of places to get discretes. This is no longer the problem it
used to be. The problem is getting them at a local store. RS used to fill
that bill, and there used to be a number of local electronics retailers.
But to tap that market, you need to be everywhere. In a market large enough
to justify that sort of presence, there are already competitors.

2) Transceiver and other kits sold at slight markup?

What can you offer that AES and the like can't? Unfortunately, I think a
lot of stores suffer from spending time helping folks understand the
products, only to have the customer go get it at Texas Towers for five bucks
less. Hams are cheap. If you are going to sell transceivers you gotta be
near the lowest price. Now maybe a wide range of kits might be a market
with little competition.

3) Parts kits and boards for successful homebrew designs found on the
net?

There are a lot more homebrew possibilities out there than there are kits,
but that is a pretty low margin market. Still, I wonder if something simple
like providing parts kits for FAR Circuits boards might not be a
possibility. Provide a needed service and keep your costs down by
leveraging someone else's board mill.

4) A depot to drop off and buy antique gear and test equipment?

Again, you need to be everywhere. If your wife plans on working on a
reservation, it sounds like the place you will be might be a pretty small
market.

5) Home-made precision such as crystal filters, diode mixers, amplifier
modules?

Filters might work. Mixers, amps etc are already available from
Minicircuits. But filters for common homebrew IFs might be a market.

Anything I haven't thought of?

One thing that occurs to me is that almost any project nowadays involves a
microcontroller of some type, typically a PIC or AVR. Even though
programmers are trivial to build, the need for a programmed micro is a show
stopper for a lot of potential builders. That might make an interesting
niche.

Take a look at the successful guys.

DigiKey has almost a half million SKUs. Although they are shy on RF parts,
for almost anything else you want they are gonna have it. They have a
fabulous search facility on their website and the best customer service on
the planet. Their prices might not be the best, but they make up for it by
being terribly easy to deal with.

AES is an expert at lightening your wallet. Their prices are pretty low,
when you call them you will talk to someone who knows what it is you want.
And the next day the rig shows up on your doorstep. Simple, painless, and
close to the lowest price.

Ever call International Crystal for a crystal? Their prices may be high,
but they will make sure you get exactly what you need. If you have a
commercial radio, no matter how obscure, they know what kind of crystal it
takes. Doing something weird? Tell them about your circuit. They are
dedicated to getting you what you need.

If you are going to be out in the boondocks, like it sounds, then you need
something you can do online. The good news is that is relatively cheap.
The bad news is that now you are competing with an entire planet full of
competitors, so you need to come up with something really unique.

...

Sage advice!

"If you are going to be out in the boondocks, like it sounds, then you
need
something you can do online."

Not totally boondocks. The place where my wife will be working can be
seen from the Interstate. All along the Interstate for bunches and
bunches of miles can be seen places where one can get souveniers and
inexpensive Native jewelery and other handicrafts. Along roads in all
directions for hundreds of miles are signs leading to these various
places.

I have been tempted to try some type of Doctor Demento theme type
technological curiosity shop stocked with ham kits, gear, and license
guides, as well Jacob's Ladders, black light lamps, crystal sets, and
introductory science stuff for the pre-teens... it might fit right in
with the rest of the tourist trap area but I'm really uncertain I want
to completely take my chances on it.

"The good news is that is relatively cheap. The bad news is that now
you are competing with an entire planet full of
competitors, so you need to come up with something really unique."

Ah, yes, the perils of globalization, which caused what I do best to be
offshored in the first place. This is kidding: now its a contest
between one expensive genius versus a planetfull of poorly paid
geniuses working for a multinational. The latter will win every time.

At least I won't be too bored reversing roles with my wife for the next
couple years:

While I wait for my ham customers to drive in, I could do software
and/or hardware R&D.

The IF idea sounds definitely good.

More ideas, anyone?

wrote in message
oups.com...
All,

I know this sounds like a troll, but it is not, I assure you. I am at
a point where I may be forced to consider a career change. My wife
wants to teach at a reservation for the next several years, and as I do
not see very many days left in my 20 odd-year career as a software
designer, I am very much tempted to take her up on this.

Since I have a had an abiding interest in building amateur gear from
parts, and since I hear a lot of complaints on this group about certain
retail chains not being responsive to amateurs, I thought I should do a
little bit of "market research" and ask my potential customers what
they might want to see from my store if I should start one.

