Cross Contry Wireless Throwing in the Towel on Sentry SDR

Steve W6SDM

For those following the Amateur SDR industry, a post on QRZ.com reads:

After three long years development work resulting in a working prototype we have reluctantly decided not to put the Sentry SDR transceiver into production.

We realise that without a major expansion of our company would not be able to meet the demand for the transceiver or provide adequate customer support.

There is also an additional legal aspect to the decision. We have had enquiries from many potential users who may not use the proposed transceiver for amateur radio use and will use it for illegal purposes or detrimental activity.

Thank you for all the support and feedback given during the development of the transceiver.

I think the moral to the story is that it takes much more than desire and even a good equipment design to not only bring a product to market but to sustain it.  Of course, when you buy a radio you expect support and further product development, both of which require a well organized business with capital.  It's too bad these guys didn't make it - I know that there was a lot of individual interest in the product as there is in amateur SDR in general.  I respect a company that knows when to call it quits before they take people's money and then leave them hanging.  I am sure that if they had any innovative ideas, someone else will pick up where they left off.

I am curious as to what the "illegal activity" would have been.    God help us if CB ends up with SDR.

Steve
W6SDM