[Yaesu] Yaesu and Sommerkamp

Thu Jan 29 15:53:50 EST 2009

Hi Bruce,
Thanks for the interesting background. A little more:
Tokuzo Inoue founded Inoue Ltd. In 1954, in Kyoto. In 1964, Inoue
Communications Equipments Corp. was incorporated in Osaka with Tokuzo Inoue
as MD. The company was renamed Icom Inc. in 1978.
http://www.icom.co.jp/world/ (in English)
JRC (Japan Radio Company) was chartered as Nihon Musen KK (Japan Wireless
Ltd.) in 1915. It was a major military contractor during WW2; some Japanese
military surplus from that era still has nameplates bearing the JRC logo and
a Nihon Musen KK nameplate. JRC are still a big player in maritime, fixed
and mobile radio communications and radar, but have now left the ham/SWL
sectors.
http://www.jrc.co.jp/eng/ (in English)
Cheers for now, 73,
Adam VA7OJ/AB4OJ
-----Original Message-----
From: yaesu-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:yaesu-bounces at mailman.qth.net]
On Behalf Of Bruce
Sent: 29-Jan-09 12:10
To: Yaesu at mailman.qth.net
Subject: [Yaesu] Yaesu and Sommerkamp
Hello Deon,
Regarding Sommerkamp: Wolfgang Sommerkamp (DJ2YJ/HB9XSO) started an amateur
radio business in Germany in 1962. In 1963, Sommerkamp became the German
representative for Yaesu, and also began marketing radio equipment under his
own name. The company moved to Switzerland 1n 1967. Sommerkamp went out of
business in 1986.
Regarding Kenwood: The company first started in 1946 as the Kasuga Radio Co.
In 1960 the company was renamed as the Trio Corporation.
They adopted the Kenwood name for the US, because in 1961 there already was
a US company named Trio, (a mfg. of antenna rotors), and the name was not
available. Kenwood was not adopted for the corporate name until 1986.
73, Bruce WA8TNC
================
Deon Erwin ZS1ZL wrote:
> Bruce
>> There was a time before and around the 1970s when some manufacturers 
> used different brand names for their equipment in Europe.
>> The Twins were designed and built by Yaesu in Japan, but marketed in 
> Europe under the Sommerkamp label. Sometimes the model numbers were
changed too.
> For instance, the Yaesu FT-101 was known as the Sommerkamp FT-277 and 
> the Yaesu FT-200 was known as the Sommerkamp FT-250. (The FT-200 was 
> also marketed as the Henry Tempo-1 in the USA.)
>> I bought a new FT-301D in 1977 and the cardboard box had Sommerkamp 
> stickers placed over the Yaesu name on all sides of the box. However, 
> the radio has its original Yaesu FT-301D label. My dealer probably 
> sourced this radio from Yaesu Europe.
>> Similarly, Kenwood was marketed in Europe under the Trio label.
>> Deon ZS1ZL