I was reading the responses to your post when a thought prompted me to add
another comment. The electronics market for the amateur in Japan is
exceedingly more developed that what it is here in the US. Every now and
then I hear of interesting amateur equipment, electronics devices and parts
that, for some reason, are not available in the US---I sure would like to
have one of those Sony automobile receivers with short-wave. Heaven knows
what they have for the computer hobbyist. Possibly, an import operation of
sort can fill the void---an interesting niche.

For the life of me I can't remember what part of Tokyo the famous
electronics district is in.

Maybe I shouldn't have posted this---the idea sounds good to me too.

Tom wrote:
wrote in message
oups.com...

All,

I know this sounds like a troll, but it is not, I assure you. I am at
a point where I may be forced to consider a career change. My wife
wants to teach at a reservation for the next several years, and as I do
not see very many days left in my 20 odd-year career as a software
designer, I am very much tempted to take her up on this.

Since I have a had an abiding interest in building amateur gear from
parts, and since I hear a lot of complaints on this group about certain
retail chains not being responsive to amateurs, I thought I should do a
little bit of "market research" and ask my potential customers what
they might want to see from my store if I should start one.


I was reading the responses to your post when a thought prompted me to add
another comment. The electronics market for the amateur in Japan is
exceedingly more developed that what it is here in the US. Every now and
then I hear of interesting amateur equipment, electronics devices and parts
that, for some reason, are not available in the US---I sure would like to
have one of those Sony automobile receivers with short-wave. Heaven knows
what they have for the computer hobbyist. Possibly, an import operation of
sort can fill the void---an interesting niche.

For the life of me I can't remember what part of Tokyo the famous
electronics district is in.

Akihabara


Maybe I shouldn't have posted this---the idea sounds good to me too.

Tom,

The district in question is the Ahikhabara (sp?). From what I have
heard and read it is the largest elex flea-market in the world.

There is also the possibility that we could import discretes and other
parts directly from small shops in India and China.

The only problem is that it seems that US Customs import duties for
electronics coming in from Japan are rather punitive to small-time
operators. Maybe I am wrong.

Maybe you and I should go into this one together :)

The civilised Japanese, technologically and socially, are much in
advance of the so-called western democracies, excepting perhaps the
Scandinavians. The Chinese and Indians are very rapidly catching up.

In the meantime, the well-armed Americans are slowly descending into
civil war.

There is also the possibility that we could import discretes and other
parts directly from small shops in India and China.

The only problem is that it seems that US Customs import duties for
electronics coming in from Japan are rather punitive to small-time
operators. Maybe I am wrong.

Maybe you and I should go into this one together :)
====================================
In Britain there are few 1 man or family companies selling components.
Have a look at
www.modecomponents.co.uk
www.jabdog.co.uk
www.sycomcomp.co.uk

In western european countries there are a number of traders selling surplus
components incl RF parts ,who move from fleamarket to fleamarket ,from
country to country. A number buy surplus army kit from eastern europe and
sell these as components...........................they have done that for
many years ,hence must have a reasonable income from these activities .
I have seen a web site related to the sale (auction) of US Government
equipment (located in Virginia) with some mouthwatering electronic
(test)equipment . There should be a market for this equipment ,even as
components.

The marketing question remains : Is there a substantial ham homebrew market
in the USA . How many of the approx 700000 licenced Hams in the USA purchase
electronic components on a more or less regular basis ?

Surplus people in the USA like 'Surplus of Nebraska ' and 'Peter Dahl' seem
rather expensive.

Frank GMØCSZ / KN6WH.

Let's stick to topic, we can organize the offshored labor union
later...

I want to know what hams really want when they go out to buy stuff, as
an initial guess I am willing to listen to what they say they want.



The Eternal Squire

Yes, but others like ALL Electronics and MECI are quite inexpensive...
except that they aren't configured to sell to hams exclusively.

I think part of the answer might be to look at the offshoring problem
in reverse... Our manufacturing has been offshored for 20 years or
more, backoffice has been offshored for 10 years or more, and software
has been offshored for about 5 years....

So, other countries are creating discretes and subassemblies to place
into entertainment, consumer, gaming, and white goods... with only a
nod give to RF. Fortunately, many discretes being sold for above
purposes could be used for ham purposes with some ingenuity, we do it
all the time!

What I think we need to do is buy cheap components from offshore and
sell at slight markup, that implies finding sources direct from India,
China, Korea, etc. Japan is more a consumer than a manufacturer.

