[Elecraft] How I Found Elecraft

[Ron D'Eau Claire]

Every HF rig that I've owned since I was first licensed in 1952 was
either scratch built or a kit that I built.  In 1999, my "main" rig was
an HW-8  that I had built in 1976. It had  an outboard amp for when I
wanted to really tickle the "aether" and so many modifications to it
Heath wouldn't recognize it. 

I wanted something newer and more "state of the art" than I was prepared
to design myself. I tried out a factory-built rig briefly. Not only was
it boring, it didn't work very well. Indeed it worked so badly that the
manufacturer took it back, refunded my money and apologized. 

All the while I kept hearing more K2's on the CW bands. Each one had an
enthusiastic operator at the key.  No one was more enthusiastic than
Bob, N6WG, in Newark, CA. But (and I don't want this to be a
distraction...) I really wasn't interested in another QRP rig. Then I
noticed that Elecraft's web site promised that the K2 would have a
module that would let it run either 50 or 100 watts output (they hadn't
made up their minds about the size of the amp module yet in 1999).  That
did it, and S/N 1289 went on the air in June of 2000. 

It's been a great combination of tinkering and operating that shows no
sign of slowing down any time soon. If it isn't something I want to try
IN the K2, it's something that I want to build to go WITH the K2. 

As Helm,  WB2ADT, said it so well recently "This rig is a hobby unto
itself." 

My sincere thanks to Bob, N6WG, and all the other enthusiastic ops who
chewed the rag with me on their K2's before and after mine was built! 

A wise person taught me this: We find happiness with others when we
focus our attention on how we are the same. We find unhappiness with
others when we focus  our attention on how we are different. 

Let the good times keep rolling...

73,

Ron AC7AC
K2 # 1289