[Elecraft] Future elecraft projects

[Ron D'Eau Claire]

You aren't alone as a "newbie", Ron. As an OT homebrewer who has always =
had
at least one kit-built or homebrew rig on the air for > 50 years, I am
pleased to meet ops like you all the time.=20

Building is great fun. In the 50's/60's they called homebrewing building
from 'scratch' - using a design published in a book or magazine or =
digging
through the handbooks to come up with your own combination of circuits =
for
something unique - then digging around for the parts to build it. Kit
building wasn't really "homebrewing" then... but it was still a BIG step =
up
from being the most dreaded ne'er-do-well on the bands, a (Gasp!!)
"Appliance Operator"... someone using a factory-built rig: a lowly
"appliance" rather like a toaster or TV.=20

Heath and other kits became popular after WWII because 1) The complexity =
of
the designs was growing rapidly. IN the 30's a homebrew receiver might =
have
two or three tubes. In 1950, it might have dozen. And 2) There was a =
wealth
of surplus parts on the market after WWII.=20

Heath (and others) took advantage of "surplus" parts on the market that =
they
could buy in bulk at low prices and designed rigs using them. They could
then afford to offer the kits to Hams at a fraction of the price the Ham
would have to pay for them individually. And, in the process, they =
offered
hams "state of the art" design work by their engineers that could be
duplicated with some skill following instructions and using a soldering
iron.

Sound familiar? I think that Elecraft has done Ham radio a real service
resurrecting the best of what kit building was all about. They can't get
parts for $1 a ton like Heath could in the early 50's, but they can =
offer
the advantage of a well-crafted design with parts purchased at the =
lowest
quantity prices around. They aren't the only ones to fill this role =
since
Heath, E.F. Johnson and others faded from the scene, but they undeniably =
are
the current leaders in that service to our Hobby.=20

For "scratch building" we have never had such easy access to such a =
range of
parts, thanks to the internet. But there is still the issue of =
"reinventing
the wheel" even if we have the design skills. For most of us, it's more =
fun
to replicate a state-of-the-art design that has been thoroughly tested =
in
the lab. Then we can modify it to our heart's content <G>. And companies
like Elecraft can put all of the parts in our hands for less than we =
could
buy them individually on our own.

My only "complaint" about modern kit builders, if one can call it that, =
is
that too many of them think like appliance operators, loathe to drill a =
hole
in the front panel or rewire a circuit or two to try something new. To =
me, a
Ham rig was just that - a work process that continues until I either =
harvest
the parts for something else or until I gave or traded my rig to someone
else. I never ever considered using my Ham gear as an "investment" that =
I
would expect to recover in cash at some future date. Still, that's their
right and I don't criticize one who says they would NEVER cut a trace or
change a part. I just ask that my proclivity for tinkering be respected =
as
well.=20

If you have an interest in old technology, the internet and groups like =
the
"Glowbugs" can help you create designs from the 50's using parts from =
the
21st Century. If nothing else, such experience teaches you just how easy =
we
have it today with rigs that leap to life at the touch of a button and =
which
we feel are broken if the dial isn't within 20Hz of the actual =
frequency.

Welcome to the club, Ron. You're not late. You're just in time to warm =
up
the soldering iron and have a LOT of fun!

Ron AC7AC
K2 # 1289


-----Original Message-----
From: elecraft-admin@mailman.qth.net =
[mailto:elecraft-admin@mailman.qth.net]
On Behalf Of Ron Pyle

... As a newbie to ham. I'm disappointed in the demise of companies like
Heathkit. That is much of what this hobby is all about. I'd like to see =
a
return to what I had seen as ham radio in the past. It should be fun,
fiddling with neat toys. Perhaps in this new world of terrorism and =
people
spending more time at home; people might have more time to enjoy ham and
other hobbies. Hopefully, more will move away from wanting to be
entertained, and spend some time enjoying doing something.

RonP