Maybe instead of a store we need to start a buying club?

The Eternal Squire

wrote in message
oups.com...
Tom,

The district in question is the Ahikhabara (sp?). From what I have
heard and read it is the largest elex flea-market in the world.

There is also the possibility that we could import discretes and other
parts directly from small shops in India and China.

The only problem is that it seems that US Customs import duties for
electronics coming in from Japan are rather punitive to small-time
operators. Maybe I am wrong.

Maybe you and I should go into this one together :)

Yes... thanks to craigm as well, it is Akihabara. Here are some web pages:

Akihabara News:
http://www.akihabaranews.com/en/

Akihabara homepage:
http://www.akiba.or.jp/index_e.html
http://www.akiba.or.jp/english/

Two issues:

A) I think in order to deal with the Akihabara we are going to need at
least 2 more things: 1) a Japanese ham willing to buy for us, and 2) a
US Customs broker or equivalent.

B) We still don't know our target market. Would it be consumer
equipment, ham equipment, rf subassemblies, or discretes? Remember,
the lower the integration, the less up-front investment in inventory
would be required.

C) If this was such a desireable thing to do, why hasn't it been done
before?

The Eternal Squire

xpyttl wrote:
There are a lot more homebrew possibilities out there than there are kits,
but that is a pretty low margin market. Still, I wonder if something simple
like providing parts kits for FAR Circuits boards might not be a
possibility. Provide a needed service and keep your costs down by
leveraging someone else's board mill.

When I saw the original post this is PRECISELY what came to mind.

--
Doug Smith W9WI
Pleasant View (Nashville), TN EM66
http://www.w9wi.com

Highland Ham wrote:
The marketing question remains : Is there a substantial ham homebrew market
in the USA . How many of the approx 700000 licenced Hams in the USA purchase
electronic components on a more or less regular basis ?

I would not rule out the possibility of being able to grow a market that
doesn't currently exist.

I think a significant number of hams don't homebrew not because they
don't want to -- but because it's difficult to find parts.

Make part shopping easy, and you could make customers of people who
aren't buying from *anyone* right now.

Then again, you could also lose your shirtgrin.
--
Doug Smith W9WI
Pleasant View (Nashville), TN EM66
http://www.w9wi.com

I suppose we could use Drake's Law: I'd estimate that perhaps only 1
in 10 Hams are interested in homebrewing, 1 in 10 have the skill, and 1
in 10 have the means to stock up a large parts library: basically an
interested audience of 1 in 1000 hams, meaning an audience of no more
than 700 hardcore homebrewers. Can that be right, only 700 of us
potentially on this newsgroup?

Although, if I provide the service of the homebrewer's parts library:
reasonable price, fast shipment, good ranges of discretes for 160-6 M
construction, then I could address up to 7000 hams who have both the
interest and skill who don't want to kit but do want to try something
new.

If I bundle the parts kits with the FAR boards, I suppose I could
address the 1-3 additional people on the bottom end of the skill scale.
Now we have an audience of up to 21000 hams, a nice healthy audience.

If only one of 100 hams in the kit audience buys a kit per year, then I
have only 210 sales per year. If the average parts kit cost me $50 and
I mark it up by $5 I only make about $1 of profit per kit after taxes
and expenses. 210 sales per year X $1 per kit is $210 per year. Not
good!

Or are there things of which I am not considering.

Yawn,

The Eternal Squire

"Highland Ham" wrote in message
news:2s2dnZ2dnZ24ZZfxnZ2dnVgGkt6dnZ2dRVnyqZ2dnZ0@p ipex.net...

snipped..

In western european countries there are a number of traders selling
surplus components incl RF parts ,who move from fleamarket to fleamarket
,from country to country. A number buy surplus army kit from eastern
europe and sell these as components...........................they have
done that for many years ,hence must have a reasonable income from these
activities .
I have seen a web site related to the sale (auction) of US Government
equipment (located in Virginia) with some mouthwatering electronic
(test)equipment . There should be a market for this equipment ,even as
components.
Frank GMØCSZ / KN6WH.

FYI:

I was watching the "US Government" site a while and found the auctions
exceeded anything I would call a "deal on equipment"
The site is http://www.govliquidation.com/index.html
I don't know how it would work for an overseas buyer though,

73 K4TWO Gary

wrote in message
oups.com...

than 700 hardcore homebrewers. Can that be right, only 700 of us
potentially on this newsgroup?

