[hpsdr] parts kit vs mounted SMT

[John Koster]

I could see a situation where joe-ham orders, we ship the 'kit' to his
selected joe-microscope-eyes.  J-m-e puts the desired parts on and sends
it on to joe-ham who pays j-m-e for his services and shipping to final
destination.  I think TAPR would be hesitant to have an approved vendors
list, but I suspect that information could be passed back and forth on
this list.

-- 
73,
John, W9DDD

On Fri, 9 Jun 2006, Lyle Johnson wrote:

> ***** High Performance Software Defined Radio Discussion List *****
> 
> > Ditto.  How many in this large and growing group have the necessary 
> > microscope,  hand tools etc. to do the successful application of these 
> > find pitched parts?  These parts were made for machine soldering.  No,  
> > crazy is the right word since those of us with the necessary tools are a 
> > tiny percentage of this group.   We need to choose a contract 
> > manufacturer to put on these parts.
> 
> There are a lot of facets to this jewel :-)
> 
> We must keep in mind that TAPR's charter is as a non-profit (tax exempt) 
> scientific, educational and research organization.  Providing kits for 
> people to build in conjunction with advanced technology experimentation 
> and learning certainly fits within this charter.
> 
> Assembled and tested products that create a plug and play environment 
> may be a little less clear.
> 
> We know that there is at least one player in the assembled and tested 
> SDR marketplace that has zero reservations about pursuing open-source 
> designers with threats of lawsuits and cease-and-desist orders at the 
> drop of a hat.  It would be unfortunate if TAPR, in an effort to provide 
> better services to the Amateur community, found itself embroiled in 
> legal wrangling.
> 
> I am sure there are for-profit companies that will be wanting to step in 
> and offer assembled and tested board level products.  Being open source, 
> no one can or should try and prevent them from doing so.  Being open 
> source, there is plenty of opportunity for the marketplace to keep 
> pricing efficient, especially if we are successful in getting an open 
> source hardware license structure in place that assures derivative 
> designs are just as open as the source designs.
> 
> I suggest that we start with bare boards and kits of parts and see where 
> it leads us.  I recall that when AmQRP offered the DDS cards, they also 
> had at least one person willing to attach the SMT IC for a small fee.  I 
> can't help but believe that there are multiple entrepreneurs out there 
> who would be happy to attach the parts that make some folks nervous, 
> also for a small fee.
> 
> I remember these sorts of discussion in the 80s when TAPR made kit TNCs. 
>   The result, at that time, was a decision to not pursue the assembled 
> and tested marketplace. It was appropriate for the Beta test, but not later.
> 
> I could be very wrong, and there may be no issue at all for TAPR to 
> enter the marketplace with assembled and tested boards without risk to 
> their tax-exempt status. But TAPR must be very careful about approaching 
> this, I suspect.
> 
> 73,
> 
> Lyle KK7P
> 
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