GRE stops making scanners -- Radio Referencee

[N8YN]

Amen Chris, KF6NFW.....I could not have said it any better myself! I also love GRE products and when I saw the post I just wanted to express how I felt about their product line. I don't believe everything on the internet nor do I believe everything I see in print or hear on radio and television news....I have listened to NEWSLINE for years and enjoy it very much. I appreciate the work they do and I was shocked to see that someone connected to it had that attitude.

N8YN

[N6MEJ]

Radio Shack employees are normally clueless about the radio stuff they sell but this is beyond stupid. If a manager had told me that I doubt I'd been able to stop myself from slapping him right across the face for talking such stupidity. Fracking moron.

maybe I am clueless here, but I don't understand your point in wanting to slap this guy silly. His info was correct regards smartphone apps that act as scanners.. I have a couple of them. Granted, they require a feed, nonetheless they work quite well for my limited scanner needs.

[KA5S]

Question: As anyone on this forum taken 5 minutes to call GRE and either confirm or deny the story?
No? Why not?
Oh, wait a minute: If it was printed on the Internet it "must be true... NOT!!!"
Don't worry: You can all sit there and ruminate over an Internet rumor. Ill do your job for you and will have the information -- hopefully -- in next weeks Amateur Radio Newsline report.

Well, that's what came across my screen -- now the interest is stirred up, more people are looking into it.

Might actually be so, too, at least from the later comments.

Cortland
KA5S

[WA6ITF]

Lastest update: As of this morning I have ascertained that most of the information about GRE is true. More important to ham radio is the good news that Alinco sales and service will be totally unaffected. Alinco will remain in Belmont CA. with the same people providing sales and service. So Alinco owners or perspective buyers need not worry.

The big question that remains unexplained is why GRE -- which was the worlds largest scanner radio OEM manufacturer -- with little real competition in the industry -- should suddenly "fold its tent" -- so as to speak -- and disappear. Nobody seems to have been able to pin this down. I have asked one of my key reporters -- Mark Abramowicz, NT3V, to take on the story and to try to find out the actual reason that GRE in Japan decided to suddenly close shop. There is a lot of speculation on this aspect of the story but no concrete facts. If and when we get anything Ill update this forum.

[N8YN]

Thanks Bill....

N8YN

[KK4KCU]

Roger that! I needed a SO-239 barrel last weekend. I called the local Rat Shack before driving up there. They had no idea what a coax connector is, never mind an SO-239.

It is a business reality that there is insufficient demand to support them being an electronics shop, but c'mon, even the chicken band guys need connectors at times!

"At Radio Shock you have questions; We have no clue"

I have found only one exception to this, it is one about 5mi away from my house and 3 of the employees (at least one of them is working every time I go there) know quite a bit about all the components and other things they sell.

[KK4KCU]

Sorry for the double post but here is the official press release.
http://www.greamerica.com/support/in...news&newsid=38

GRE Official Announcement 10/23/2012

October 23, 2012


To our valued Dealers and Customers,

Due to circumstances beyond its control, General Research of Electronics of Japan (GRE)
is temporarily not able to manufacture the GRECOM and Radio Shack branded radio scanners.

The Chinese Government’s plan to redevelop the area where the GRE factory had been in
operation for over ten years finally forced its closure. Anticipating this eventuality,
GRE was in the process of building a new factory but unfortunately the cost of raw materials,
labor and increased taxes created a heavy financial investment burden that could not be
effectively recovered.

GRE America continues to market, support and service the GRECOM branded scanners and is
contractually committed to keep the Library Database updated and current. GRE America
will continue to market, service and support Alinco’s radio products without any interruption.

We sincerely apologize for this unfortunate turn of events. GRE is proceeding to establish
a contract with a new factory and believes it will be able to restart the manufacturing in
the near future.


For continued sales, service and support, please contact the GRE America office.

Raj Gounder
Director of sales
GRE America, Inc.

[KB1YSQ]

Similar thing happened with Mackie (pro audio equipment manufacturer) a few years back - their manufacturer in China closed down for some reason. (Perhaps something similar to this).

They were eventually back up and running, but for a while it was very hard to get any Mackie equipment!