I don't know about "hardcore", but many AmQRP kits sell that many in the
first week. OK, you could say that a kit really isn't homebrew. But there
are a lot of people out there who like to melt solder.

and expenses. 210 sales per year X $1 per kit is $210 per year. Not
good!

Hardly cover the state's cut for licenses.

...

What about this:

Instead of offering a "stock" of parts or even a "stock" of predefined
kitted parts... offer a "part collection service." Someone who wants
to build a homebrew project could send you the schematic/article; you
would review the requirements and email them a quick quote on what it
would cost to provide the parts and the estimated time required. If
they approve, and order, you then collect the parts from your own
sources: some would be your "stock on hand", some would be orders you
place to other suppliers.

Advantage to buyer: one stop shopping; no need to spend hours going
over catalogs and going to different suppliers in order to get a pile
of parts together for a project. They dream of a project...they end up
with a bag-o-parts. It might take a little longer, and be a little
more expensive, to get the parts (because you might have to go find
some of them); but it will be a "turn key" operation for the buyer.

Advantage to you: You don't have to stock certain predefined "kits" or
go to the labor of building kits that might just sit on your shelf for
months. All you have to do is keep on hand a good range of basic parts
(that you pick up surplus, or on sale, when you can). In other words,
just keep a good "junk box" stock for yourself. If the customer needs
a part you don't have, then your cost to acquire it, and the delay, can
be figured into your quote.

Brad
WA5PSA

wrote in message
oups.com...
I suppose we could use Drake's Law: I'd estimate that perhaps only 1
in 10 Hams are interested in homebrewing, 1 in 10 have the skill, and 1
in 10 have the means to stock up a large parts library: basically an
interested audience of 1 in 1000 hams, meaning an audience of no more
than 700 hardcore homebrewers. Can that be right, only 700 of us
potentially on this newsgroup?

Although, if I provide the service of the homebrewer's parts library:
reasonable price, fast shipment, good ranges of discretes for 160-6 M
construction, then I could address up to 7000 hams who have both the
interest and skill who don't want to kit but do want to try something
new.

If I bundle the parts kits with the FAR boards, I suppose I could
address the 1-3 additional people on the bottom end of the skill scale.
Now we have an audience of up to 21000 hams, a nice healthy audience.

If only one of 100 hams in the kit audience buys a kit per year, then I
have only 210 sales per year. If the average parts kit cost me $50 and
I mark it up by $5 I only make about $1 of profit per kit after taxes
and expenses. 210 sales per year X $1 per kit is $210 per year. Not
good!

Or are there things of which I am not considering.

Yawn,

The Eternal Squire

Why limit your potential market to only the USA?

From: "Tom" on Sat 27 Aug 2005 00:25

wrote in message
roups.com...
Tom,

The district in question is the Ahikhabara (sp?). From what I have
heard and read it is the largest elex flea-market in the world.

Yes... thanks to craigm as well, it is Akihabara. Here are some web pages:

Akihabara News:
http://www.akihabaranews.com/en/

Akihabara homepage:
http://www.akiba.or.jp/index_e.html
http://www.akiba.or.jp/english/

AKIHABARA! :-) Fabulous place in Tokyo!

In the early 1950s (!) it was far from a "flea-market" but rather a
collection of hundreds of small shops selling ALL SORTS of radio
and electronic parts, kits, ready-built stuff. Fantastic then.

The best kit I ever put together was a monophonic "high-fidelity"
amplifier with preamp, the preamp box containing a TRF AM receiver
for superb AM reproduction...purchased at a small price by this
then-GI in 1954, assembled, used, sent home and used in the States
for several years.

Akihabara has been written up in lots of electronics magazines,
from Audio Engineering to (I think) all of the U.S. amateur radio
periodicals. From talking to others in-person who had visited it
in 1970s and 1980s, it is well-worth a look-see for anyone who
gets to Tokyo, Japan.

But then again, I dropped a zero because I was so tired writing the
letter. Would be 2100 sales per year, not 210. With 1$ net profit
margin on a $50 sale, that would be $2100 per year.

Because unless I know different from an authoritative source, US
Customs pretty much considers anything much above a transistor to be
military dual-use tech in the post 9/11 era. Take a look at the Ebay
ads these days... you'll hardly ever see a US Ebay willing to sell
outside CONUS due to export hassles.

