And Kenwood was another maker that sold the 232 interface separately
for it's radios.

I suspect that the decision by all of the radio companies to market it
as an option was mostly an atttempt to keep the initial price as low
and competitive as possible. I think the companies understood that
only a small group of enthusiasts wanted features like a 232 interface,
voice synthesizer or 500hz filter. Adding one or more to all radios
could have pushed the price beyond the competition. While profit is
certainly their motive in selling radios, I don't think they separated
the 232 adaptor solely as a way to eke out more markup.



Mark S. Holden wrote:
Soliloquy wrote:

starman wrote in
:

Why don't most cars come standard with tire chains installed?
Probably
because most people would have no need for them. The Yaesu FRG-100
Pre-
Dates the R-75 by 7 years. The Yaesu FRG-100 was introduced in
1992, the
Icom R-75 in 1999.

Although it seems like computers have been with us forever, their
common
use in terms of being interfaced, by the average Joe, with radios
is a
relatively recent phenomenon.

The Yaesu design apparently goes back 13 years. Look here for a
little
computer history. http://www.computerhope.com/history/19902000.htm
http://www.computerhope.com/win3x.htm

Notice that the release date for Windows 3.1 was also in 1992.
Whoopee,
Windows 3.1, I would guess that those computers had USB ports. No,
why
not? Ah, the evolution of the equipment only produced USB ports in
later
years.

Perhaps this is why the FRG-100, released in 1992, and no doubt
being
designed a few years before that, didn't obsess about converting
the CAT
port to Serial Port levels. I believe that the port was there more
for
the option of Remote Control operation than computer interface.

My point is that obsessions with extras does not necessarily make
for
good equipment. The Yaesu FRG-100 is a solid performer, even
without the
additional features of the Icom R-75. For that matter, is there
anyone
out there with a fully operational Palstar R-30C, in like new
condition,
that they would like to swap for my fully operational R-75, also in
like
new condition?

You can't get any more basic than the Palstar R-30C. But it is also
a
performer. Gone are all of those seductive buttons and knobs,
instead,
the money goes into the quality of the components used throughout.
And
most frightening, I don't even know if it has Computer Control
options,
"Oh the Humanity"!

http://www.palstar.com/r30.php

Soliloquy

matt weber wrote:

On Mon, 24 Jan 2005 03:38:39 -0500, starman
wrote:



Soliloquy wrote:

Yes, but why didn't Yaesu implement a proper RS-232 interface
like
most table-top receivers have done in recent years? I guess only
they
can answer that question.

The RS-232 standard was an "established" standard when the FRG-100
was brought
out, and personal computers were popular long before Windows was
introduced.

Odds are they thought they could make more of a profit by selling the
RS-232
adapter as an accessory. Lowe did the same thing.