Getting lost in the world of work and other things

Still around and working on some projects.  It seems work, yard work, and other priorities are even keeping me from this blog.

Planned to do a follow-up on the Morse Code and still will.  Time goes by way too fast at times and if there is anyone who knows how to get 48 hours out of a day I am interested in doing that also.

About the most ham radio activity has been a few hours on the air and the addition of 2 new old items to the shack.  Looking over my notebook seems July is the month of station additions.  2 out of 3 of my HF radios were added in July, my main antenna was purchased in July and a few small things were added this July.

After owning a Kenwood TS-700A for about 5 years a near mint condition SP-70 external speaker has been added.  The SP-70 makes listening much more pleasing than the internal speaker.

A Kenwood SP-230 was added to my TS-830S station bringing that station one more step closer to becoming a complete station.  This speaker is not as mint as the SP-70 above.  A bit of dis-colored coating on the rear panel and a small nick on the faceplate.  The SP-230 is nice in that it has built-in switchable audio filters and the ability to switch to two different radios.  If I wanted I would not need the SP-70, I could use only the SP-230 and connect both radios to it and switch back and forth.  Nice feature, but I doubt I'll use it.

Maybe I should have entitled this post as external speakers since that is becoming the subject. 

One thing I have not understood since getting my license is why all the ham gear costs so much.  Take an external speaker.  Most are nothing more than a cheap low wattage paper cone speaker, limited frequency response, mounted in a metal or plastic cabinet, some with a closed back, some fully open backs, and having metal or plastic grills.  Everything that is opposite of a good design for a good sounding speaker and enclosure.

Sure the purpose is only for voice communication so fancy full-range audio is not needed.  So with the cheap quality construction why the high cost?  This does not seem to matter whether new or used.  Some or most of the used sell for many times more than when they were new.  I guess this is the collectable aspect of liking older things like I do. 

The fact is many of us like things matching our radios.  Many of us like collecting and using the older equipment.  The limited manufacturing runs of many of the things for amateur radio.  The demand for certain items.  All these add to the cost of what we are willing to pay for things.  I'll continue buying things to complete my older stations.  I'll be using the older things, and I'll continue to state the same thing about the cost.   Overall I'll still be enjoying a great hobby.

So just a bit of rambling about additions to the shack, external speakers and self-answering comments on the costs of things.  Hopefully not too boring.

73