If that is the case, then the contract will detail the project, and you'll have a budget. Right now there is little project detail and no budget specified.
All we know is it's a remote control in the 433MHz ISM band. Is it just the transmit side, or is it both ends? Is it bidirectional? If it's in the 433MHz ISM band then it will not be wide band or high bit rate. What is the interface to the radio? Are you designing more than just the RF bit, and if so, what is the nature of that? Is this an R&D or production project?
I'm now wondering if the contract is yet to be awarded and as part of the RFP the prospective customer needs to know what's in your lab (or isn't, as the case may be!)
I never said it was for some contract or outsourcing or anything like that ... I also never mentioned that this was/is a RF project.
If you read back some pages, you'll find that I've said:
"The equipment will be used mainly for robotics and automation, but this includes almost everything you have in electronics. Starting from batteries, you have analog and power electronics, going to some gyros and accelerometers and you have digital and signal processing, making something remote controlled and you have RF ... sensors and actuators and there will be some network (CAN, most likely) ... and so it goes. Even for me it is difficult to make a very specific topic
A scope with a large bw is good, but I guess I'll go for a scope with good sampling rate and memory depth ... at least for now. But with a bw >= 200Mhz"Even before this, I also said:
Research, design, prototyping, everthing from scrach till a final product. RF will be used, but I guess for some ASK 433.92MHz remote control ... nothing on the GHz side of spectrum.Of course, I haven't been so specific about this project, and I can't ... yah company policies suck, I know !
About the RF part, I'm not even considering designing it, I don't think there will be a need for a high bit rate or even transmitting power. And for that I can get some certified RF modules (go to any electronic suppliers company and you get it by the dozen!) ... and if they are already certified, one less thing to worry. I even have dropped the option of getting a spectrum analyzer, and instead renting one, or just have it integrated on the scope.
Are you woring about the final value for all the gear that I've mentioned? ... well, the mechanical part of the thing is at least one order of magnitude higher. If someone, at the company, gave you a rough idea of what they are planning to start developing, and ask you "make a list of good quality equipment that you need" ... what would you do?, wait until you have a list of all the specifics an then (only then) present a list of equipment ? ... ask for some rudimentar gear because you don't really know what you need, and you don't want the company to spend money on "fullish things" ? Ask for a future budjet ... and hopping that when you'll need something this budjet still exist ?
I don't know about you. As for me, I'll try to get the most diversified equipment that I can possible get, at the end, they might say "too expensive" and then, I'll try to find something "less expensive". If I don't ask, I'll not get! IMO, its better to bargain and get something, than let the oportunity pass and regreat it later. And
no this is
not a trophy lab !