Importing is almost as bad... Outside of NAFTA or CAFTA expect pay to
duties in excess of 12 to 50 percent above your $400 annual exemption
for gift items.

The Eternal Squire

Well while adding to my check-it-out in my spare time sites.....
www.jabdog.co.uk came up empty. Any of the letters in error?
I wouldn't have a guess as to a search for your site listed
Thanks K4TWO Gary



"Highland Ham" wrote in message
news:2s2dnZ2dnZ24ZZfxnZ2dnVgGkt6dnZ2dRVnyqZ2dnZ0@p ipex.net...
There is also the possibility that we could import discretes and other
parts directly from small shops in India and China.

The only problem is that it seems that US Customs import duties for
electronics coming in from Japan are rather punitive to small-time
operators. Maybe I am wrong.

Maybe you and I should go into this one together :)
====================================
In Britain there are few 1 man or family companies selling components.
Have a look at
www.modecomponents.co.uk
www.jabdog.co.uk
www.sycomcomp.co.uk

In western european countries there are a number of traders selling
surplus components incl RF parts ,who move from fleamarket to fleamarket
,from country to country. A number buy surplus army kit from eastern
europe and sell these as components...........................they have
done that for many years ,hence must have a reasonable income from these
activities .
I have seen a web site related to the sale (auction) of US Government
equipment (located in Virginia) with some mouthwatering electronic
(test)equipment . There should be a market for this equipment ,even as
components.

The marketing question remains : Is there a substantial ham homebrew
market in the USA . How many of the approx 700000 licenced Hams in the USA
purchase electronic components on a more or less regular basis ?

Surplus people in the USA like 'Surplus of Nebraska ' and 'Peter Dahl'
seem rather expensive.

Frank GMØCSZ / KN6WH.

This is a capital idea. I can only see one little problem: what
if the parts list is spread between 3 or 4 vendors and I have to
pay $5 handling fee to each vendor? This can get pretty expensive
fairly quickly for the customer.

The Eternal Squire

Well while adding to my check-it-out in my spare time sites.....
www.jabdog.co.uk came up empty. Any of the letters in error?
I wouldn't have a guess as to a search for your site listed
Thanks K4TWO Gary
===========
Apologies . Web site is : www.jabdog.com I have checked site : It
is there !
e-mail address :
Advertises in SPRAT ,Journal of the G-QRP Club.
I have purchased components a few times ; very good with assorted coil packs
incl Toko
Also Micrometals & Fairite Iron Dust and Ferrite cores for RF
Variable caps and a good range of semi-conductors
Reasonable if not low prices.
Focus on homebrew community.

Frank GM0CSZ / KN6WH

Um, I really did need to talk with someone familiar with US Customs for
importing as well as exporting. Could you reply to me by email?

Thanks,

The Eternal Squire

I wouldn't be going into this simply for sentimental
reasons but hopefully to make a small profit to
supplement my wife's earnings

You might want to emphasize "small" in profit. It's unlikely you'll
make much more money at this then you would at a minimum-wage job. Of
course, you might not like any minimum-wage jobs so you're left with
pursuing your hobby and making a few bucks at it too, and that's not
bad at all.

If your wife were a specialist doctor to Hollywood stars or a high-paid
lawyer then sure, knock yourself out with a home-based business. But
she's not gonna be making a lot of money by teaching at a reservation.

I do not see very many days left in my 20 odd-year career
as a software designer

Don't knock selling what you already know, there are ways to contract
out programming services from anywhere in the world quite easily.

So, what is the perfect homebrewer store for you all?

I'd say to go for whatever you enjoy the most. If you aren't
sure what you like, dip your feet in several pools and see what sells.
Others here lament the "good old days" of homebrewing, but as far as I
am concerned we're in it right now. Components from 70 years ago till
yesterday are on E-bay all the time, and modern parts are available
over the web in small quantities quite easily. Anyone is free to mix
and match industrial with consumer with military with ham technologies
as they choose - and this is exactly what homebrewers were doing 30,
50, 70 years ago as well, except now we have access to so much more of
all of it!

Tim.

Tim,

I appreciate the encouragement. It really isn't about the money tho.

The way things are turning out, I am going to be reversing roles with
my wife for at least the next few years. I'm actually looking foward
to doing this for several reasons:

1) Caring for my baby girl (22 mo) and possibly one other being planned
for is going to allow me to lay down the foundation of my children
being a lot closer to me by the time they become teenagers.

