Hey all you Icom fans out there, as we all know, the IC-7610 is a great radio, as I have one and am super pleased with it. BUT there seems to be something fishy going on south of the border in the U.S of A. A large Amateur radio supplier in the U.S. called GigaParts is now advertising an IC-7610 ver 22 and an IC 7610 ver 32, but the catch is that the version 32 is $600.00 U.S. more. On GigaParts site, once you click on the ver 32 7610, you are informed it has "enhanced performance".
Things just don't add up.......
- Icom's website says nothing about a version 32 or lists any enhanced improvements?
- Icom just introduced the IC-7760, so why add internal competition?
- To increase the rig by $600.00, which is worth at least a QST page introducing this?
- Dayton or whatever it is called now just pasted without mention of this, and believe me, these things are known well in advance at Icom or whoever.
What does add up is the U.S. tariffs on electronics from Japan of 25%. I am not saying the price jump is a tariff, but it is one explanation. You may ask why Icom just does not just say it is a threat; my answer to that is the big baby bear south of the border does not take kindly to that. Icom may just add a few improvements (that in the past were free updates) and call it "enhancements". In time, let's see if Kenwood and Yaesu add "enhancements".
What are your thoughts on it......
2 comments:
This really is interesting and is being debated online. I don't think a manufacturer introduces an exact-same radio and gives it some different "version number" just to raise the price because of tariffs. Also, changes to a stable product like the IC-7610 takes investment of time and money and months to produce, test, and verify. I suspect they had some improvements in the works already, and it is possible that the tariffs triggered the release of improvements to get a higher price. You don't make changes without making improvements on a several-year-old radio. I will be watching to see what the "performance enhancements" really are, before making a purchase. If there is a newer version, I find it hard to buy the older version, because I keep radios for at least 10 years (still using an IC-7600). Some are saying that the only improvement is to address obsolete parts. We will see. 73, Tom KG3V
Good morning Tom and very nice to hear from you, I too will be watching with interest to see the final outcome of the price increase. I find it odd that Icom has not been more specific with what the improvements are? When the price jumps and we are told improvements have been made via amateur radio dealers and not really Icom it seems odd. Also in the 7610 groups.io Rod N8RAT message number 37970 mentioned he spoke with Ray Novak at the Huntsville hamfest and he did say Rod the price increase is primarily due to tariffs. Interesting times the U.S. are in right now.
73,
Mike
VE9KK
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