Archive of the former Yahoo!Groups mailing list: MOTM

Well, here it is November already (I can remember saying..."It's June
already!").

a) I am going to focus the entire month of Nov in shipping out ∗every∗ 5U
order in the backlog. I worked this weekend on a few repairs and making up
kits. The only kit I need to make up is the '480. MOTM-480s are about 1/2 of
all the current backlog orders (not modules, orders). I will have 3 1/2
weeks doing nothing but 5U work (Euro modules will be at the SMT assembler
until the end of the month).

b) The month of December is getting ready for NAMM and shipping the E560
Euro module. Whatever is left to do in 5U that did not go out in Nov, I will
do in the time between Christmas and NAMM (NAMM starts Jan 12th). I have
∗all∗ the 'raw materials' now to fulfill the 5U backlog (panels/pc
boards/wire/parts/pots/etc). I haven't counted it recently, it's around 60
modules. I have stuffed pc boards already for about 3/4 of them.Again,
mostly '480 and '440s and maybe '300s are the ones I'll be building in Nov.

c) after NAMM, I will be taking a step back to ponder the future of 5U MOTM.
It will be a 13 year project by then, and few things in electronics last 3
years, much less 13. Decisions made 8-10yrs ago are no longer valid. Every 6
months, a MOTM part goes obsolete (most recently SSM2010s which ∗at some
point∗ will be a SSM2012).

For whatever reason, ∗both∗ MOTM 2.0 orders (pc boards, extra parts, etc)
and assembled modules have dried up to nearly no activity over the last 4
months. MOTM 2.0 was going pretty well in the spring and early summer but is
just a trickle now. If I had zero backlog now, I'd be in big trouble!

There are many options available, I just have to figure out what makes sense
for me ∗money-wise∗ in terms of pc boards and front panels (after the
backlog is shipped, I will still have something like 200 front panels left).
Most of the $$$s in inventory are panels (#1), pots (#2) and pc boards (#3).
The actual electronic parts are < 15% of the $$$ amount.

It very well may be that after 13 years, I've saturated the market with
∗these∗ particular modules (everyone has migrated to JH or CGS or ???). It
doesn't matter, it is what it is.

I'm still considering moving to 100% SMT, redesigning the MOTM pc boards to
be SMT, keeping the existing pc boards for DIYers only. Or, do I focus on
non-DIY, new MOTM modules that are "upgrades" to the Euro line?

I'll just worry about that issue when the time comes. Meanwhile, start
looking for your happy email starting the 15th.

Paul S.