[hpsdr] Message from the TAPR Board on Future Penelope Build

[Scott Cowling]

Date: 30 January 2009
Subject: Future TAPR Penelope Build

It is gratifying to see so many having a great time with HPSDR. Keep 
up the good work and enthusiasm!

As many of you know, TAPR-built Penelope boards have been sold out 
for several months now. Some have inquired about a second run of 
boards from TAPR.

TAPR decides on the quantity of boards to build based on the number 
of "signups" on the interest list. We try to build just as many as we 
can above this number. We, like everyone else, are limited by 
finances to build a maximum number of "extra" boards above and beyond 
the demand that exists at build time. For Penelope, the interest list 
topped out at 286, and we built 350. That is 64 extras, an extra 22% 
over and above the shown interest.

TAPR's involvement in the HPSDR project is one of facilitator. We try 
to advance the state of the radio art in various ways. One of these 
ways is to provide funding for projects that advance the state of the 
art (like HPSDR and others). Another is to get a large number of 
boards into the hands of as many experimenter/developers as we can to 
try and achieve critical mass.

That said, TAPR's mission is not to become a manufacturer. The boards 
that we have produced are very low cost because they are subsidized 
with donated labor and sold at a very small margin. We take in just 
enough extra to pay for the storefront and to fund development 
projects (like HPSDR and others). Developers offer their considerable 
expertise for free; design verification requires building boards, and 
that costs real money. TAPR has funded alpha builds for Ozy, Janus, 
Penelope, Mercury, Alex and LPU. As an example, TAPR funded three 
alpha builds (eight boards total) of Mercury before the production 
boards were manufactured.

Our volunteers have a limited amount of time, and we want to use it 
wisely for the maximum benefit of the community (of which HPSDR is a 
part). Consequently, we have a tough decision to make: repeat 
production runs of current boards, or make production runs of new 
designs. Given the fact that the designers have now released Penelope 
under the TAPR OHL for anyone to build and sell, it makes more sense 
for TAPR to pursue the latter course and focus on new designs. This 
is consistent with how TAPR did it back in the days of the first 
TNC's, when we let the commercial manufacturers take over production 
pretty quickly after we achieved critical mass.

One member of the HPSDR community has already stated an interest in 
producing additional Penelope boards for a very reasonable price.

There is no current plan for a second TAPR Penelope production run.

While circumstances can always change in the future, at this time 
TAPR is focusing on producing new designs (such as Alex, Pandora and LPU).

TAPR is proud to be of service in the "HPSDR Revolution" and we look 
forward to helping the developers to advance the state of the art a 
little bit faster and a little bit easier than before.

Signed,
TAPR Board of Directors



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