On May 3, 7:52 am, K6LHA wrote:

some snippage

Meeting requirements such as salt spray, temperature and
humidity extremes, high altitude, water immersion, etc., is a
completely different game because each and every component must either
meet the specification or be protected from the environment.

A generalized statement like that indicates no experience with adverse
environments. One can "perform" like a champ at room temperature in a
residence environment but try it below freezing or in a vehicle that
has been in +118 degrees F all day (interior is MUCH hotter).

I haven't been involved in Mil spec testing. I was involved in Cable
Television testing, in which we cycled between extreme temps - don't
remember the exact temps, so I just used "extreme". We did immersion
tests in salt and fresh water. We did vibration testing. Neat device,
it was a sort of mini-system, we sent signals through it, and tried to
run to failure. Shake and Bake, we called it. After a month or so
without a failure, we'd give up. Some equipment was used by the Navy,
so the testing method must have meant something. note, we tested all
the models this way.

Personally, I wouldn't pay for a completely mil spec tested HT or
other Ham equipment. Even for emergency use, I wouldn't. There could
be some argument there, but we're Hams, and not soldiers in this
context. I have a FT-50 that has passed vibration and water testing
both model wise and by personal experience.

It's gone in the drink a couple times, and been dropped several more.
I'm embarrassed to admit that it spent a very wet weekend on the roof
of my SUV, I only discovered that sad fact when it fell off and
bounced a few times in my driveway. I picked it up, dried it off with
a towel, and mashed the power button. Didn't miss a beat.

So while mil-spec testing is great if the equipment needs it, I have
no trouble at all with accepting - and paying for - equipment that is
tested to a level of ruggedness more in line with Amateur needs.