2) Up where we are going, there is fairly little light pollution. Last
time I actually had a chance to see the entire Milky Way was in my
mid-20's.

3) I'm essentially an ABD in Computer Science with about 20 broken
years experience working from drivers from GUIs to everything
inbetween, in 5 languages and 10 platforms, and I'm only 43. There
isn't a whole lot I haven't done for either small companies, large
ones, or on contract, so it is all starting to become the same....

4) What I'd really like to do is create Open Source tools at a much
higher level of quality than I have seen by a lot of sometime authors.
I have plenty of ideas and now at least some time every day to think
great thoughts that won't be owned by an employer.

5) I got into hardware and software primarly as an escape from an
abusive family growing up. After being on antidepressants for 10
years, shrunk to a fare-thee-well, and having a terrific wife and a
wonderful girl for my family, my family has become my escape from my
work rather than then other way around. This is a good thing, but it
is no wonder that I am tired of working for a wage.

6) I am looking forward to doing a lot of homebrewing and a little DX
where I don't have to worry about how my antenna looks to the
neighbors.

So I really don't know what I want to do. I am learning that being a
full time homemaker won't be all scones and cream but that the some
time I'll have to be creative will be more than than I had been having
in a cube.

Problem is, I don't know just where to start.

The Eternal Squire

4) What I'd really like to do is create Open Source tools at a much
higher level of quality than I have seen by a lot of sometime authors.
I have plenty of ideas and now at least some time every day to think
great thoughts that won't be owned by an employer.
==========================
That's great . Being a radio amateur you might be in a position to promote
Linux , so that Linux will be increasingly used for amateur radio software.
Perhaps you might do some work for ARRL ,such that in future all Ham Radio
software ARRL are associated with can ALSO be run on a Linux box.
In spite of Linux gaining terrain ,at the moment most Ham Radio software can
only be run on Windoze or DOS .

Frank GM0CSZ / KN6WH The future : A penguin with
an HT

Highland Ham wrote:

Surplus people in the USA like 'Surplus of Nebraska ' and 'Peter Dahl' seem
rather expensive.


'Peter Dahl' makes custom transformers, so you can't expect "Cheap"
if you want it to last.

--
?

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida

old saying,

you gets what you pay for !

http://www.allelectronics.com (surplus stuff, good quality items, low shipping)

ES:

My advice...

a) Start somewhere---with something. It doesn't matter what. Yes there
is much to be said for planning and strategizing. On the other hand, too
many people spend so much time thinking about doing things that they
never actually do them.

b) The "perfect ham store" is the store YOU'd shop at if it existed. If
you want to establish the perfect ham store, then create it according to
your vision.

c) Whatever you do, make is scaleable. Running out plunking down
thousands for shop space, equipment, advertising, and whatever is a
risky proposition. Start with a single kit, a single service, a single
piece of your own software, and market it on the web.

If it fails, your exposure was small and whatever money lost can be
justified as tuition for the lessons you learned. Just try something else.

If it doesn't fail, you will have a small amount of capital with which
to leverage the next product or service.

HPF
AC7ZL

wrote:



Problem is, I don't know just where to start.

The Eternal Squire

Gotta remember - Hams are cheap -- they visit the local store -- try out the
gear - ask a zillion questions, then go away and mail order off the web to
save a measly dollar or two. Then they go back to the local store and ask
them to help program the unit.

I had a Ham offer me $7 for a $25 book, I replied -- which Chapter do you
want (;-)

--
CL -- I doubt, therefore I might be !






"H. P. Friedrichs" wrote in message
...
ES:

My advice...

a) Start somewhere---with something. It doesn't matter what. Yes there is
much to be said for planning and strategizing. On the other hand, too many
people spend so much time thinking about doing things that they never
actually do them.

b) The "perfect ham store" is the store YOU'd shop at if it existed. If
you want to establish the perfect ham store, then create it according to
your vision.

c) Whatever you do, make is scaleable. Running out plunking down thousands
for shop space, equipment, advertising, and whatever is a risky
proposition. Start with a single kit, a single service, a single piece of
your own software, and market it on the web.

If it fails, your exposure was small and whatever money lost can be
justified as tuition for the lessons you learned. Just try something else.

If it doesn't fail, you will have a small amount of capital with which to
leverage the next product or service.

HPF
AC7ZL

wrote:



Problem is, I don't know just where to start.

The Eternal Squire